Carbon footprint

We have an action plan that we review every year, after having done our GHG footprint. We present below the results of our GHG footprint of 2023, and an analysis of how it compares with the 2022 footprint.

 

Results and analysis

The 2023 GHG footprint shows that the Institute emitted 148 tCO2e, equivalent to 3,8 tCO2e per year per employee. 

 

Figure1: I4CE’s GHG footprint per source – 2023

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This assessment covers most significant emission sources, from manufacturing and use of equipment through to communications, including building-related emissions and team meals as well as employee commuting and business travel (see Figure 2). 

 

Each year, we aim to keep the same set of assumptions used to calculate our footprint, as this enables us to compare our results with those of previous years. 

 

Figure 2: Applicable scope categories – 2023

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The GHG footprint of I4CE has increased significantly in one year, from 112 tCO2e to 148 tCO2e. This 33% increase in our emissions between 2022 and 2023 is the result of two factors: the increase in the number of employees, and the increase in our activities, particularly travel, following the “COVID years”. The number of employees has increased from 35 to 39 FTEs, increasing emissions related to services, digital equipment and food. At the same time, the resumption of increase in in-person events and meeting has led to an increase in travel in France and abroad. As a result, individual emissions increased from 3.2 tCO2e/FTE to 3.8 in 2023, an increase of 19%. 

 

We are also trying to understand the Institute’s GHG footprint beyond the growth of the team. I4CE is becoming more international, and it is primarily air travel that explains the significant increase in the 2023 carbon footprint. I4CE favours the train when an alternative in less than 6 hours exists2, and aims to raise this threshold. However, air travel in 2023 mainly concerns intercontinental travel, for which there is no train alternative. As part of the internationalisation of I4CE, thought must be given to participation in sometimes distant events and reduction of emissions related to air travel.

 

I4CE identifies ways to limit its GHG footprint and already implements some of them: for example, 95% of the team’s daily meals are part of a flexitarian diet, and all meals offered at internal events are 100% vegetarian, thus limiting the share of the team’s meals in our GHG footprint.

 

Figure 3: Evolution of I4CE’s GHG emissions between 2019-2023

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1st emission source: service purchased by the Institute (823 tCO2e; 55%)

This category includes all external services required for I4CE’s operations, ranging from digital licenses to graphic design for some of our projects. In order to calculate this emissions category, we use the set of monetary ratios provided by ADEME, which allows us to convert euros spent into CO₂e emitted according to the types of services. Although this method is a source of uncertainty due to its lack of granularity, it nevertheless allows us to compare our emissions very precisely from one year to the next, using the same classifications.

 

The emissions from purchased services increased between 2022 and 2023, from 63 tCO₂e to 82 tCO₂e. This increase is mainly due to the increase in the Institute’s staff, and therefore in the corresponding purchases. These emissions mainly correspond to banking and insurance services, telecommunications, and printing.

 

2nd source of emissions: business travel (29 tCO₂e; 19%)

Despite efforts to reduce the impact of business travel by promoting videoconferencing and favouring the train over the plane whenever the alternative exists, the share of air travel in I4CE‘s GHG footprint has increased to 17.6%. This is due to the increase in the number of in-person events compared to the “COVID years”. Train travel has also increased, from 0.6% to 1.2% of emissions in 2023. Business travel by car, as well as employee commuting, continue to account for a very small part of our GHG footprint, at 0.2% and 0.4% respectively.

 

3rd largest source of emissions: team meals (16 tCO₂e; 11%)

Emissions from this source were estimated based on a survey on employees’ meals. Almost 60% of the team’s meals are vegetarian, reducing the impact by almost 80% compared to a “conventional” diet. In addition, I4CE systematically offers vegetarian meals at its internal events and, for external events, meals with at least one vegetarian option.

 

Emissions related to team meals increased by 50% between 2022 and 2023. While the increase in staff numbers generated a proportional increase in the number of meals, the increase in business travel also led to an increase in the number of meals eaten outside the office.

 

4th emission item: energy (11 tCO₂e; 8%)

The gas heating of the I4CE offices represents the fourth largest source of emissions (7.4%). The electricity consumption used to power the Institute’s digital equipment represents only 0.1% of the overall GHG footprint(1).

 

Energy-related emissions have increased by 40% compared to 2022. This increase is partly due to a change in the method of recording gas consumption data, which was previously read directly from the meter and is now based on invoices.

 

Finally, with regard to electricity, as the I4CE premises are located in a green courtyard, the Institute does not need an air conditioning system in summer. Electricity-related emissions are less than 0.1 tCO₂e. I4CE has a 100% renewable energy supply via Enercoop(2)

 

5th emission source: digital (5 tCO₂e; 3%)

Digital activities represent 3.4% of our emissions, of which 0.8% is attributable to external consultations (downloading I4CE reports, participating in webinars organised by the Institute, etc.). The share of computer equipment accounts for 1.2%. The purchase of 100% reconditioned computer equipment allows us to reduce our emissions in this area by 80% (according to a study by ADEME). Finally, the digital practices of in-house researchers (sending emails, printing, web queries, etc.) represent 1.5% of the 2023 carbon footprint.

 

In accordance with I4CE‘s commitments in its 2021 action plan, a new eco-designed website was launched on July 22, 2022, reducing the emissions associated with visiting a page by seventeen. In 2023, emissions related to the Institute’s website totalled 29 kgCO₂e, 93% less than in 2022.

 

The I4CE climate action plan

In 2019, I4CE made a commitment to contribute to carbon neutrality. This commitment resulted from a desire to set an example and was taken out of conviction. An internal working group has been set up to carry out an annual GHG footprint of the Institute to assess our impact, thus enabling us to define an action plan to reduce our emissions. All of I4CE’s actions in this regard are listed below. 

 

 

1. Transport

1. For business trips, a travel charter has been put in place: no flights in mainland France, or abroad if there is a train alternative of less than 6 hours. The Institute aims to raise this 6-hour threshold. Some “long-distance” travel will remain necessary for the work of I4CE, especially as the Institute becomes more international. Videoconferencing between international partners is already favored and will be increasingly so. When travel is necessary, it will be optimized, as is the case for travel to the Conference of the Parties (COP) in the context of international climate negotiations, during which the I4CE team attends and organizes several workshops and conferences to avoid multiple trips for its employees and partners. Also, in order to encourage employees to favor the train over the plane whenever possible, if a trip results in a working day of more than 14 hours, including travel time, then a half-day of rest will compensate for the significant time difference associated with traveling by train.
2. For commuting: the Institute encourages employees to use public transportation by reimbursing the Navigo card above the legal minimum (at 75% instead of 50%). In addition, even before the adoption of the decree of the Mobility Orientation Act (LOM), I4CE introduced the sustainable mobility package of up to €500/year (and now €700/year – since May 2023), to encourage low-carbon transport such as cycling. To date, this package is still not compulsory for companies or associations. I4CE also finances train journeys to and from work for employees who telework long-distance.

 

2. Building / energy

1. In April 2021, I4CE moved: now a tenant of offices, the Institute was able to choose a renewable electricity supplier, Enercoop, enabling it to halve the emissions from electricity consumption.
2. I4CE allows employees to telework in Île-de-France or in other cities, depending on their contract. This allows for the organization of the occupation of the premises in flex-office, that is to say, by assigning workspaces dynamically according to usage and not by named offices, and thus to occupy the offices to the maximum and not to consume unnecessary land. ADEME has detailed a methodology for accounting for the rebound effect of teleworking, according to which the use of flex-office office occupancy largely offsets the impacts of increased use of transportation and the use of additional resources for working from home(3).

 

3. IT / digital / web

1. The Institute’s computer equipment consists entirely of reconditioned computers. I4CE also favors repairing computer equipment over replacing it whenever possible. Since 2022, I4CE has also been buying refurbished phones for its employees, giving them the choice of using a work phone in addition to a personal phone or favoring a dual-SIM phone to avoid having several phones.
2. In 2022, I4CE worked on redesigning its website with the aim of having a new eco-designed site from July 22, 2022, making it possible to divide the emissions associated with visiting a page by seventeen.

 

4. Service providers

1. I4CE favors service providers with environmental and social clauses as much as possible.
2. Cleaning of premises: I4CE has chosen a cleaning service provider with ISO 14001 environmental certification and AFAQ EI social certification. The cleaning products used are not harmful to the environment and waste is sorted every day.
3. Caterers: the meals at events organized by I4CE in-house are always 100% vegetarian. The meals at events organized by I4CE externally always offer at least one vegetarian option.
4. Printing: I4CE has a long-standing relationship with a printer that has been awarded the Imprim’vert label, a label whose objective is to reduce the environmental impact of printing activities. In addition, the Institute is pursuing a just-in-time printing approach to limit printing to what is strictly necessary. Furthermore, all I4CE publications are available on the Institute’s website and can be consulted online.

 

5. Contribution to the national climate effort

1. Despite all the efforts that can be made, today and tomorrow, the climate impact of I4CE will never be zero. Reducing our emissions is the top priority, “deep decarbonisation” is the objective, but it is clear that we are still emitting. We will certainly always have residual emissions in the future.
2. Changes in practices in the agricultural and forestry sectors can be implemented to sequester carbon today and in the coming decades. Financing these projects makes it possible to respond to the climate emergency while having other benefits (biodiversity, local economy, for example). The Institute is therefore committed to contributing to the global effort of carbon neutrality by financing certified projects on French soil that match its emissions, through the Low Carbon Label. Is this offsetting? I4CE prefers to use the term “contribution” because, for us, financing projects does not cancel out I4CE‘s GHG footprint.

 

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1. This calculation does not take into account the electricity consumption of employees working from home. Point 2.c) of our action plan explains the methodology developed by Ademe to estimate the effects of teleworking on the activity of I4CE.
2. The emission factor displayed by Enercoop is 23.65 gCO₂e/kWh for the year 2022 (production and distribution), while the one announced by RTE is around 55 gCO₂e/kWh, for production only.
3. As teleworking measures related to the health context have significantly changed the way we work, we have improved the methodology for calculating our carbon footprint to take these developments into account. See in particular: https://librairie.ademe.fr/mobilite-et-transport/3776-caracterisation-des-effets-rebond-induits-par-le-teletravail.html