Our approach
to sustainability

As a company entirely dedicated to renewable energy, we have sustainability hardwired into our DNA.

Everyday, we are contributing towards global efforts to combat climate change. Now we believe it is time for us to spread our wings and go beyond the obvious. To this end we are adopting a more ambitious and wideranging «Sustainability Framework». It will be our common point of reference, helping to harmonise our efforts and taking.

Embracing our broader responsibility

This first iteration of our Sustainability Framework outlines our broader ambitions and priorities as they relate to and are expressed by our people, our projects and our interactions with communities. It seeks to combine top-down with bottom-up approaches to encourage good ideas and innovation to bubble up across our various projects and countries.

Our sustainability framework
Our people

We are a company of 360 people working across 16 countries on over five hundred projects, from those in development, to those under construction and our 115 operating power plants.

Working Ethically

Our work ethic is sustained by our values, integrity in particular. They live and breathe in myriad ways through the actions of board members, managers, and employees. They manifest in a vibrant workplace culture and orient our respectful approach to doing business.

Specific actions
  • 100% of our employees formally commit to Neoen’s Code of Conduct
  • 100% of our employees formally commit to Neoen’s Anti Corruption code and are trained in the fight against corruption
Encouraging Diversity

Diversity is a source of pride and dynamism for Neoen, with over 40 nationalities represented amongst our team. Our recruitment process is open to all, upholds the principles of fairness and non-discrimination, and our workplace has zero tolerance to harassment.

Specific actions
  • Exceed industry benchmark of 32% women working at Neoen, in each of our regions
  • Increase annually the percentage of management positions held by women
Reducing Emissions

As a French company, the Paris Agreement continues to be an important reference point and we are committed to taking steps towards reducing our emissions.

Specific actions
  • Calculate our global carbon footprint (including scope 1, 2, 3)
  • Support roll-out of at least one additional “Greener Neoen” initiative each year.
  • In 2021 – 100% offset of the company’s travel emissions
Our projects

Our project sites are where we work hand-in-hand with consultants, contractors and subcontractors to develop, build, own and operate our renewable energy power plants. As well as generating clean electrons, our projects are the crucible for a range of different and emerging sustainable initiatives and outcomes.

Prioritising Safety

Neoen is committed to ensuring the health and safety of its employees and of all those working on its project sites. Identifying risks has led to strict mitigation, control and reporting processes. The company maintains a strong Health, Safety & Environment (HSE) culture on site, ensuring that contractors uphold Neoen’s expectations and comply with the health and safety legislation and requirements.

Specific actions
  • Collate & report frequency and severity of accident and incident rates of our contractors
  • Conduct HSE compliance audit on 100% of construction sites, monthly on sites over 20 MW in size, every 2 months on smaller sites
Protecting Biodiversity

Beyond our commitment to addressing climate change through renewable energy, Neoen’s environmental stewardship is evident at the project level. We undertake detailed environmental impact assessments during the development phase and offset any unavoidable biodiversity impacts once operational.

Specific actions
  • Conduct environmental impact assessment by expert ecologists on 100% of sites during development
  • Offset any unavoidable environmental impact in accordance with local requirements
Integrating Recycling

We are committed to returning the land to the state it was in before our assets were installed. We are also committed to exploring recycling channels for all materials across the three technologies of solar, wind and batteries.

Specific actions
  • Identify recycling channels for all our activities
  • Integrate a recycling commitment clause into all new supply agreements, in countries with a mature recycling industry
Our communities

Our projects occupy significant footprints of land in regional areas and as long-term owner operators we are privileged to become long-term neighbours to the communities surrounding our sites. We work in consultation and cooperation with local stakeholders, contribute to local and regional economic development, and seek to share the benefits of the transition with our communities.

Consulting & Engaging

Neoen wants to develop genuine, open and ongoing relationships with key stakeholders and members of the local community. We ensure a ‘no surprises’ dynamic and are committed to engagement that starts early, is tailored to the local context and provides opportunities for the community to participate.

Specific actions
  • Conduct community consultation and information-sharing on all projects even if not mandated
  • Develop a Community Engagement* Plan for 100% of our new projects over 50 MW in scale

* Community Engagement Plan is a comprehensive internal tool which guides and maps our consultation and engagement across a project’s lifecycle

Economic Development

The construction and operation of our projects deliver significant local and regional economic development through the creation of direct and indirect jobs supply chain outcomes and opportunities for skills development, training, etc… There is also a multiplier effect in the wider economy.

Specific actions
  • Engage with local business and employment networks, prioritizing local suppliers and jobseekers where possible
  • Local Participation Plan* developed for projects over 100 MW in scale

* Local Participation Plan identifies and maps potential local and regional economic development outcomes.

Benefit-sharing

Neoen is dedicated to ensuring that the benefits of the energy transition are shared with local communities. The term benefit- sharing includes many community initiatives that are a product of a country’s traditions, a community’s need, people’s ideas.

Specific actions
  • Develop a benefit-sharing initiative for each new project over 50 MW
  • Create an artwork that celebrates renewable energy and local culture
    for each new project over 50 MW

Sustainability ratings and indexes

It is important to us to provide analysts, investors and other stakeholders with the means to analyze and compare our performance on environmental, social and governance issues. Our goal is to continue improving in these areas, using our Sustainability Framework as a reference.

Ratings
Moodys-1-def

63/100

Scale: 0 / 100
Top 4% of assessed companies
MSCI_ESG

AA Leader

Scale: CCC / AAA
sustainalytics_def

22.8

Scale: 100 / 0
iss-esg-logo

B Prime

Scale: D- / A+
ESG performance above the sector
AxyliaScore-def

A

Scale: F / A
Indice Vérité40
Gaia-Rating

77/100

Scale: 0 / 100
Top Performer
Sustainability Framework

Neoen Sustainability Framework
Sustainability reports

Sustainability Report 2022
Ethic and Compliance

Anti-corruption code of conduct
HR

Professional Gender Equality Index 2022
Human rights

Human rights policy
UN Global Compact
HSE

Global Policy