Edenred, a global digital platform for services and payments, is making sustainability a core part of its mission. We spoke with Anupama Nair, who heads up climate and carbon initiatives within Edenred’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) team, to learn more about their environmental efforts and how they’re integrating sustainable practices across the company.
A platform to make everyday life easier
“Edenred is all about supporting everyday working life with digital services and payments,” Anupama explains. Active in 45 countries, the company connects over 60 million users with more than 2 million partner merchants and almost a million client businesses. Among Edenred’s standout products are specialized payment solutions, such as meal benefits in France, gift cards, and employee engagement platforms.
Anupama Nair’s role: Leading climate and carbon initiatives
Anupama plays a key role in overseeing Edenred’s climate and carbon strategy. “My main responsibility is to measure and manage our carbon footprint and lead the company’s climate transition plan,” she says.
Her goal is clear: reduce Edenred’s carbon emissions and encourage employees to adopt sustainable practices wherever possible.
Stepping up climate commitments since 2017
Edenred’s journey in sustainability began years ago, but 2017 marked a turning point in the company’s climate action. Even before that, the company had been tracking its buildings’ energy usage since 2013. “Between 2013 and 2023, we cut the greenhouse gas intensity of our buildings by 61%,” Anupama shares.
Now, the company has set its sights even higher: achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Edenred recently set short- and long-term science-based targets for emissions reductions, validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
Edenred’s CSR strategy is built around three pillars: People, Planet, and Progress. Their climate goals are grouped under the Planet pillar, which focuses on reducing their environmental footprint. Edenred is committed to reducing its scope 1 and 2 emissions by 51.4% by 2030 and 90% by 2050, using 2019 as a baseline. For scope 3 emissions, the goal is a 55% reduction per million euros of added value by 2030, and a 97% reduction by 2050.
Understanding carbon impact and setting reduction plans
To get a clear picture of its environmental impact, Edenred has been conducting annual carbon audits since 2019. “Each year, our audits become more precise as we improve our expertise,” Anupama says.
These audits have highlighted key emissions sources and informed action plans to help reduce them.
For example, in 2023, Edenred discovered that IT operations alone accounted for 41% of its total emissions. This includes hardware (like laptops, monitors, and phones), cloud services, data centers, software, and telecommunications. “We expected IT to be significant because we’re a service company that relies heavily on technology,” Anupama explains. “But seeing it represent such a large share of our emissions confirmed that we needed to prioritize this area.”
Better measurement tools and employee awareness
To improve accuracy, Edenred uses tools like Sopht, which integrates physical data for more precise measurements. “Previously, our IT carbon audits were based mostly on financial data, but with Sopht, we’re now able to use physical data, which is much more accurate,” Anupama explains.
Sopht also helps Edenred identify actionable steps to reduce emissions, like extending the life of equipment to cut CO2 emissions and save on costs.
Beyond data, Edenred is actively raising employee awareness about IT’s environmental impact. “Our CSR director gave a presentation to help the whole company understand the environmental cost of IT,” Anupama says. A demonstration of Sopht gave employees a tangible look at IT’s impact, which was met with positive feedback.
Tracking key performance indicators
Looking ahead, Edenred plans to track IT emissions by category and department, moving from financial to physical data for accuracy. “In 2023, we started setting a baseline with Sopht to monitor the impact of our initiatives on actual emissions,” Anupama notes. They’re also working on monitoring emissions linked to IT purchases to better manage supplier impact.
Preparing for CSRD reporting: a proactive approach
When it comes to the CSRD report, Anupama admits it was a bit challenging at first, but Edenred prepared well. “We anticipated the requirements and planned everything well in advance, which allowed us time to make adjustments,” she says. Edenred’s advanced progress on climate and carbon issues has given them a strong footing for the reporting process.
Advice for companies preparing for the CSRD
Anupama also has advice for companies working toward CSRD compliance, especially those with a heavy IT component: “Don’t panic. Start by understanding your carbon footprint. Measure your emissions, identify the biggest sources, and set clear targets. Engage your team, and be transparent with stakeholders. It’s about more than compliance—it’s a responsibility to the planet.”
In sum, Edenred is leading by example, integrating IT’s environmental impact reduction into its core strategy and relying on technology and teamwork to reach its ambitious goals.
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Edenred, a global digital platform for services and payments, is making sustainability a core part of its mission. We spoke with Anupama Nair, who heads up climate and carbon initiatives within Edenred’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) team, to learn more about their environmental efforts and how they’re integrating sustainable practices across the company.
A platform to make everyday life easier
“Edenred is all about supporting everyday working life with digital services and payments,” Anupama explains. Active in 45 countries, the company connects over 60 million users with more than 2 million partner merchants and almost a million client businesses. Among Edenred’s standout products are specialized payment solutions, such as meal benefits in France, gift cards, and employee engagement platforms.
Anupama Nair’s role: Leading climate and carbon initiatives
Anupama plays a key role in overseeing Edenred’s climate and carbon strategy. “My main responsibility is to measure and manage our carbon footprint and lead the company’s climate transition plan,” she says.
Her goal is clear: reduce Edenred’s carbon emissions and encourage employees to adopt sustainable practices wherever possible.
Stepping up climate commitments since 2017
Edenred’s journey in sustainability began years ago, but 2017 marked a turning point in the company’s climate action. Even before that, the company had been tracking its buildings’ energy usage since 2013. “Between 2013 and 2023, we cut the greenhouse gas intensity of our buildings by 61%,” Anupama shares.
Now, the company has set its sights even higher: achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Edenred recently set short- and long-term science-based targets for emissions reductions, validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
Edenred’s CSR strategy is built around three pillars: People, Planet, and Progress. Their climate goals are grouped under the Planet pillar, which focuses on reducing their environmental footprint. Edenred is committed to reducing its scope 1 and 2 emissions by 51.4% by 2030 and 90% by 2050, using 2019 as a baseline. For scope 3 emissions, the goal is a 55% reduction per million euros of added value by 2030, and a 97% reduction by 2050.
Understanding carbon impact and setting reduction plans
To get a clear picture of its environmental impact, Edenred has been conducting annual carbon audits since 2019. “Each year, our audits become more precise as we improve our expertise,” Anupama says.
These audits have highlighted key emissions sources and informed action plans to help reduce them.
For example, in 2023, Edenred discovered that IT operations alone accounted for 41% of its total emissions. This includes hardware (like laptops, monitors, and phones), cloud services, data centers, software, and telecommunications. “We expected IT to be significant because we’re a service company that relies heavily on technology,” Anupama explains. “But seeing it represent such a large share of our emissions confirmed that we needed to prioritize this area.”
Better measurement tools and employee awareness
To improve accuracy, Edenred uses tools like Sopht, which integrates physical data for more precise measurements. “Previously, our IT carbon audits were based mostly on financial data, but with Sopht, we’re now able to use physical data, which is much more accurate,” Anupama explains.
Sopht also helps Edenred identify actionable steps to reduce emissions, like extending the life of equipment to cut CO2 emissions and save on costs.
Beyond data, Edenred is actively raising employee awareness about IT’s environmental impact. “Our CSR director gave a presentation to help the whole company understand the environmental cost of IT,” Anupama says. A demonstration of Sopht gave employees a tangible look at IT’s impact, which was met with positive feedback.
Tracking key performance indicators
Looking ahead, Edenred plans to track IT emissions by category and department, moving from financial to physical data for accuracy. “In 2023, we started setting a baseline with Sopht to monitor the impact of our initiatives on actual emissions,” Anupama notes. They’re also working on monitoring emissions linked to IT purchases to better manage supplier impact.
Preparing for CSRD reporting: a proactive approach
When it comes to the CSRD report, Anupama admits it was a bit challenging at first, but Edenred prepared well. “We anticipated the requirements and planned everything well in advance, which allowed us time to make adjustments,” she says. Edenred’s advanced progress on climate and carbon issues has given them a strong footing for the reporting process.
Advice for companies preparing for the CSRD
Anupama also has advice for companies working toward CSRD compliance, especially those with a heavy IT component: “Don’t panic. Start by understanding your carbon footprint. Measure your emissions, identify the biggest sources, and set clear targets. Engage your team, and be transparent with stakeholders. It’s about more than compliance—it’s a responsibility to the planet.”
In sum, Edenred is leading by example, integrating IT’s environmental impact reduction into its core strategy and relying on technology and teamwork to reach its ambitious goals.
