EDF_REGISTRATION_DOCUMENT_2017

3.

ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIETAL INFORMATION − HUMAN RESOURCES Optimising the use of natural resources and preserving the environment

R&D: The Group is conducting a research programme concerning the interaction of its activities with the environment. Among the research projects conducted, the programmes concerning terrestrial technology and ecosystem services as well as hydro-ecology involve 25 researchers and technicians. EDF has undertaken to: assess the ecological value of the Company’s land and take it into account in ■ industrial decision-making; understand and reduce the impacts of generation on aquatic and terrestrial ■ biodiversity; improve the practices of environmental mitigation and the consideration of ■ interactions between ecosystem services and the Company’s activities; identify solutions for restoring and re-establishing the ecological continuity ■ (sediment and fish) of watercourses. Issues related to site location 3.4.5.2 (indicators G4 EN 11 and EN 14 – Disclosure 304-1 and 304-4) Special attention is given to ensure that the activities carried out on the sites do not harm these spaces with high biodiversity value. In deed, the vast majority of EDF production sites are located close to or within protected sites (in France, 80% of hydropower sites are situated in or near a Natura 2000 site). These sites are preserved from agriculture and urbanisation and are located close to watercourses. These factors foster biodiversity. Consequently, these sites also represent opportunities for implementing ecological management to foster biodiversity. In France, a Geographical Information System (GIS) is presently being deployed on the mainland and in the overseas departments. To date, EDF has assessed the ecological quality of more than 60% of its land. The company has developed an Ecological Potentiality Indicator (EPI) in conjunction with the National Natural History Museum intended to be deployed on a large scale to monitor the ecological state of the Company’s land. For example, this method has already been implemented on 22,000 hectares of land for hydropower (i.e. 64% of the land to be analysed). In the UK, EDF Energy has carried out surveys concerning all of its land (1,450 ha). In 2017, update of the integrated management plans for the Heysham and Hinkley sites and the plan produced for the Dungeness Estate site. During the beginning and design phases of the projects, the environmental issues, including diversity, are integrated throughout the engineering process. In Brazil, on the Sinop project, an environmental and social (E&S) management plan has been set up, comprised of several plans and management programmes (33), including fauna and flora protection measures, in addition to a management plan for a protected area around the whole reservoir. Concerning Nachtigal (Cameroon), the project was the subject of a first E&S study in 2006, updated in 2011. Additional biodiversity studies were conducted in 2014 and 2015 to complete these impact studies and enable the drafting of an in-depth operational E&S Management Plan and a Biodiversity Action Plan carried in 2016. Then, specific plans detailing the strategy of offsetting (fish) and support (endemic species of aquatic flora) measures were also implemented in 2017. According to these plans, further studies (including a thesis) are in progress in order to enhance knowledge of the species of fish and aquatic flora and to put forward effective reduction and mitigation measures in respect of the project. For all the sensitive aspects, measures to avoid, reduce and offset impacts have been developed and are included in the E&S Management Plan and Biodiversity Action Plan.

It is implemented in the Group’s entities and subsidiaries in a manner tailored to their activities, and in compliance with local regulations. Biodiversity contacts have been named in each of the Group’s lines of business. Cross-functional management ensures the sharing and consistency of the entire approach. EDF SA is committed to the French National Strategy for Biodiversity over the 2014-2017 period. EDF’s proactive commitment towards protecting biodiversity, developed with its partners, has resulted in a major focus and concrete actions implemented in favour of biodiversity for the 2014-2017 period. Its goal is to contribute to slowing down biodiversity erosion and support local movements. This commitment has been recognised by the National Strategy for Biodiversity (SNB) Committee of the Ministry in charge of Ecology; a first report was sent to it in October 2016 while awaiting the final report in 2018. EDF Energy meets the Wildlife Trusts’ Biodiversity Benchmark. EDF considers partnerships, training and R&D as major levers of the success of its commitment in terms of biodiversity. Partnerships In France, the Company’s historic partners are given priority with the major ■ players in the sector: National Natural History Museum (MNHN), League for the Protection of Birds (LPO), Nature Reserves of France (RNF), French Committee of the International Union for Nature Conservation (UICN), Federation of National Botanical Conservation Bodies (FCBN), Federation of Natural Site Conservation Bodies (FCEN), Coastal Conservation Agency. In total, EDF has forged over 100 partnerships with not-for-profit organisations or research organisations such as the National Institute for Scientific and Technological Research for the Environment and Agriculture (Irstea) and Ifremer (French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea). Locally, numerous partnerships aim to help the sites in their approach conducted in favour of biodiversity; The partnership with the National Federation of Fishing in France (FNPF) ■ continues through the financing and management of actions in favour of aquatic environments (1 framework agreement and nearly 50 local agreements with departmental federations); These partners meet regularly in seminars in order to maintain a collective ■ momentum in support of EDF’s biodiversity approach. In 2017, a seminar on the topic “Biodiversity and Climate Change” was organised with Natural Reserves of France and the French Federation of Natural Areas Conservatories from the perspective of sharing scientific knowledge and feedback from managers; In the UK, for more than 20 years, EDF Energy has worked in partnership with ■ the Suffolk Wildlife Trust at Sizewell and the Natural England Wildlife Trust; EDF has regular discussions and enjoys close relationships with think tanks like ■ OREE, EPE, CILB or the Business & Biodiversity Offsets Programme (BBOP). Training: Training and raising awareness of the Company’s employees are important levers for progress with regard to taking into account biodiversity issues challenges across the whole value chain. In France, eight business guides have been published, written in a manner which very closely reflects the biodiversity issues and challenges specific to each operational activity. Training and raising awareness of the Company’s employees are important levers for progress with regard to taking into account biodiversity issues challenges across the whole value chain. Several training or internal awareness courses on biodiversity in conjunction with partners are proposed to employees (e.g. 2017: awareness on invasive species, biodiversity in general, actions in favour of protected species on-site). In 2017, 86 employees took these training courses.

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EDF I Reference Document 2017