R E G I O N A L FOCUS 2Sage Alba is converting its entire fleet to EURO 6 vehicles LAURENT GIRAUD, REGIONAL MANAGING DIRECTOR OF GOSSELIN The pandemic showed us the know-how of international moving companies, and how they can manage Zibi finds French labour laws not the easiest for a company employing its own staff. But, despite the challenges of recruiting and retaining, we believe keeping our own crews will always deliver a betterquality outcome for the customer, he says. Long before the current labour shortages, we introduced incentive programmes based around length of service and quality scores - both internal and external, from clients and partners. We also have a company savings account, which is tax free after eight years. This all helps keep our staff loyal. Ben Ioulou finds hiring truck drivers very complicated, and a further headache alongside the higher price of raw materials. Were obliged to pass this on, but it makes competition even more difficult, he says. Alongside everything else, French Affiliates are taking all sorts of initiatives to reduce CO2 emissions. We waste less and reuse packaging material, says Haddad. Clients like to know about the carbon weve used. We have some electric lorries and electric vans, and solar panels on offices and warehouses. The company has a staff member in charge of environmental matters and safety, a post created eight years ago. A circle meets regularly to discuss energyefficient ideas. We have a French saying: When you open the cage, many things come through the door. At Gosselin, the shift towards remote surveys includes investing in Yembo, an AI tool. Movers can weigh up the furniture content of a room by clients relaying pictures via a smartphone camera - a tool for the future, says Giraud. 44 FF304 Dec_Jan 22 pp40-49 Regional Focus France.indd 44 Like Grospiron, Gosselin picks its workforces brains for green ideas. It has set up a committee where suggestions are discussed and steered by management. Despite only being launched this year, it has yielded a crazy number of ideas so far. Pelichet is taking part in the UN Global Compact initiative. We have an environmental responsibility standard we hold ourselves to, says Alzraa. Besides using recyclable packaging, his company encourages electronic exchanges in preference to paper consumption. Trucks are Euro 5 standard compliant and disposal of engine oil is regulated. We choose the transport that makes the least environmental impact while still staying within clients timelines and budgets, he says. Zibi has long realised what damage moving can inflict upon the environment. Before the current conversation on sustainability, Neer was using recyclable materials, he says. Among other initiatives is the introduction of mirror window protectors to reduce office temperatures. All those efforts came together under Objectiv CO2, a French government programme providing tools that allow companies to monitor, manage and reduce emissions. We see this as critical to the future of our business. Besides recycling, consumption of water and electricity is strictly monitored at AWT, says Level. The company intends to make greater use of IT to store documents, reducing printing and using less paper. Meanwhile, Ben Loulou reports that 2Sage Alba has a goal of upgrading all vehicles to EURO 6 standards. Currently, it has three electric vehicles. It has also acquired a warehouse on 1.5 hectares of land maintained by eco-grazing. AGS takes a combined approach to waste management through prevention (less paper printing) and recovery (reuse, recycling and energy recovery). All our heavy trucks are EURO 6 the fleet has changed from diesel-powered to gasoline, and forklifts are electric, says Lucas. Environmental pilots are AWT is one of the French businesses looking at reducing its consumption of resources and increasing the use of IT as a business tool WW W. F I D I FOC U S . OR G 07/12/2021 16:41