Our environmental approach

Eco-friendly offices in the heart of the Drôme provençale region

Groupe URD chose to set up its headquarters in a decentralised location, in the heart of the Drôme provençale region (Plaisians).

Because we are concerned about ecological issues, we have made certain choices to reduce our environmental footprint. Our buildings have a number of environmental features, such as solar energy, plant-based insulation, rainwater harvesting, a wood chip boiler and dry toilets. We also engage in environmentally-friendly activities, such as waste recycling, tree planting and car sharing.

See the environmental features at our headquarters here.

Our early promotion of a more environmentally friendly humanitarian sector

As part of our role providing support to the sector, we are particularly attentive to emerging needs. In the 2000s, environmental impact was not a major topic in the sector and it was not the object of many studies. We, however, felt that it was going to become a huge issue and that the sector would need to equip itself to meet this challenge. We created a position for an Environment Expert within our team of researchers, evaluators and trainers in 2007, and since then three experts have filled the role.

Due to the need to rapidly raise awareness and mobilise the sector, our 7th Autumn School on Humanitarian Aid in 2009 focused on the topic of ‘Mainstreaming the environment in the humanitarian sector’. For the first time, around sixty specialists from different branches gathered for two days to discuss ways to improve how the environment is taken into account in humanitarian action, and to reduce the environmental footprint of programmes and operational methods.    

Projects were launched shortly afterwards, with the evaluation of Concern Worldwide’s livelihoods and environmental protection programme in Chad in 2009, followed by the first evaluation of the environmental impact of ACF’s programmes in Zimbabwe in 2010.

In 2012, Groupe URD took part in the creation of the Réseau Environnement Humanitaire (The Humanitarian Environment Network or REH) which aims to improve awareness and understanding of these issues among French-speaking international aid actors. We have facilitated the network ever since.

We subsequently carried out numerous evaluations, provided organisational support, conducted the first training sessions, etc., including the Report on the Environmental Footprint of Humanitarian Assistance for DG ECHO in 2020.

What is Groupe URD’s carbon footprint?

Since 2012, we have calculated our carbon footprint every 3 years. In 2019, we emitted approximately 150 tonnes of CO2e, two-thirds of which were from air travel.

See our carbon footprint in French from 2012, 2015, 2019 and 2022, and 2022 key messages in English.

What action has Groupe URD taken? 

In addition to the research projects, organisational and strategic support projects, evaluations, tools and training courses that we have been involved in, Groupe URD has also signed two important collective initiatives:

• The Statement of Commitment on Climate by Humanitarian Organisations, initiated in 2020 by the members of the REH, through which thirteen organisations committed themselves to reducing their greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030.
• The Climate and Environment Charter for Humanitarian Organizations, initiated in 2021 by the International Committee for the Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, which includes seven commitments to guide the sector’s response to the climate and environment crises.

Groupe URD therefore has given itself the objective of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2025 and by 50% by 2030, compared to 2019, and relative to its financial turnover.

In order to do this, three principal areas of action have been identified:  1/ a list of environmental good practices to reduce the carbon footprint of flights; 2/ the capping of air tickets; and 3/ the establishment of a carbon fund.

For more information, see the “Briefing note: reducing Groupe URD’s greenhouse gas emissions”.

We have also decided to compensate for part of our residual greenhouse gas emissions via an original carbon compensation mechanism, voluntarily establishing the price of a tonne of carbon at a high level.

For more information see the “Briefing note: carbon offsetting at Groupe URD“.

And lastly, at the events we have organised since 2022, we have served vegetarian meals.