In the current context, as society moves towards a low-carbon future, companies must be prepared for this change and even, as far as possible, play a leading role so as to minimise the competitive risks involved.

Governments, organisations and the general public are placing ever greater importance on environmental considerations in their decision-making processes. Of all the different indicators, CO2 emissions have become the most significant in recent years.

Along these lines, and following its environmental policy, the Abertis Foundation has calculated the carbon footprint of its headquarters, Castellet Castle. The 2014 figure was calculated in accordance with ISO 14064-1:2012 and the principles set out in the “Corporate Value Chain (scope 3) Accounting and Reporting Standard”.

The resulting figure was 40.39 tonnes of CO2 emissions. This will be offset by a project in Brazil, where the Abertis Group manages 3,250 kilometres of toll roads in the states of São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, Santa Catarina and Paraná.

The project involves the ceramics companies Argibem, São Sebastião and Vulcão. All three are small, traditional companies which produce structural objects, such as bricks. Argibem markets its products in the states of Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais, São Sebastião has its market in Médio Paraíba (Vale do Aço) and Vulcão focuses on the Baixada Fluminense market. Instead of firing their ovens with non-renewable fuels such as heavy crude oil, this group of companies has introduced a pioneering change in the region by using renewable biomass in the form of wood from repopulated forests and wood waste.

See the attached document for further information on the project’s environmental and social benefits.