ACTIVELY OFFSETTING
OUR NEGATIVE EXTERNALITIES

COMMITMENT N°6

Find all our past actions

2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016

2021

Madagascar: from a red island to a green one

With 44% of its natural forests lost in 60 years and 150,000 hectares disappearing every year, Madagascar is one of the most alarming cases of deforestation in the tropical world. To remedy this, the Government of Madagascar has set itself the goal of replanting 60 million trees per year (including acacias, eucalyptus, fruit trees, clove trees and vanilla trees), as such reforesting 400 km2 of the country. Deforestation, mainly due to slash-and-burn cultivation (rainfed rice, maize, peanuts), on the world's 5th largest island endangers endemic species, almost all of which live in Madagascar's forests. The awareness of national authorities is all the more commendable as reforestation is the most effective natural method to tackle global warming, as oceans and forests are the main carbon sinks on Earth. Thanks to this reforestation policy, the red island (referring to the laterite that colours its plateaus) of Madagascar could become a green one in a few years.

commitment-6-green island

2020

Reforestation, climate and biodiversity : all part of the same fight

SDGs 13 and 15 set by the United Nations relate to combating global warming and preserving terrestrial ecosystems, to which reforestation contributes. The aim: to reverse the soil degradation process, and put an end to the decline of biodiversity linked to rampant deforestation. Indeed, forests cover 30% of the planet's surface, ensure food security and provide shelter. They are essential to the fight against climate change and rising global temperatures, and to protecting biodiversity. By restoring forests, we help to sequester the carbon emitted by our activities and protect all living things, plants and animals alike. For the past 5 years, CEPOVETT Epsilon has been committed to an ambitious reforestation programme near its industrial site in Madagascar. It combines education of future generations with raising customer awareness of the need to protect flora and fauna.
Nursery EPSILON Madagascar

2019

Children plant 16,000 trees in Madagascar

The «one tree, one child» reforestation operation was launched in 2018 with the Epsilon teams and the participation of children from the Akamasoa association created by Father Opeka. The first phase of this program was to acquire technical assistance in tree planting and maintenance for Epsilon teams and to gain awareness of local biodiversity issues. In February 2018, 900 students in Akamasoa planted 1,500 eucalyptus and pine plants. The second step involved the children planting 15,774 plants completely unaided. Efforts are made towards reforestation every Friday afternoon by some of the 1,430 students from the association. Epsilon is contributing to this initiative for future generations by providing greenhouse-grown plants to extend the operation every year.

2019 Results

    • Launch of the reforestation programme in Madagascar 100%
    • French reforestation10%
    • 20 000 trees planted100%

2018

A reforestation programme connected to the activities

In pursuit of the ambitious 2°C objective defined by the international climate conference (COP21), CEPOVETT Group is contributing through its voluntary carbon offsetting programme in the geographical areas impacted by its activities in Europe, Africa and Madagascar. This reforestation programme began in Africa in 2011, in relation with cotton cooperatives in Mali, and was then extended to one of its manufacturing sites in Madagascar. In 2017, the mobilisation of employees and the assistance of stakeholders enabled the planting of more than 10,000 trees in Madagascar, in particular endemic fruit varieties (avocado, bibassus, mango, lychee, guava, etc.), with the plants being raised in nurseries set up on the Epsilon industrial site.
This socio-economic and environmental reforestation programme aims not only to respond to environmental issues by sequestering carbon, but also to provide an additional source of income for the local population in a spirit of solidarity. Today, a veritable conservatory garden of nearly 200 species is being built on the site, mainly for the multiplication of varieties needed for nursery production.

2018 Results

    • «one child, one tree» reforestation programme, in partnership with Father Opeka80%
    • A collaborative planting operation100%
    • 20 000 trees planted100%

2017

2017 Report

In line with the ambitious 2°C target set by the international climate conference (COP21), CEPOVETT Group is making its contribution through its voluntary carbon offsetting programme in the geographical areas impacted by its activities in Europe, Africa and Madagascar. In 2016, thanks to the mobilisation of its employees and the support of its customers, CEPOVETT Group planted 10,000 trees in Madagascar, in particular endemic fruit varieties (avocado trees, bibassiers, mango trees, lechee trees, guava trees, etc.), with the plants being raised in nurseries installed on the industrial site. This socio-economic and environmental reforestation programme aims not only to respond to environmental issues by sequestering carbon, but also to provide an additional source of income for the local population in a spirit of solidarity. Today, a veritable conservatory orchard of nearly 200 species is being built on the Epsilon site, mainly for the multiplication of the varieties needed for nursery production. The young plants are irrigated exclusively by the plant's phytological purification station.

2017 Results

    • Conservatory orchard in Madagascar100%
    • Collaborative planting operation100%
    • 10 000 trees planted100%

2016

2016 Report

The International Climate Conference (COP21) was a real success in 2015, ending with the adoption of an ambitious agreement to keep global warming below 2ºC. This objective cannot be achieved without the mobilisation of all stakeholders. The CEPOVETT Group has contributed in particular through its voluntary carbon offsetting programme in geographical areas impacted by its activities in Europe, Africa and Madagascar. The year 2015 was marked by the ramp-up of the "Tree of Life, Cotton for Solidarity" programme in Madagascar, where 10,000 new trees were planted. Building on the success of its experimental reforestation programme in Mali, EPSILON-CEPOVETT Group has focused on the reforestation of fruit varieties on the island of Madagascar, in particular mango, litchi and other citrus trees, which will subsequently provide additional income for local populations.

2016 Results

    • Make employees actors in our reforestation initiatives100%
    • 3 collective planting operations with our customers and stakeholders60%
    • 10 000 trees planted in Madagascar100%