Our commitments to nature and preserving biodiversity

As of today, our ecosystems are vulnerable. In this context, the preservation of biodiversity is essential for climate regulation, with an economic impact on the ecosystem services it provides. The Nature pillar is a key component of our Roadmap. The Group plays a pivotal role in preserving water resources and managing recycling and reuse. Responding to the nature emergency will be a difficult journey, but we are 100% committed to it.

Our commitments

Preserve biodiversity and natural resources wherever we operate

Our "Nature" approach is based on 3 levers and 10 commitments:

Commitments	Indicators	Targets
Limit our impact on fresh water	Number of water contracts with a water efficiency program / total number of drinking water services	Systematically propose (100%), for all drinking water service contracts, a water savings program up to 10% of the volume over 5 years by 2027
Limit our impact on fresh water	Number of water distribution contracts in water stress areas covered by a water savings program	Propose a water savings program for 100% of our water distribution contracts in water stress areas by 2027
Support recycling and reuse	Sorting efficiency ⁽¹⁾ Tons recovered	Improve SUEZ sorting efficiency ⁽¹⁾by 2027

Growing nature regeneration capacities of SUEZ

Commitments	Indicators	Targets
Grow nature regeneration capacities of SUEZ	Turnover generated by solutions identified as regenerating and number of new solutions created	Create and develop existing and new SUEZ business models and solutions to accelerate natural environment regeneration and preservation by 2027

Addressing the pressures on biodiversity

Commitments	Indicators	Targets
Roll out Nature action plans at all priority sites managed by SUEZ	% of priority sites where biodiversity action plans are deployed and implemented	Roll out Nature action plans at 100% of priority sites managed by SUEZ by 2027
	% of commercial proposals (in Nature priority zones) that include an offer towards biodiversity preservation and biomonitoring ⁽³⁾	Systematically propose an offer ⁽¹⁾ regarding biodiversity preservation when the site is in a biodiversity priority zone ⁽³⁾from 2023
Prevent the development: a) of microplastics b) of micropollutants in natural environments	Number of proposals with microplastics and micropollutants removing commitments / total number of WWTP proposals	Include solutions to remove microplastics and micropollutants in 100% of commercial proposals for sanitation infrastructure construction ^{(2) (3)} by 2027
Reach zero phytosanitary products used on sites managed by SUEZ	% of sites covered by the phytosanitary-free policy (Waste activities) % of management contracts including a phytosanitary-free policy (Water activities)	Implement a phytosanitary-free policy on 100% sites operated by and owned by SUEZ with approval by the customer by 2027
Contribute to reduce the land artificialization pace	Number of hectars renatured	Annually double restored areas by 2027
Contain invasive non-native species	% of renaturation and landscaping operations using local species	Systematically use local species in renaturation or landscaping operations from 2025
Drastically reduce light pollution of installations at stake for the black corridor	% of priority sites where there is a light reduction policy deployed	Deploy the light pollution reduction policy in 100% on priority sites ⁽⁴⁾ by 2027

Our commitments are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

Our actions

We are already taking actions!

Our target – 10% waste reduction in Greater Montauban

Thanks to this household and similar waste performance contract (CPDMA) in Greater Montauban, we are developing a new environmentally responsible waste prevention model, based on use rather than consumption. Supported by the French Agency for Ecological Transition (ADEME), this initiative provides multiple services: citizenawareness campaigns on waste production, creation of a recycling facility, collection and recovery of biowaste as well as the collection of illegal waste dumping.

This new business model also recognizes stakeholders and allocates the profit, factoring in:

the impact of performance on the overall cost of waste management (beyond the market);
a bonus paid or penalty applied according to whether minimum performance standards are met;
a proportion of the bonus allocated to the partners involved in CPDMA.

- 31 %

large items

- 17 %

organic waste

- 7 %

household waste

- 5 %

packaging waste

Learn more about our action in Montauban

In São Paulo, we are saving water through smart networks

With its partner SABESP, SUEZ optimizes drinking water distribution by operating throughout the value chain from diagnosis and effective leak detection management to infrastructure operational capabilities, particularly through pressure and active leak monitoring as well as infrastructure renovations. The Group will also deploy a hydraulic simulation system aimed at studying and optimizing the city’s water supply.

20 millions

m³ of water

saved in the city of São Paulo in 5 years, the equivalent of annual consumption for more than 368,000 Brazilians

In Denmark, we are innovating to recover phosphorus from wastewater

Mineral phosphorus is becoming scarce. The European Commission has now listed this resource as one of 20 “critical raw materials”. Reuse aside, it is expected to disappear in the next century. In Aarhus, Denmark, our Phosphogreen™ process extracts phosphorus from wastewater, using the struvite produced to make fertilizer. A cutting-edge technology, we estimate that Phosphogreen™ covers 20% of current global demand for phosphorus, through its recovery of wastewater. This process also reduces pipe scaling caused by struvite deposits and eliminates sand in digesters.

40 % to 50 %

of phosphorus

from wastewater

Learn more about our action in Aarhus

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Download our 2023 - 2027 Sustainable Development Roadmap

(1) Indicator will be followed during the investment committees.
(2) For WWTP whose capacity exceeds 200,000 inhabitants eq.
(3) If and when authorized by proposals.
(4) Unless prohibited by prefectural decree.