CSR: balancing energy security with climate imperatives

At Teréga, responsibility is nothing new. The safety of employees, contractor companies, local residents and infrastructure has always formed the company's cornerstone. For a vital operator, it is a given: network reliability and the protection of those around it are inseparable from its public service mission.

Environmental challenges, always present, have gradually been structured and formalized. As early as 2012, Teréga began measuring and reducing its methane emissions. In 2017, the BE POSITIF programme structured this approach around clear, measurable objectives with significant results: for example, a 44.6% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions over eight years (2017–2025). It is in this spirit that Navina Krieger, Head of CSR and Shareholder Relations, sums up the central role of CSR.

Operating strategic infrastructure while meeting growing environmental imperatives involves constant trade-offs. For instance, to prevent forest fires, Teréga clears brush around its pipelines, which can affect local biodiversity — something Teréga strives to preserve as far as possible by applying the Avoid, Reduce, Compensate methodology. To reduce the use of phytosanitary products, the company is adapting its maintenance practices while ensuring the safety of its field teams.

These situations cannot be resolved through general rules. “While safety is non-negotiable, we nevertheless ensure on a case-by-case basis a balance between benefits and constraints,” sums up Navina Krieger. This rigorous, documented approach is tailored to each situation and is already being applied to new hydrogen, biomethane and CO₂ projects.

Climate events in recent years have demonstrated the need for structured anticipation. Teréga is committed to building the resilience of its facilities against climate risks, analyzing risks based on 28 climate hazards, grounded in the scenarios* recommended by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) looking ahead to 2050.

Three priority risks have been identified (forest fires, flash flooding and land movement) and action plans are currently being developed. In 2026, an initial plan was rolled out regarding forest fire risk prevention. This approach illustrates the long-term vision underpinning the group's strategy, and demonstrates that preparing the company for tomorrow's crises also means caring for the territories through which it operates.

This is perhaps the core message: far from being an externally imposed constraint, CSR at Teréga is an assumed lever for resilience. Sustainability performance is presented quarterly to the Board of Directors via indicator and action reporting, alongside financial results. Safety and emission reduction targets are built into variable compensation schemes for both employees and executives. And as European regulations evolve reporting requirements, Teréga will maintain the voluntary publication of a transparent Sustainability Report.

For an operator whose infrastructure is built for the long term, managing its impacts today guarantees its ability to fulfill its mission tomorrow, while contributing to the decarbonization and energy sovereignty of our territories.

To find out more about our commitments, consult our Sustainability Report.

* SSP2-4.5 – Intermediate scenario. This scenario is expected to lead to a warming of 1.6°C to 2.5°C by mid-century compared to pre-industrial levels (1850–1900).

SSP5-8.5 – High reference scenario (with fossil-fuelled development). This worst-case scenario is expected to lead to mid-century warming of 1.9°C to 3°C compared to pre-industrial levels (1850–1900).