Ubisoft 2009 Annual Report Download - page 28


24
1.1.4.3.2.1 Consumption of paper
All subsidiaries are made aware of the ecological impact of paper consumption; they take advantage of
municipal or government programs to recycle their paper through waste sorting at their premises or
collection areas such as in Germany, Australia, Korea, Italy, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Many
subsidiaries use outside specialists as in Canada, the United States and France.
As at March 31, 2010, more than two out of every three subsidiaries had introduced a paper recycling
process, while nearly half used recycled paper for some or all of their supplies.
In order to reduce their paper consumption, French subsidiaries, for example, have opted for a paperless
pay slip management policy as of June 2010.
1.1.4.3.2.2 Consumption of water
Even if Ubisoft’s water consumption is not significant, in view of its activities, measures have been put in
place to raise employees’ awareness of their consumption.
Many subsidiaries use low-consumption taps, such as in Italy and Shanghai, or have implemented simple
measures to encourage employees to limit their water consumption, for example in India, where notices have
been placed next to each water outlet.
1.1.4.3.2.3 Processing and recycling unmarketable products
Subsidiaries are directly responsible for scrapping at distribution platforms. This is organized by suppliers or
subsidiaries’ warehouse managers.
In 2009/2010, Ubisoft destroyed or recycled around 17 tons of unmarketable products.
The various destruction tasks (grinding or compacting), carried out under the supervision of official bodies,
were outsourced to external companies for:
- burning (in Japan for whatever cannot be recovered), or
- burial (in Italy and the United States), or
- recycling (United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, Canada, France, Japan, Switzerland, the
Netherlands).
The destruction of products in France is carried out by a company specializing in recycling CDs, DVDs,
computer disks and all types of plastic electronic media. The products are first ground down and sorted
before being transformed into fine particles and resold to the plastic processing sector.
1.1.4.3.2.4 Life-cycle management and recycling of computer equipment
Ubisoft takes an active part in the recycling of its used IT, electric and electronic equipment.
Except in a few countries where services of this kind are not available, the vast majority of subsidiaries
manage the disposal of their computer equipment by calling on external service providers, specialist
organizations or companies.
Depending on the case, equipment disposed of by the Group is reused by schools or charities, which may be
chosen by local authorities. Computer equipment that has reached the end of its life is sometimes sold
directly to employees.
In France, Ubisoft has its computer equipment recycled by companies specializing in the dismantling of such
equipment, with which a recovery, disassembly and recycling contract has been signed. These activities
involving the processing of electrical and electronic waste and the cleanup of monitors are carried out in
compliance with the applicable laws and standards. This year, the French subsidiaries recycled around nine
tons of computer equipment.
Foreign subsidiaries are also carefully recycling their computer equipment in collaboration with specialist
companies.
For example, the National Computer Recycling company processes IT hardware reaching the end of its life
at the Newcastle studio. It is recycled, donated or destroyed in compliance with relevant European
standards.
The subsidiary in Montreal donates some of its used equipment to a social enterprise operating in the IT
sector, which runs work and job-finding schemes for young adults with difficulties. This enterprise takes on
the task of recycling and reconditioning the equipment and selling it on to welfare organizations.