Corporate Social Responsibility at Sonepar
At Sonepar, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), is our compass for long-term strategy, growth, and collective engagement.
We are committed to very high ethical business principles, social responsibility, and environmental standards. We aim to be a responsible corporate citizen in all countries where we operate. We give our best performance - and we do what is right, making integrity and ethics the foundation of everything we do.
"At Sonepar, we are confident in our direction and determined to make a real, lasting impact. Together, we are building a more sustainable and inclusive future.”
Jessica Lam, SVP Sustainability, Sonepar
What is CSR?
Corporate Social Responsibility, or CSR, is a company’s commitment to act responsibly toward society and the environment. It means integrating ethical practices, reducing environmental impact, supporting communities, and promoting fair and inclusive work conditions. CSR helps businesses create long‑term value while contributing positively to people and the planet.
Sustainability with Purpose
Our framework is grounded in Purpose and structured around three pillars, each driving meaningful progress:
Environment
Accelerating the energy transition, circular economy, and biodiversity protection.
Our Purpose at the core
These three commitments are backed up by our Purpose, which is rooted in its core activities through six, impactful bold commitments, engaging associates and stakeholders around common initiatives and goals.
Objectives and achievements
| Objective | Achievement | |
| Reduce environmental impact across the supply chain. | Deployment of automation and data tools that improve planning, reduce waste, and support CO2 reduction efforts: | |
| Adopt sustainable materials in packaging. | Progress toward the 2028 target of using only packaging made from recycled materials: | |
| Increase circularity of returned products. | Initiatives underway to support the 2028 goal of recycling 100 percent of returned products. | |
| Improve energy efficiency in operations. | Use of LED lighting, photovoltaic solutions, reusable packaging and automated packaging sizing: | |
| Reduce emissions from transport. | Introduction of electric vehicles for selected delivery routes: | |
| Maintain transparent and audited sustainability performance. | Certifications obtained in various countries including LEED, BREEAM-excellent, Ecovadis and ISO: | |
| Promote inclusion and equal opportunities. | Group-wide programs supporting gender balance, disability inclusion and access to development opportunities: | |
| Strengthen associate development and skills. | Training initiatives across sustainability topics, inclusivity, and cyber security. | |
| Ensure responsible business practices across the Group. | Implementation of global compliance policies including ethics, anti-corruption and data protection. | |
| Enable early reporting of concerns. | Speak Up Line available in all countries with clear processes for handling reports. |
Frequently Asked Questions about our CSR Report
How does Sonepar ensure transparency in its governance?
Sonepar ensures transparency in its governance through annual CSR reports, a reporting platform (Speak Up platform and hotline, available 24/7 in 20 languages), public dissemination of policies (Code of Conduct, Business Partners Code of Conduct), and regular stakeholder engagement via surveys and double materiality analysis. 99% of Group sales are audited for anti-corruption, and all associates are required to sign the Code of Conduct and participate in compliance training.
How does the reporting platform operate?
Sonepar’s reporting platform, called Speak Up, is accessible 24/7 via hotline and online platform in 20 languages. It allows associates, suppliers, customers, and external stakeholders to report any suspected violation anonymously. Reports cover a wide range of issues including integrity, ethics, human rights, discrimination, harassment, fraud, corruption, conflicts of interest, sanctions, data privacy, health and safety, and environmental concerns. The system guarantees confidentiality and a non-retaliation policy. In 2024, 116 reports were received and 100% were processed or in progress. You can report via phone, online platform, or email.
What are Sonepar’s carbon reduction targets?
Sonepar’s carbon reduction targets are validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and align with the Paris Agreement. The Group aims to reduce scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 46.2% by 2030 (from a 2019 baseline), and scope 3 emissions by 13.5% by 2030. These targets are supported by annual action plans in each country, with the ultimate goal of achieving global Net Zero.
How does Sonepar prevent workplace accidents?
Sonepar adopts 'zero' principles—zero accidents, zero fatalities, and zero tolerance. Prevention measures include regular risk assessments, equipment inspections, mandatory training, incident reporting, and root cause analysis. The Group uses harmonized HSE reporting, conducts prevention visits, and maintains a whistleblowing system for reporting concerns. Continuous improvement is driven by feedback, audits, and local adaptation of safety programs.
What are scope 1, 2, 3 emissions?
Scope 1 emissions
Direct greenhouse gas emissions from sources a company owns or controls. Example: fuel burned in company vehicles or boilers.
Scope 2 emissions
Indirect emissions from the electricity, steam, heating or cooling a company buys.
Scope 3 emissions
All other indirect emissions across the value chain. Example: purchased goods, business travel, product use, and end of life.
Related content
Purpose
Our Purpose brings us closer: stating why we exist is the foundation of our common ground and expresses our contribution to the world.
Interactive Map
Discover our Purpose and sustainability initiatives around the world.
Environment
Sonepar is committed to accelerating the environmental transition. We reduce our carbon footprint, promote circularity, and protect biodiversity.
Sustainable Customer Journey
We help our customers make informed, sustainable choices by providing them relevant solutions, including Product Carbon footprint.
Social
At Sonepar, people are our greatest strength. We foster inclusion, empower communities, and ensure health and safety.
Last updated on March 2026.