OREANDA-NEWS. Sopra Steria, a European leader in digital transformation, has obtained CarbonNeutral® certification for the operation of its premises (office space) in 2015. This adds to the two existing CarbonNeutral® certifications for its Data Centres and business travel. This certification has been awarded by Natural Capital Partners, in line with the requirements of The CarbonNeutral Protocol – the global standard for carbon neutral programmes. Achieving triple certification demonstrates the Group's commitment to reducing the environmental impact of its activities and to offer services to its clients that support a low carbon economy. 

Since its first publication in 2002, The CarbonNeutral Protocol has been updated every year to reflect scientific and industry best practice for certifying claims of net zero carbon emissions. CarbonNeutral® certification demonstrates Sopra Steria's continued commitment to its environmental policy and the use of carbon finance to build low carbon sustainable development around the world. The Group’s voluntary and innovative environmental strategy is based on four priority action areas: business travel, computing infrastructure and resources, premises management and waste management.

The Group has set itself the target of a 15% reduction in its greenhouse gas emissions by 2020, from a 2014 base year. The initiatives implemented in 2015 have already produced a 4% reduction. In addition, the Group's efforts have increased the share of renewable energy to 20.4% across all electrical consumption and to 50.3% across all Data Centres, which has cut emissions by an amount equivalent to more than 12,500 tonnes of CO2.

For its premises, Sopra Steria gives priority to buildings which meet the following new standards: RT 2012, BBC (Low-Energy House), HQE® (High Quality Environmental) and BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology).