Post-carbon footprint assessment action plan: avoiding the drawer effect

The GHG balance sheet: an essential but incomplete snapshot

Conducting a GHG assessment is now an essential step for any company that wants to understand its environmental footprint. This tool, defined in France byADEME and internationally by ISO 14064 and the GHG Protocol, and incorporated into French and European regulatory requirements, quantifies greenhouse gas emissions linked to an organization's activities: energy consumption, employee travel, production, logistics, product life cycle, etc.

The GHG assessment thus provides an accurate diagnosis, highlighting the main sourcesof emissions and shedding light on the environmental issues specific to each organization. But it is only a snapshot: measuring does not reduce emissions. Without operational follow-up, the assessment remains a theoretical analysis that does nothing to change the company's practices.

This is where the real challenge lies: transforming this snapshot into a concrete action plan capable of guiding strategic decisions and producing tangible results.

The risk of the knock-on effect and greenwashing

A GHG assessment that is not followed up with action represents a major risk for companies. Too often, the report is filed away or communicated on an ad hoc basis, with no operational follow-up. This phenomenon, known as the " drawer effect," renders the process meaningless.

Beyond the lack of environmental impact, this situation can quickly fuel accusations of greenwashing. In a context where the National Low Carbon Strategy (SNBC) sets a clear course for achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and wherethe Paris Agreement imposes a global reduction trajectory, stakeholders are demanding more than just intentions.

• Customers want to work with partners who are committed to a genuine environmental approach.
• Investors and financiers now incorporate strict climate criteria into their decisions.
• Employees themselves are paying close attention to the sincerity of their employer's climate commitments.

A GHG assessment without a concrete plan can therefore become counterproductive: far from strengthening the company's credibility, it can damage its image and harm its competitiveness.

The action plan: transforming the diagnosis into a reduction strategy

The real turning point lies in the transition from the GHG assessment to the action plan. It is this transition that enables us to move from observation to transformation. A successful action plan must:

• Identify and prioritize reduction levers: target the most significantemission sources to achieve rapid and measurable impact.
• Set realistic, quantifiable targets: for example, aligned with the trajectories defined by the SNBC or ISO standards.
• Plan implementation: set a schedule, assign responsibilities, allocate budgets.
• Ensure follow-up over time: establish performance indicators to verify the effectiveness of measures and adjust if necessary.

GCI plays a key role in this dynamic: its platform offers structured support and dedicated tools that transform the GHG assessment into a tailored action plan. This approach ensures that the data collected does not go unheeded but becomes a strategic lever for transformation and sustainable commitment.

A plan that is too generic and disconnected from reality

One of the most common pitfalls is to develop a GHG action plan that is too general. Due to lack of time, or a desire to respond quickly to a regulatory requirement, some companies simply copy and paste standard measures: reducing energy consumption, limiting business travel, improving recycling, etc.

Although relevant in absolute terms, these measures lack effectiveness when they are not linked to the organization's actual emission sources. For example, an industrial company whose footprint is mainly linked to the energy consumption of its production sites will have little impact if it focuses its action plan solely on employee mobility.

An effective plan must therefore be based on the specific results of the GHG assessment in order to target the levers with the greatest reduction potential. Without this customization, the approach risks remaining superficial and lacking credibility in the eyes of stakeholders.

The lack of concrete implementation

A second pitfall lies in the failure to operationalize the GHG action plan. Many plans, even those that are well designed on paper, never make it past the implementation stage. They sometimes include a list of ambitious actions, but without:

• deployment schedule,
• identified responsible party,
• dedicated financial resources.

Result: the intentions remain, but nothing changes in practice. This lack of guidance transforms the plan into a document of intent, incapable of producing results.

However, to be effective, a plan must be designed as a genuine roadmap. Each action must be assigned to a manager, a budget, intermediate milestones, and monitoring indicators. It is this structure that ensures that the approach does not remain theoretical but translates into real reductions in GHG emissions.

An approach carried out in isolation, without the involvement of teams

The third pitfall concerns project governance. Too often, the GHG action plan is designed within a small, restricted circle—CSR management, QSE team, or external consultants—without the involvement of operational departments.

This siloed approach severely limits the effectiveness of measures, as the levers for reduction lie at the heart of the company's functions:

• purchasing, which can incorporate environmental criteria into calls for tenders,
• logistics, which plays a major role in optimizing flows,
• commercial real estate, which has a significant impact on energy consumption,
• human resources, which can promote sustainable mobility practices.

Without the involvement of these stakeholders, the plan remains disconnected from the organization's day-to-day operations and struggles to be implemented.

It is precisely to avoid these pitfalls that the support offered by GCI makes perfect sense. The reduction plan developed via the platform and its Decarbo'Target® tool is based directly on GHG inventory data and is integrated into the company's overall strategy. It proposes a prioritization of actions and quantified scenarios (Opex and Capex), thus facilitating decision-making and buy-in from the various stakeholders.

Making the action plan a dynamic and strategic tool

Linking actions to the company's strategic functions

A GHG action plan should not be viewed as a stand-alone document, but rather as a tool that is integrated into theorganization's overall strategy. To be effective, it must be linked to the company's main activities and key functions:

• Purchasing: by incorporating environmental criteria into calls for tenders, the company reducesthe impact of the goods and services it acquires. Tools such as Decarbo’Tender® from Decarbo’Solution® help align supplier choices with an ecological and sustainable approach.
• Logistics and transportation: optimizing flows using tools such as TK'Blue, using low-carbon transportation solutions, and streamlining employee travel significantly reduce Scope 3 emissions.
• Production and energy: improving the energy efficiency of work processes, increasing the use of renewable energies, and limiting waste generation are essential levers for achieving carbon neutrality.
• Real estate and working environment: rethinking the use of buildings, reducingenergy consumption, and promoting eco-friendly workspaces are concrete measures for ensuring the long-term viability of this approach.

By directly linking the plan's objectives to the company's business lines, we ensure that the strategy is not abstract, but fully integrated into day-to-day operations.

Structure a scalable and realistic roadmap

The definition of a GHG action plan cannot be limited to a fixed listof actions. It must be part of an evolving process, capable of adapting to constraints and progress made.

An effective plan is generally structured around a roadmap covering a period of three to five years. This timeframe makes it possible to set achievable intermediate objectives while placing the organization on a long-term path toward carbon neutrality.

To ensure its relevance, the roadmap must:

• define clear steps in the implementation,
• integrate quantified milestones based on data from the GHG assessment,
• Establish mechanisms for continuousimprovement in order to adjust priorities over time.

This methodological framework prevents the plan from becoming obsolete and enables the company to remain aligned with regulatory frameworks such as the National Low Carbon Strategy (SNBC), voluntary commitments such as SBTI, and ISO standards.

Establish long-term monitoring and management

The success of a GHG action plan depends on the ability to monitor its effects over time. Monitoring should not be limited to collecting occasionalinformation, but should constitute a genuine management system.

This involves:

• Establish performance indicators tailored to each activity (energy consumption, waste streams, travel-related emissions, etc.).
• regularly compare the results obtained with the objectives set,
• share results with stakeholders in a spirit of CSR and transparency.

This is precisely one of the strengths of the Decarbo’Solution® developed by GCI. Its Decarbo’Target® module makes it possible to track emissions trends and continuously verify the effectiveness of the strategic actions implemented. Combined with Decarbo'Tender® and Decarbo'Supply®, this solution is a truly " winning trio " for ensuring that emissions reduction efforts are sustained over time, within a rigorous and sustainable ecological framework.

Conducting a Bilan Carbone® assessment should never be considered an end in itself, but rather a lever for transformation. What matters, beyond defining initial emissions, is the ability to translate these results into concrete decisions and measurable changes in the company's various activities.

The effectiveness of a reduction project depends on its consistency with major reference frameworks—such as the National Low Carbon Strategy, ISO standards, and the Paris Agreement. By aligning themselves with these benchmarks, organizations are setting themselves on a credible path toward climate neutrality. The benefits extend beyond the environmental dimension: betterenergy management, optimized purchasing, reduced waste, and changes in transportation modes also contribute to strengthening economic and social performance.

However, success depends on precise management. Regular monitoring of information and data makes it possible to measure the impact of measures, compare results with set objectives, and engage in a process of continuous improvement. It is this transparency that underpins the credibility of a modern CSR policy focused on innovation and sustainability.

In this context, the solution developed by GCI provides a unique response. Decarbo'Solution® and its three components— Decarbo'Target®, Decarbo'Tender®, and Decarbo'Supply® —form a coherent and complementary whole. A truly winning trio, it enables organizations to make strategic choices within a sustainable and environmentally friendly framework, serving both the planet and their competitiveness.