Commitment n°1
To offset the company's greenhouse gas emissions
IN 2009, THE COMPANY COMMISSIONED ITS CARBON FOOTPRINT, LICENSED BY ADEME (FRENCH ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY MANAGEMENT AGENCY).
• Following this first Carbon Footprint, we set reduction objectives for Greenhouse Gas Emissions of 7% by 2012 and 16% by 2015 and we decided to offset the Greenhouse Gas Emissions related to our business by participating in reforestation programmes in the Peruvian Amazon.
• In 2009, the emissions of La Compagnie Dumas (in the ADEME perimeter) accounted for 534 metric tonnes of CO2 equivalent. They were offset annually by funding the planting of 1,457 trees in the Peruvian Amazon, in the Alto Huayabamba project.
• For the future, La Compagnie Dumas will continue to offset its Greenhouse Gas Emissions. In 2010, La Compagnie Dumas was the first company to launch a natural and synthetic line of pillows, duvets, and featherbeds (over-mattresses), the carbon offset, bearing the "Carbon offset product" guarantee.
Commitment n°2
To inform you about the environmental impact of our products and our business activity
La Compagnie Dumas agrees to implement all the means at its disposal to inform you about the environmental impact of our business.
Product tags/labels, website and numerous informational media will help us to detail our approach in a very transparent manner.
Commitment n°3
To promote raw materials and natural products and/or products made from recycled materials
The use of natural raw materials of the feathers and down variety, besides offering an inimitable quality, reduces up to 5 times the emissions of Greenhouse Gases compared to synthetic fibre bedding. We therefore wish to continue to promote natural duvets, pillows, featherbeds (over-mattresses), and bolsters.
In addition, to enable the reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions related to the manufacture of our synthetic raw materials, we seek materials of comparable quality but with a lower environmental impact (recycled materials). Finally, we aim to reduce the impact of our packaging by seeking innovative materials with a low carbon footprint which can replace our plastic and cardboard packaging or which can be used again, having a second life.
Commitment n°4
To be energy efficient and promote renewable energy
We are sensitive to avoiding all forms of waste and we constantly strive to reduce our energy consumption by organising our work so as to limit energy use during peak demand and by using heat in a rational way.
We are now studying the possibility of consuming electricity from renewable energy or even producing our own electricity.
In the medium term, we will implement various means at our disposal to educate our clients, suppliers and stakeholders to reduce their energy consumption.
Commitment n°5
To reduce greenhouse gas emissions related to the transport of goods and persons
To act on the transport issue is desirable to enable us to achieve our objectives for reducing overall greenhouse gas emissions.
The levers of action identified in this area are:
- To relocate certain purchases of raw materials when high-performing solutions exist.
- To select transparent and committed carriers (trucking companies who have signed the December 2008 ADEME and MEEDDAT charters to reduce their fuel consumption).
- To optimise the loading of trucks in partnership with clients and service providers.
- To look towards using additional modes of transport besides roadway transport, whenever possible and when new solutions exist: rail or river for transport over long distances.
We will continue to monitor the impact of our transport and will be looking for any practice or innovative solution in order to be more efficient in this area.
Commitment n°6
To reduce packaging and limit waste
The culture of waste management and recovery, as well as recycling, has been included in the DNA of La Compagnie Dumas since its inception in 1880. It applies daily in our factory, where waste is sorted and reused whenever possible.
The cardboard packaging of our pillows is tested in order to limit the weight of cardboard used and to optimise the filling. All cardboard used is made from recycled materials and can be recycled again.
To further improve in the area of waste and packaging, the areas of ongoing work are:
- Substituting materials for the plastic handled bags used for our pillows.
- Working in partnership with ADEME to improve our knowledge of the circuits and end of life management of our products
- Informing our clients (hotels, communities, and end users) on the sorting of our products and working to find solutions to support the recovery and recycling of this waste.
Commitment n°7
To encourage forest protection and to be proactive in the reforestation of deforested areas
By funding the planting and upkeep of trees in the heart of the Peruvian Amazon, La Compagnie Dumas gave birth to its own forest. These trees were planted by the Peruvian producers of the Acopagro cooperative in the Alto Huayabamba project, for the reforestation and the implementation of an agro-forestry development project for these village communities. Besides reforestation, this action raises awareness of Peruvian producers to the diversification of plantations and encourages them to no longer plant coca.
Now engaged in a process to monitor, reduce and offset our greenhouse gas emissions throughout our business, we aim to grow the "Forêt La Compagnie Dumas" ("La Compagnie Dumas Forest") through the following actions:
- Annual offset of CO2 emissions in the intermediate ADEME perimeter.
- Launch of bedding that is guaranteed to be a "Carbon Offset Product" permitting the planting of trees over the course of the purchases of these references by our clients
- Proposal to our stakeholders to voluntarily offset their CO2 emissions and to participate in reforestation during promotional events, through the website www.lacompagniedumas.com etc.
We therefore wish to be a committed participant in forest protection and reforestation of deforested areas and to give a working business example to serve our clients and through them, to serve the planet.
In 2012, greenhouse gas emissions generated by the business activity of La Compagnie Dumas were 412 metric tonnes of CO² equivalent in the intermediary perimeter to a reduction of 23% of its emissions.