"The best waste is the waste we don't produce."
The management of our accumulated waste is vital. Doing so effectively enables us to considerably reduce our impact on the environment, our health and our future. Pollution reduction, job creation, reuse of rare materials, development of the circular economy and new business models — the current and future opportunities offered by end-of-life resource management make it a priority today. This is all the more important for telecom operators, who are at the heart of this paradigm shift. Indeed, if they wish to remain competitive, control risks and comply with regulations, they have no choice but to change their model to make it more circular.
Sofrecom's consultant's mission was to take stock of waste management within the various subsidiaries and to (re)engage them by helping them set up structured reporting.
The first phase of the assignment involved discussions with the various countries to:
- Identify the appropriate contacts for establishing a reporting system.
- Engage in discussions with representatives from Europe and AMEA subsidiaries to gain a comprehensive understanding of waste management practices in each country.
- Provide detailed explanations of each Key Performance Indicator (KPI) by creating informative label sheets, which will be presented to the designated representatives in each country.
- Introduce the extra-financial reporting tool through specialized training sessions.
The implementation of a concrete action plan for waste collection and reporting has led to the following outcomes:
- Commitment/Recommitment: These countries have demonstrated a renewed commitment to the cause, embracing regular reporting as a fundamental practice.
- Requirements Clarification: Clear expectations have been established for service providers responsible for waste collection and treatment. These include adherence to official documentation, data aggregation, traceability and regular reporting.
- Audit Preparedness: Teams in the field are well-prepared for audits, actively assisting auditors in comprehending the strategic decisions made in each country's waste management approach.
- Ongoing discussions on concrete solutions (new partnerships, waste weighing, development of new structures, etc.).
Beyond the main objective of this mission, which was to initiate a dialogue with countries in order to encourage the implementation of stable and qualitative waste reporting, additional objectives were to:
- Establish regular communication to enable efficient reporting through the dedicated tool during waste campaigns.
- Update the reference manual for waste performance indicators to ensure clear definitions, an appropriate process and alignment with the business.
- Collect and format data to meet NFRD[1] reporting requirements while ensuring the completeness and transparency of its waste reporting to the various stakeholders.
- Consolidate contacts and seek out new ones to ensure country representation.
- Improve waste management to help reduce the Group's carbon footprint.
- Finally, encourage the exchange of information and best practices within the Group, and develop synergies with new entities.
Conclusion
In terms of performance and mission success, here are the main results to date:
- Involvement of eight countries, up from the initial target of three, as well as the first reporting by MEA entities in several years.
- Translation of changes made in the D[2]PEF and clear improvements noted by the auditor.
- Steering of KPIs and repositioning of the subject in the operator's CSR strategy, notably in line with its short-term strategic commitments to a more circular economy (better collection, eco-design, waste reduction, better treatment, recycling).
This year's mission continues with the launch of a dedicated program to build the Group's policy and prioritize the performance of hazardous waste management, particularly with regard to the collection and treatment of WEEE and batteries — an effort that mobilizes the legal department, the supply chain and the MEA entity.
There's no doubt that this area of waste management is still in its infancy, and all the more so with the arrival of the new CS[3]RD requirements. Increasing the transparency of our waste management and the completeness of our reporting will no longer be an option but a strong necessity.
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[1] Non Financial Reporting Directive
[2] Déclaration de performance extra-financière
[3] Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive
