2023 universal registration document

Independence and quality control

Our independence is defined by the provisions in Article L. 821-28 of the Commercial Code, the Code of Ethics for the statutory auditor profession, and the IESBA Code of Ethics (International Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (including Independence Standards)).

In addition, we apply the International Standard on Quality Management 1 which requires that we design, implement and operate a system of quality management including policies or procedures regarding compliance with ethical requirements, professional standards and applicable legal and regulatory requirements.

Means and resources

Our work engaged respectively the skills of nine people in DELOITTE & ASSOCIES’s teams and eleven people in ERNST & YOUNG Audit’s teams between September 2023 and February 2024.

Nature and scope of the work

A reasonable assurance engagement involves the implementation of procedures aimed at obtaining evidence regarding the Information. The nature, timing, and extent of the procedures selected are within our professional judgment, particularly our evaluation of the risks that the Information contains significant misstatements, whether they result from fraud or error. In assessing these risks, we have taken into account the relevant internal control for the preparation of the Information by the Entity.

We also :

• assessed the suitability of the Guidelines in terms of its relevance, comprehensiveness, reliability, neutrality and understandability by taking into consideration, if relevant, the best practices of the industry;
• performed, on the Information:
  • analytical procedures to verify the correct consolidation of the collected data as well as the consistency of their evolutions;
  • detailed tests based on samples, to check the correct application of the definitions and procedures and reconcile the data with the supporting documents. This work was carried out with a selection of contributing entities listed below:
    • for the selected social and societal Information: the headquarters of the entity that centralizes all information;
    • for the selected environmental Information: Belgium (Libramont), China (Suzhou, SA Shanghai SHN, SA Shanghai Jinghua, Yichang, SA Guanghzou), Egypt (Cairo), France (Rambouillet, Tours, Lassigny, Caudry, R&I Episkin, SA Aulnay), Germany (Karlsruhe), India (Baddi, Pune), Indonesia (Jakarta), Italy (Settimo, DC Villantero, SA Italy), Kenya (Nairobi), Mexico (Mexico), Poland (Warsaw), South Africa (Midrand, DC ZAF Centurion), Spain (Madrid, SA Spain), and United States (Franklin, Piscataway, North Little Rock) representing 58% of Group activity (in units of finished goods reviewed). This work covers between 39% and 53% of the consolidated data selected for these tests (52% of CO2 emissions according to the “location-based” method, 39% of total waste, 53% of net water withdrawal).

We consider that the evidence we have obtained allow us to provide a reasonable assurance opinion.