Conducting a carbon footprint assessment must become a top priority for executives
🎬 Interview with Hervé Puteaux, CEO of the JPA International Group
Could you please introduce yourself and describe your business?
My name is Hervé Puteaux. I am in charge of the JPA International network, which is an audit, accounting, and consulting network with a presence in 85 countries. More specifically, I represent the global and French coordinating body, which is based in Paris and coordinates approximately 30 firms in France.
Why are you interested in carbon footprints?
I can’t imagine how anyone could not be interested in this. In any case, to understand exactly what we’re talking about, I think this is an issue that’s currently drawing interest not only from executives but also across the entire ecosystem—our employees, suppliers, and customers are all attuned to these topics, even though there are still many unknowns about what it entails, how it works, and what to do with it.
By definition, I think the least we can do, intellectually speaking, is to go there, see how it’s done, and see how it can be useful to us. And then, of course, to be able to spread the message about development in light of all the benefits it can offer.
Can we say that a carbon footprint assessment is a worthwhile investment?
So is a carbon footprint assessment a worthwhile investment? Yes, without a doubt. As for the payback period, I’d be a little less specific on that point, but we simply can’t do without it today.
Conducting a carbon footprint assessment and then developing a reduction action plan are essential not only in our daily lives but also in economic activity—particularly in the public sector—since, without a carbon footprint assessment, public procurement will in any case become unfeasible for many companies.
Furthermore, it is essential for all the relationships we have with teams, employees, and the entire corporate ecosystem, because it is a must—once again, in light of our habits, our room for improvement, and the way we need to change our behaviors and how our companies operate.
Do you advise and assist your clients in preparing their financial statements?
So first, we need to support them in getting the message across and raising awareness among different audiences about these issues. And yes, we definitely need to support these audiences because, ultimately, the data that needs to be processed as part of a carbon footprint assessment is data that we’re aware of but don’t track.
Let me give a very simple example: What are the commuting distances—in kilometers—for all the teams at a company? We don’t know at any given moment. There’s no standard way for companies to collect this data upfront. We know very well where employees live, the general ways they commute to work, and how many kilometers each mode of transportation accounts for—but by definition, this is information we simply don’t have. So we have to go out and gather it—across all areas relevant to this discussion.
We’re finding that the data we need to collect is either missing from the systems or present only in very limited quantities. So there is indeed a need for support—simply to organize and acquire the tools that will enable us to identify, collect, and update this data so that we can effectively feed it into the platforms—and all of this, of course, over a multi-year period, since the idea of a carbon footprint assessment isn’t just to do it at a single point in time, but to do it over a long period.Obviously, from there, it should be used for management purposes.
Why did you choose the GCI platform?
For several reasons. First, we wanted to select a consultant—a partner—who had experience in the subject and could demonstrate what they had successfully implemented in various fields. Second, we also wanted to see examples, and the best way to do that was to conduct our own organization’s first carbon assessment.
This allows us to see how things are done and, ultimately, to be able to talk about something we’ve experienced ourselves, something we’ve seen. These days, we tend to feel that there’s a lot of talk but not much action! So that was one of the catalysts, and then, of course, having a consultant who could address all aspects (Scope 1, 2, and 3, and the action plan) of the carbon footprint assessment—not just one floor.
What do you tell entrepreneurs to convince them to conduct a carbon assessment of their business?
I think it would be a mistake not to do this; we shouldn’t view it as an obligation, even though there is a regulatory framework in place—one that will, in fact, become increasingly stringent. It’s clear that in the coming years, it won’t be possible for a company to operate in its day-to-day business without a carbon footprint assessment. But beyond that, I think there’s a benefit to be gained—an awareness that needs to be fostered—and that executives simply cannot afford to be unaware of this information.
You can then pay as much attention to it as you like, but in any case, you can’t afford not to know this information. I believe this is the key point to convey to executives and management teams, because you need to have this information just as you would have personal information—information about a wide range of data that affects the company and its environment.