Getlink Sets Out Its 2025 Environmental Plan

PARIS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Regulatory News:

Getlink (Paris:GET), a leader in low-carbon transport, has set out its new 2025 action plan to meet environmental challenges. A 30% reduction in direct CO2¹ emissions by 2025, an environmental strategy in line with the Paris Agreement 2°C trajectory, a commitment to protecting the natural environment, controlling waste and the circular economy through the Group’s ecosystem: Getlink takes on the responsibility and ambition to accelerate sustainable transport in Europe.

Since it was founded, Getlink has been a leader in eco-responsible transport. As a major player in the regions where it operates through its subsidiaries Eurotunnel, Europorte and soon Régionéo and ElecLink, Getlink is now looking to step up its contribution to the fight against climate change and preserving natural resources.

Today, it outlines a new roadmap for its environmental strategy with three pillars: the climate; resource management and impact on the environment; and finally waste management and the circular economy. This 2025 environment plan is supported by the Group’s Board of Directors, under the aegis of Patricia Hewitt, Senior Environment and Climate Director.

For each of these, Getlink has set concrete goals for 2025. A date in the near-future was chosen to promote continued action, while also setting a clear long-term vision. This strategy is based on the 2019 materiality study and a regular, rigorous and transparent management system to measure results.

Objective 1: Contribute to the Paris Agreement 2°C trajectory across the entire Group supply chain

Getlink, the first cross-Channel operator to publish its carbon footprint in 2007, reduced its emissions by 33% between 2012 and 2019. To date, the Eurotunnel and Europorte businesses have made it possible to avoid emitting more than 2 million tonnes of CO2 each year compared to alternative modes of transport.

By committing to achieving a 15% reduction in direct emissions by 2023 and 30% by 2025, the Group announces an ambitious trajectory, independent and compatible with the Paris Agreement 2°C trajectory. The Group is targeting its own emissions by committing to reduce those emissions linked to non-electrified rail traction for Europorte Freight, and by shifting to lower emitting fluids used for cooling or fire-fighting functions across the Fixed Link Concession.

To be a driving force in the sustainable transformation of transport in Europe, Getlink also wants to accelerate the commitment of its entire supply chain through:

– Integrating the energy / climate performance of its suppliers in 100% of purchasing decisions above €200,000 euros annually;

– Extension of Tunnel usage to all new forms of fuel by 2025 (gas, electricity, hydrogen);

– Development of two new service offers encouraging its freight and passenger customers towards modal shift and use low-carbon mobility options.

In addition to its targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, Getlink also seeks to strengthen its analysis of the risks and opportunities linked to climate change in its extra-financial assessments, in accordance with the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosure (TCFD) as agreed at COP21.

Objective 2: Sustainably manage resources and control the impact on the environment

Getlink is responsible for managing 37 ha of protected natural sites in the UK and France. These land reserves, mainly created from the reuse of rocks extracted from the Channel subsoil during the construction of the Tunnel, are dedicated to the preservation and development of biodiversity. For example, the Samphire Hoe Nature Reserve is home to 220 species of birds, 200 species of plants (including more than 1,300 rare Ophrys “Spider” orchids) and 30 species of butterflies.

In order to continue to improve control of its impact on the natural environments of its sites, Getlink is committed to:

– Obtain ISO 14001 certification or equivalent for all sites and activities;

– Adopt 100% natural and / or organic solutions for weeding and maintaining green spaces;

– Reduce drinking water consumption by 10%;

– Improve air quality in the Tunnel.

Objective 3: Control the Group’s waste and promote the circular economy throughout its ecosystem

Today, 85% of Getlink’s waste is non-hazardous industrial waste. On the Eurotunnel terminal in France, more than 90% of this waste is recycled and 30% of non-hazardous waste is transformed into solid recovered fuels to supply boilers.

To continue this effort, the Group aims to:

– Continue to develop its activities without increasing the volume of waste produced (2019 reference value);

– Deploy comprehensive waste sorting for its customers and employees;

– Create 3 partnerships or service offers relevant to the circular economy by 2025.

Patricia Hewitt, Independent Director – Environment and Climate Lead Director, said: “Getlink’s commitments are distinguished by their pragmatism, by the desire to reduce the direct emissions without purchasing carbon credits, and by their short and medium-term outlook. The result of collaborative work, the Group and its Board of Directors are proud of this first initiative.”

Yann Leriche, Getlink CEO, added: “With already strong green credentials, Getlink is now developing an ambitious roadmap which will allow it to make more of a difference. It is performance that guides us, for the environment as with everything else.”

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¹ an objective submitted for review to the Science-Based Targets initiative

Contacts

Getlink Contacts:
For UK media enquiries contact
John Keefe on + 44 (0) 1303 284491
Email: [email protected]

For other media enquiries contact
Anne-Laure Desclèves on +33(0)1 4098 0467

For investor enquiries contact:
Jean-Baptiste Roussille on +33 (0)1 40 98 04 81
Email: [email protected]

Michael Schuller on +44 (0) 1303 288749
Email: [email protected]