Paris, September 11, 2024 – Sopra Steria, a major player in the European tech sector, strengthens its commitment to combating climate change. The Group announces its support for two startup projects contributing to carbon elimination: one through ocean alkalinization, the other through the regeneration of degraded and arid lands via regenerative agriculture.
On April 7, 2022, Sopra Steria announced the indexing of its €1.1 billion credit line to its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 85% per employee by 2040, in line with the Paris Agreement. To support this commitment, validated by the SBTi* and audited, a bonus/malus mechanism was integrated into the credit contract subscribed by the company. Sopra Steria's achievement of environmental performance targets in 2022 and 2023 has created a dedicated fund of over €200,000 to finance innovative technological projects in the fight against climate change.
Axelle Lemaire, Executive Director in charge of Sustainable Performance and Corporate Social Responsibility at Sopra Steria, commented: “The use of this line of credit concretely reflects Sopra Steria’s commitment to the ecological transition. It is not enough to reduce our own carbon footprint and contribute to our clients' emissions reduction trajectory. Responses to the severity of climate change will be found in this alliance between innovation, economic performance, and social impact, and we are proud to support these projects that explore new horizons of solutions”
Rigorously selected by an internal committee of experts and validated by Crédit Agricole CIB and Crédit Lyonnais in their roles as 'Sustainability Coordinators' and 'Sustainability Agent,' the initiatives led by PRONOE, which works to curb ocean acidification, and Sand To Green, for its efforts in regenerating arid lands, stood out particularly.
Containing Ocean Acidification with PRONOE
PRONOE works on restoring coastal ecosystems and eliminating carbon through ocean alkalinization.
Nicolas Sdez, CEO & co-founder of PRONOE, commented: "The rapid acidification of the oceans, the seventh planetary boundary on the verge of being exceeded, leads to a serious situation threatening marine biodiversity, human activities, and reducing the capacity of surface waters to act as the largest carbon sink. Our technologies integrate into coastal sites and allow the acidity level (pH) of their flows to the sea to return to natural levels, with a measurable local impact. Sopra Steria's support will enable us to quantify the positive impact of our technologies in the specific case of data centers. We will also validate, in a controlled environment and with renowned academic and industrial partners, one of the world's most advanced environmental observation systems, thanks to the use of AI and IoT sensors. We are delighted to join forces with Sopra Steria and put technology at the service of a positive future for all.”
Sopra Steria chose to support this PRONOE project for its positive impacts, both on protecting marine wealth and on reducing carbon emissions released into the atmosphere through oceanic sequestration. In an increasingly water-consuming digital sector, this project, based on both chemistry and industrial process control, addresses the challenge of sustainable water resource management. It is also developed in regions under significant water stress, such as Spain and France, where Sopra Steria is also established. The strategic, sectoral, and local relevance of this financing is therefore even stronger.
Working for the Regeneration of Arid Lands with Sand to Green
Sand to Green tackles soil degradation in arid areas through an innovative approach combining satellite terrain analysis and regenerative agricultural practices such as agroforestry. This solution helps select suitable lands for regenerative agriculture, supports their development, and creates high social impact projects for local farming communities.
Wissal Ben Moussa and Gautier de Carcouet, co-founders of Sand to Green, emphasized: “Every year, thirteen million hectares of arable land disappear, while population growth increases agricultural demand. Climate change reduces yields by 5% to 17% per additional degree, exacerbating food insecurity and pressure on ecosystems. Agriculture, responsible for 22% of global GHG emissions, must evolve towards sustainable practices. With Sopra Steria's support, we will be able to accelerate the development of an advanced technological tool to adapt carbon models to the specificities of arid zones.”
Sand to Green's integrated approach combines technology (satellite data analysis software and regenerative agricultural project modelling) with agronomic and scientific expertise (a mixed team of agronomists, microbiologists, agro economists) to revitalize and regenerate arid lands. Having deployed a 'proof of concept' in Morocco, Sand to Green positions itself as the actor and agricultural companion in arid environments. The startup is thus able to create oases, manage the deployment and financing of agricultural projects, and monitor their long-term development. The startup is socially fully committed by providing concrete and sustainable solutions to producers and local communities. Sopra Steria was particularly interested in this project, which combines data analysis with biological and agronomic knowledge to create sustainable agricultural models for tomorrow, while respecting local needs.
*Science-Based Target initiative