2014 Annual Report58

In manufacturing In parallel, the Group is attentive to reducing the emission of greenhouse gases associated with its manufacturing activities. Its main activities devoted to that end involve:

Improving the energy efficiency of transport for milk collection, inter-plant transfers and product distribution: optimization of rounds and of the choice, equipment and maintenance of heavy vehicles, design of new milk tanks, subscription to the CO

2 , Carriers Commit charter and train-

ing of drivers in eco-driving; Improving the energy efficiency of our manufacturing facilities; The deployment of processes for reducing the energy cost of evaporation; The optimization of milk skimming to reduce energy impacts and waste.

Group-wide To complement the carbon footprint audits performed at certain locations, the Group is currently developing a tool for measuring greenhouse gas emissions at two levels (scope 1 and scope 2).

At the level of the industry The Group contributes actively to defining a shared framework for the dairy industry covering the calculation of lifecycle anal- ysis data with regard to greenhouse gases and the provision of environmental data in respect of finished products.

Protection of biodiversity The Group is committed to the protection of biodiversity via its Responsible Dairy Sourcing program. Biodiversity is one of the ten focuses of the farming diagnosis proposed to our milk producers. The development of pastures, the improvement of vegetation, the reduction of phytosanitary treatments and the conser- vation of hedges are amongst the focuses of improvement recommended on an individual basis following that diagnosis. They all assist in preserving biodiversity. The effects of such measures are all the more favorable that well-managed pasture requires virtually no use of pesticides and fertilizers. Responsible Dairy Sourcing also involves promoting best watering and cleaning practices so as to reduce farms water consumption, thereby equally contributing to more balanced ecosystems. Practical examples of the measures taken by our locations have included restocking a pond with fish or delaying haymaking of

the natural pastures neighboring one of our facilities. Preventive measures designed to reduce or limit the impact of our locations operations on the natural environment and ecosystems include:

Reducing the consumption of cleaning products; Methanization of waste designed to limit phosphor emissions; The renovation of drainage networks.

We also regularly engage in landscaping improvement in particular by planting trees and hedges around our purifying stations and embellishing the land surrounding production sites.

OTHER MEASURES IN FAVOR OF THE ENVIRONMENT

Compliance and regulatory watch

The Group, our subsidiaries and individual sites pay great at- tention to their regulatory compliance.

A firm of outside consultants assists us in following the day-to- day changes in legislation and regulatory requirements. An ad hoc computer application, periodic bulletin and quarterly in- terviews are used to help our sites keep up to date with new requirements and their practical application.

Action programs and capital expenditure in 2014 Several actions were engaged in with a view to:

Reducing water consumption; Reducing energy consumption; Reducing waste generation.

Capital expenditure was engaged in as follows: In environmental protection: new heating and refrigeration equipment, measurement and control of consumptions and waste, equipment for prevention, optimization of drainage and treatment; In damage limitation with regard in particular to fire risk: detection, electrical security and risk control.

Operating expenditure was committed with a view to: Protecting the environment, in particular with regard to the verification and maintenance of installations, to spreading of sludge and to treatment of waste and wastewater; Reducing the risks of damage to assets: verification of elec- tricity networks, maintenance of fire detection systems.