The global communications group has started an internal process to reduce carbon emissions in France, UK, Spain, US, Mexico and India by 20% by 2009. In 2006 the carbon emissions for these markets amounted to the equivalent of 32,382 metric tonnes of CO2.
Havas has been assessed and approved as a holder of the ZeroCO2 certification of carbon neutrality after having calculated and offset its main carbon emissions in 2006. This included electricity and gas consumption, paper usage and business travel.
Its reduction programme will be supported by an internal awareness campaign and training programmes to help employees reduce their impact on the environment.
The Havas executive committee said its decision to become carbon neutral was a significant step in its plans to increase the group's corporate social responsibility and contribute to fighting the problem of climate change.
It said: "Our undertaking is differentiated from that of other initiatives in the market because not only will Havas be directly contributing to reducing CO2 emissions, but we also hope that our programme to promote this shift towards a more responsible and environmentally friendly culture will benefit our clients, shareholders and teams."
Its commitment at a global level follows initiatives at a local level including Havas Media France nominating a sustainable development manager in 2005, who has been developing a programme to measure the environmental impact of production and distribution during the lifecycle of a media campaign. Last year Euro RSCG UK was the first Havas agency to become carbon neutral.