3. for better action, this micro e-learning path is available in eight languages and is accessible to all connected GEODIS employees. It provides details of the issues surrounding climate change, the depletion of natural resources and biodiversity. One month after the launch of the Climate School, over 900 employees had begun their training course. 3.1.4 Decarbonization: strategy and objectives The climate challenge represents both risks and opportunities for GEODIS’s activity. In the light of this, the Group is developing a resilient response strategy that will enable it to support its customers in their logistics needs in both the short and long term. Strategy The freight transportation sector currently relies heavily on fossil fuels. To contribute to achieving a carbon-neutral economy by 2050, the sector will have to undergo a profound technological transformation, driven by innovation in low-carbon alternative fuels and electric and hydrogen technologies. The availability of these new technologies for the different modes of transport, their competitive price, the capacity of the players to invest, the presence of refueling infrastructures as well as access to low‑carbon energy will determine the speed at which the sector can transform. So an entire ecosystem must make the transition around common plans and roadmaps, with short-, medium- and long-term timeframes. In this spirit, GEODIS is adopting a voluntary, collaborative and innovative approach to the transformation of its fleet of vehicles, and it favors partners with a similar approach for the transportation that the Group subcontracts. The regions and countries in which GEODIS operates are introducing more stringent regulations on greenhouse gas emissions at a fast pace. This is the case in Europe, where Low Emission Zones (LEZs) have been adopted in many cities, making city centers partially inaccessible to certain vehicles and thus requiring a shift to new low-emission vehicles to maintain the activity of last-mile deliveries. In coming years, new or stricter regulations are likely to impact the Group’s economic performance or its access to certain markets, whether through the revision of taxation systems (on energy or emissions) or because of the banning of certain technologies entailing more costly investments or a timetable that is incompatible with the traditional service life of existing fleets. In addition to its technological transformation process, GEODIS is implementing various means of optimizing its energy efficiency for both its vehicle fleets and its buildings. This optimization also serves to reduce exposure to variations in energy costs such as those observed in 2022 and 2023 in several European countries. Customers’ expectations for low-carbon solutions are becoming increasingly strong. This observation would represent a risk if GEODIS did not have the capacity to meet these expectations, unlike other players. The Group prefers to see this trend as an opportunity by firmly positioning itself as one of the pioneers of decarbonization and by working with its customers to develop appropriate solutions. 2023 ACTIVITY AND SUSTAINABILITY REPORT - 43 EDITORIAL > 1. PROFILE AND AMBITION > 2. CSR POLICY > 3. ENVIRONMENT > 4. SOCIAL > 5. ETHICS > 6. TABLE OF INDICATORS
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