“NOTA : TotalEnergies’ Vigilance Plan is published in TotalEnergies’ Universal Registration Document 2021 and is republished hereunder for information purposes only, the only modification concerns the addition of images for illustration purposes and the addition of references to sections of the Universal Registration Document 2021.”

Table of content:

Introduction

Regulatory framework

accordance with Article L. 225-102-4 of the French Commercial Code, the vigilance plan (hereinafter referred to as the “Vigilance Plan”) aims to set out the reasonable measures of vigilance put in place within the Company to identify risks of and prevent severe impacts on human rights, fundamental freedoms, human health and safety and the environment resulting from the activities of the Corporation and those of the companies it controls as defined in point II of Article L. 233-16 of the French Commercial Code, directly or indirectly, as well as the activities of subcontractors or suppliers with which it has an established commercial relationship, where such activities are linked to this relationship.

The Vigilance Plan covers the activities (hereinafter referred to as the “Activities” in this section) of TotalEnergies SE and its consolidated subsidiaries as defined in II of Article L. 233-16 of the French Commercial Code (hereinafter referred to as the “Subsidiaries” in this section)(1).

It also covers the activities of suppliers of goods and services with which TotalEnergies SE and its Subsidiaries have an established commercial relationship, where such activities are associated with that relationship (hereinafter referred to as the “Suppliers”)(2).

TotalEnergies operates in over 130 countries in a variety of complex economic and socio-cultural contexts and in business areas that are likely to present risks that fall within the scope of the Vigilance Plan.

The reasonable measures of vigilance set out in this Vigilance Plan take into account the diversity and the geographic reach of the Company’s Activities. As part of its reporting of the implementation of the Vigilance Plan, TotalEnergies has chosen to illustrate its actions by referring to situations upon which it was specifically questioned.

(1) Certain companies, such as Hutchinson, Saft Groupe and SunPower, have set up risk management and impact prevention measures specific to their organizations. In addition, for newly acquired companies, reasonable vigilance measures are intended to be implemented progressively during the integration phase of these companies into the Company systems. They are therefore not included in the scope of the 2021 Vigilance Plan.

(2) In accordance with the regulatory provisions, suppliers with which the Company does not have an established commercial relationship do not fall within the scope of this Plan. This Plan reflects the sustainable procurement principles applicable to relationships with Suppliers, but is not aimed at replacing the measures in place at those Suppliers.

Methodology and preparation of the Vigilance Plan

TotalEnergies has integrated consideration of the impact of its Activities and those of its Suppliers on people’s health and safety, the environment and respect for human rights into its corporate culture.

Thus in formulating its Vigilance Plan, TotalEnergies relies on a solid foundation of procedures, management and reporting tools, including with respect to HSE and human rights. Experience acquired has contributed to develop further the Vigilance Plan.

Health, safety and the environment (HSE) have long been the object of specific attention at Company level. Given their nature, the Activities give rise to health and safety risks for employees, the personnel of external contractors, and residents in the vicinity of industrial sites.

Since 2016, TotalEnergies has had an HSE Committee, which includes the members of the Executive Committee and is chaired by the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. The Committee’s role is to generate momentum at top management level to ensure that safety is a value shared by all. All HSE functions at headquarters and in the Company's business segments are centralized within a single HSE division. The objective of this unified organization is to combine the strengths and expertise and to harmonize existing good practices, based on a One MAESTRO(3) reference framework common to all business segments. In practice, TotalEnergies takes a continuous improvement approach to HSE, involving every level of the organization. HSE objectives are presented to the Executive Committee every year. One MAESTRO standards, defined at Company level, are implemented by the Subsidiaries through their own HSE management systems.

Human rights are at the heart of the Company’s operations. Since 2000, TotalEnergies has adopted a Company Code of Conduct.

In 2002, TotalEnergies joined the United Nations Global Compact. Since 2010, the Company has been supported by a Human Rights Steering Committee. The human rights road map is presented and reviewed regularly at Executive Committee meetings. In 2013, the Executive Committee examined and validated the Company’s first human rights road map, and in 2016, its first human rights briefing paper, which has since been updated.

In 2021, TotalEnergies created a Sustainability & Climate division to which the Human Rights department is attached.

The elaboration of the Vigilance Plan is part of a broader set of work to identify and analyse risks within TotalEnergies, including the Company's risk mapping. This process is based on an integrated approach that calls on the skills of the various functions involved (HSE, human rights, procurement, human resources, societal, security and legal).

In 2018, in the meetings of the Operational Committee of the European Works Council(4), Commitee members were provided with information on the law on the duty of vigilance and the methods used to prepare the Vigilance Plan, and were given an opportunity to comment.

The Board of Directors reviews the Vigilance Plan and its annual implementation report.

(3) MAESTRO stands for ‘Management and Expectations Standards Toward Robust Operations’.

(4)This committee was replaced by the TotalEnergies European Committee following the transformation of the Company into a European company.

Dialogue with stakeholders

TotalEnergies engages in dialogue with stakeholders at every level of the organization. In accordance with the Company’s framework documents on societal matters, stakeholders are identified, mapped out and organized by level of priority according to their expectations and degree of involvement. This includes the following steps: list the main stakeholders for each Subsidiary and site (depots, refineries, etc.), categorize them and schedule consultation meetings to better understand expectations, concerns and opinions. The outcome of this process is the definition of action plans to manage the impacts of activities and consider local development needs, in order to build a long-term relationship based on trust. This process allows the Company to explain its activities to communities and other stakeholders, and to single out potentially vulnerable local populations. Its deployment continues in the Subsidiaries.

In order to facilitate this dialogue, certain Subsidiaries have established a network of dedicated contacts. For example, in some Subsidiaries within the Exploration & Production segment, a network of local community mediators is in place to maintain a constructive dialogue with local communities. These mediators act as Community Liaison Officers (CLO) and are tasked with establishing an ongoing dialogue with stakeholders on the ground (Stakeholder Engagement), including local authorities and communities and, more broadly, local players in civil society. Employed by TotalEnergies, sometimes coming from the local communities, they speak the local languages and understand local customs. They play a decisive role which is crucial in establishing good relations between TotalEnergies and its stakeholders and pay close attention to the most vulnerable populations.

A structured dialogue with stakeholders is established and maintained, primarily at local level. Subsidiaries manage local relations with civil society and are encouraged to enter into dialogue with non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The Company also cooperates with external experts specialized in preventing and managing conflict between businesses and local communities.

Additionally, relevant divisions of the Holding ensure a continuous dialogue with stakeholders of TotalEnergies. The Sustainability & Climate Division manages relations between the Company and civil society, represented notably by NGOs, as well as large institutions and multilateral agencies (e.g., Global Compact). TotalEnergies maintains ongoing exchanges with its employees and their representatives – whose role and position allows for privileged interactions, particularly with management. Social dialogue is a key component of the Company's corporate vision. It includes all types of negotiations, consultations or exchanges of information between TotalEnergies entities, employees and their representatives about economic and social issues related to company life. Topics discussed may vary according to each entity, however, shared concerns include health and safety, hours worked, compensation, training and equal opportunity. The Company strives to maintain this dialogue at both local and head office levels or centrally, as well as through its participation in corporate bodies or its signing of agreements.

In countries where employee representation is not required by law, Subsidiaries strive to set up such representation. A majority of Subsidiaries therefore have employee representatives, most of whom are elected.

At the European level, as part of the transformation of the Corporation into a European company (SE), an agreement was reached on April 15, 2020, to create the SE Works Council (known as the TotalEnergies European Works Council) to replace the former European Works Council, while maintaining continuity in its operations and missions.

The TotalEnergies European Works Council allows the sharing of information and exchanges on the Company’s strategy and social, economic and financial situation, as well as on sustainable development, environmental and societal responsibility and safety matters. It is consulted on all significant proposed organizational changes impacting at least two companies in two European countries, to express its opinion, in addition to the procedures initiated before the national representative bodies. Innovative measures have been introduced to improve dialogue with the members of the TotalEnergies European Committee, including field safety visits and learning expeditions to discuss the Company's strategy directly on site.

The signature of international agreements also reflect the Company’s commitment, including at top management level, to foster dialogue with employee representatives. In 2015, TotalEnergies signed a four-year global agreement with IndustriALL Global Union(5) on the promotion of human rights at work, diversity, the dialogue with employees and their representatives and the recognition of health and safety at work. TotalEnergies continues to apply the commitments of this global agreement.

Through this global agreement and the Fundamental Principles of Purchasing, TotalEnergies also asks its suppliers to respect freedom of expression, association and collective bargaining and, in countries where this right is restricted, to ensure that employees have the right to participate in a dialogue concerning their collective work situation.

In December 2017, TotalEnergies also joined the Global Deal initiative, a multi-stakeholder worldwide partnership whose goal is to encourage governments, companies, unions and other organizations to make concrete commitments to improve dialogue with employees. The Global Deal promotes the idea that effective dialogue with employees can contribute to decent work and quality jobs and, as a result, to more equality and inclusive growth, from which workers, companies and civil society benefit. In 2021, TotalEnergies continued to share its good practices with Global Deal member companies by co-leading a working group on social dialogue during the crisis and the recovery.

(5) International federation of trade unions representing more than 50 million employees in the energy, mining, manufacturing and industrial sectors in 140 countries.

Severe impact risk mapping

The mapping work presented below, which includes risks for people and the environment, was carried out using TotalEnergies’ risk management tools.

Safety, health and the environment

TotalEnergies defines the risk of a severe impact on safety, health or the environment as the probability of Activities having a direct and significant impact on the health or safety of employees of TotalEnergies companies, employees of external contractors(6)and third parties, or on the environment following a large scale pollution or a pollution impacting a sensitive natural environment(7).

TotalEnergies has developed regular safety, health and environment risk assessment procedures and tools applicable to operate its Activities at various levels (Company, activities and/or industrial sites):

  • prior to investment decisions in industrial projects of the Company, acquisition and divestment decisions;
  • during operations;
  • prior to releasing new substances on the market.

With respect to potential major industrial accidents, analyses are based notably on incident scenarios at the site level, for each of which the probability of occurrence and potential consequences (in terms of severity) are assessed. Based on these parameters, a prioritization matrix is used to determine whether further measures are needed. These mainly include preventive measures but can also include mitigation measures that may be technical or organizational in nature. Each business segment produces, on a yearly basis, an inventory of its identified major industrial accident risks, which is submitted to management/committees in each segment and to the HSE Committee (refer section “Methodology and preparation of the Vigilance Plan”) providing a global overview of identified risks and of progress on action plans launched by the Subsidiaries operating the sites.

This work allowed to identify, analyze and prioritize the risks of severe impacts. These analyses have highlighted the following risks of severe impacts:

  • risks to the safety of people and to the environment resulting from a major industrial accident on an offshore or onshore site. This accident could be an explosion, a fire or a leak resulting in fatalities or bodily harm, and/or accidental pollution on a large scale or on a sensitive natural environment, for example a well blowout;
  • risks to the safety of people and to the environment related to the overall life cycle of the products manufactured, and to the substances and raw materials used;
  • risks associated with transportation, for which the likelihood of an operational accident depends on the hazardous nature of the products handled, as well as on volumes, length of the journey and sensitivity of the regions through which products are transported (quality of infrastructure, population density, environment).

Climate change is a global risk for the planet and results from various human actions such as energy consumption. As an energy producer, TotalEnergies seeks to reduce direct greenhouse gas emissions resulting from its operated Activities. In 2021, worldwide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the facilities operated by TotalEnergies amounted to 37 Mt CO2e excluding the COVID-19 effect, less than 0.1% of total worldwide emissions, which amounted to more than 59 billion tons in 2019(8). In addition, TotalEnergies implements a strategy to tackle climate change challenges and reports on this in detail, notably in its statement of non-financial performance (refer to point 5.4 of chapter 5), in accordance with Articles L. 22-10-36 and L. 225-102-1 of the French Commercial Code.

(6) Personnel of companies working on a site operated by a Subsidiary.

(7) Sensitive natural environments include, in particular, remarkable or highly vulnerable natural areas, such as sea ice in the Arctic, as well as areas covered by significant regulatory protection such as Protected Area Categories I to IV as defined by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Ramsar areas, or natural sites listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List at December 31, 2021.

(8) U.N. Environment Program, ‘Emissions Gap Report 2021’

Human rights and fundamental freedoms

The risks of impacts on human rights for TotalEnergies personnel and third parties were identified according to the criteria defined in a well-established reference document for the mapping of human rights risks, the United Nations Guiding Principles Reporting Framework:

  • severity: the scale of the impact on the human right(s); and/or
  • scope: the number of persons affected or who could be affected; and/orv
  • the remediable nature of the impact: the ease with which the corresponding rights of the impacted persons can be restored.
  • TotalEnergies applied the United Nations Guiding Principles Reporting Framework, which defines the following process:
  • identify all human rights at risk of being negatively impacted by a company’s activities or business relations, by taking into account all relevant business activities and entities in the company and the point of view of the people exposed to a negative impact;
  • prioritize potential negative impacts based on their potential gravity (severity and potential extent of the impact and the required remediation efforts) and their probability (while paying particular attention to very severe but unlikely impacts);
  • explain the conclusions to internal and external stakeholders and check that factors have not been omitted.

This risk mapping work was carried out by TotalEnergies in 2016 in consultation with internal and external stakeholders. The process included workshops with representatives of key business activities of the Company (human resources, procurement, security, HSE, Ethics Committee, Human Rights Steering Committee) and of Subsidiaries operating in difficult environments or particularly exposed to risks to human rights and fundamental freedoms. A series of interviews was held with independent third parties (GoodCorporation, International Alert, Collaborative Learning Project). The participants were able to share return on experience on the ground (difficulties faced, proposals for improvements on issues related to human rights and HSE resulting from Subsidiary assessments). The questions raised at the Business Ethics Day were also taken into consideration. The results of the in-house survey of employees regarding their professional situation and perception of the company conducted at local or Company level, were also taken into account.

This work enabled TotalEnergies to identify and analyze the human rights risks that affect the Activities and to prioritize them according to their salience.

The salient risks are thus identified by comparing indicators and information provided by external stakeholders and internal return on experience. The dialogue with local stakeholders and feedback from the field, described above (refer to “Dialogue with stakeholders” section) also contribute to this.

The mapping of salient risks, periodically updated, is supplemented by operational mappings such as the CSR risk mapping linked to TotalEnergies’ purchasing by categories of goods and services (refer to “suppliers”). Risk mapping by the Security division also takes into account human rights and the VPSHR (Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights).

In 2019, TotalEnergies updated its procedures to analyze risks of impacts on human rights (taking into account the country, types of activity and types of raw materials or purchased products and services). This work was done with a specialized consultant, and included workshops with internal and external stakeholders. It took into account international country risk indicators established by a specialized third party. This process notably offers a support to Subsidiaries located in geographic areas at higher risk of impacts on human rights.

As a result, the following six salient risks were identified, divided among three key themes for the Company:

  • human rights in the workplace of TotalEnergies’ employees and those of its suppliers and other business partners:
    • forced labor and child labor;
    • discrimination;
    • just and favorable conditions of work and safety.
  • human rights and local communities:
    • access to land;
    • the right to health and an adequate standard of living.
  • respect for human rights in security-related activities:
    • the risk of misuse of force.

Suppliers

The mapping of the risks of impacts on human rights, people’s health and safety and the environment as a result of Activities is supplemented by CSR mapping of the risks linked to TotalEnergies’ procurement, by category of goods and services, which has been in place since 2012. This allows the identification of the risks relating to human rights and social conditions and those relating to the environment that are associated with each procurement category. In 2020, TotalEnergies Global Procurement, the subsidiary dedicated to procurement, finalized the update of this mapping, based on research conducted by AFNOR experts on the human rights and environmental risks associated with each procurement category. This work was supplemented by workshops with buyers of these categories whose practical experience and knowledge greatly enhanced the results of this initial research. The Company's human rights and environmental experts were also involved throughout the entire process. This mapping includes particular risks relating to child labor, forced labor, working conditions, discrimination, workers’ health and safety, as well as risks relating to pollution and adverse impacts to biodiversity. It is available to buyers.

Action principles and organization

TotalEnergies has defined in its referential framework principles which reflect the Company’s values and aim at preventing impacts on human rights and health, safety and to the environment (the “Action Principles”). When the legal provisions applicable to Activities provide less protection than the Action Principles, TotalEnergies strives under all circumstances to give precedence to the latter, within the constraints of applicable regulations.

Organization

TotalEnergies has a three-tier organization: Corporate, business segments and operational entities. Each tier is involved in and accountable for identifying and implementing measures in the Vigilance Plan deemed appropriate within the scope of the entity in question.

The Action Principles are driven by the Executive Committee.

The Ethics Committee is the guarantor of the implementation of the Code of Conduct. Its chairman, who reports to the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of TotalEnergies SE, presents an annual ethics report to the Governance and Ethics Committee of the Board of Directors.

A new Strategy & Sustainability division was created in September 2021, illustrating the importance of the sustainable development issues that are at the heart of TotalEnergies' strategy. This general division includes in particular:

  • The HSE division which brings together the Company’s industrial health, safety, environmental and operational societal functions. Within this division, the HSE departments of the Exploration & Production, Integrated Gas, Renewables & Power, Refining & Chemicals and Marketing & Services segments are notably responsible for supporting the implementation of the Company’s HSE policy. Specific expert teams deal with the following areas: major risks, human and organizational factors, environmental and societal issues, transportation and storage, crisis management and pollution prevention, standards and legislation, audits and return on experience. TotalEnergies has set up an HSE Committee chaired by the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer and made up notably of the members of the Executive Committee and HSE managers (refer to “Safety, health and the environment”). Its mission is to ensure that safety is a shared value.
  • The new Sustainability & Climate division, whose mission includes to help implement TotalEnergies' climate and sustainable development (including human rights) road maps and environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies, with transparency as a guiding principle. In this division, the Human Rights department supports the Company’s operational personnel with its expertise in implementing the Action Principles relating to human rights. This division also forms the link between the Company and civil society and is in charge of relations with non-governmental organizations (NGOs), major institutions or multi-lateral agencies at Company level. Also within this division, the Climate division is responsible for contributing to the implementation of TotalEnergies' Climate Road map, in line with its ambition to be carbon neutral (net zero emissions) by 2050, together with society.

Within the People & Social Engagement division, the Strategy and Human Resources Policies division is responsible in particular for defining TotalEnergies' human resources strategy and policies in line with the business challenges and the corporate project. In line with the multiple situations encountered in the field, it coordinates the diffusion and roll-out of new policies to support the various human resources departments in TotalEnergies’ business segments. The Social Relations division is tasked with coordinating the Company’s social relations policy, chairing the TotalEnergies European Works Council and negotiating within this scope.

The Security division is responsible for the protection of people, facilities and information, and pays particularly close attention to the protection of people and property, by conducting analyses and offering advice.

A dedicated cross-functional subsidiary, TotalEnergies Global Procurement, coordinates management of supplier relationships and provides in particular purchasing services for the Company’s goods and services, whether for categories of products or services specific to one business activity or categories shared among several business activities(9).

This corporate organization acts in support of the business segments and Subsidiaries in the operational implementation of the Action Principles.

Within the business segments services and advice are offered to Subsidiaries to assist them in the operational implementation of TotalEnergies’ requirements.

Depending on their size, type of activities and the risks to which they may be exposed, the Subsidiaries may have dedicated personnel for HSE, societal, human resources, ethical, security and procurement issues.

(9) Present in more than 130 countries, the Company currently works with a network of more than 100,000 suppliers.

Code of Conduct

TotalEnergies’ Vigilance Plan is based primarily on the Code of Conduct(10) which defines the Company’s values, including safety and respect for others, and their application to human rights, the environment, and people’s health and safety.

The Code particularly sets forth TotalEnergies’ compliance with the following international standards:

  • the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;
  • the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business & Human Rights;
  • the principles set out in the International Labor Organization’s fundamental conventions;
  • the principles of the United Nations Global Compact;
  • the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises;
  • the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights, or VPSHR.

The Code of Conduct, which can be accessed on TotalEnergies’ website, is aimed at all employees and external stakeholders (host countries, local communities, customers, suppliers, industrial and commercial partners and shareholders).

(10) SunPower has its own code of conduct and ethics.

Human rights

In addition to the Code of Conduct, matters relating to respect for human rights are included in a number of internal rules, such as those relating to ethics, human resources, societal, security and procurement. In addition to these, there are a number of practical tools dedicated specifically to societal issues.

For example, a rule concerning stakeholder and local impact management describes TotalEnergies’ requirements for a unified approach to managing the societal risks and impacts of its operations. This is based on an assessment of the sensitivity of the societal context and the impacts relating to operations. Furthermore, the Charter of Principles and Guidelines regarding indigenous and tribal peoples states how TotalEnergies endeavors to know and understand the legitimate requirements of the communities living in its Subsidiaries’ sphere of activities.

TotalEnergies’ charters and rules are supplemented by guides and manuals at Company level or at the level of the business segment, which serve as reference documents for Subsidiaries on meeting requirements. Thus, there are guides relating to carrying out societal impact assessments and impact assessments on human rights, managing the local societal approach, and developing local content in projects.

General specifications define more technical requirements, such as the implementation of the social baseline study and analysis of the societal impact.

As regards community grievance management, a guide describes the methodology and procedures for managing individual and collective grievances resulting from Activities, based on the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights eight effectiveness criteria.

Additionally, requirements relating to the implementation of VPSHR in conducting security operations are detailed in an internal rule concerning risk assessment, preliminary verifications, formalization of the relationship with security providers, training and management of possible incidents.

Last, for procurement, requirements relating to respect for human rights by Suppliers are specified in an internal rule defining the procurement principles for goods and services, including the Fundamental Principles of Purchasing, which reflect the principles of the Code of Conduct with regard to Suppliers.

Safety, health and the environment

TotalEnergies conducts its operations on the basis of its Safety Health Environment & Quality Charter (available on TotalEnergies’ website). It forms the common foundation for TotalEnergies’ management frameworks, and sets out the basic principles applicable to safety, security, health, the environment, quality and societal commitment. TotalEnergies’ directives and rules define the minimum requirements expected. General specifications, guides and manuals are available as a tool to implement these directives and rules. The Subsidiaries incorporate these requirements into their own management systems, whilst taking into account local specificities and regulatory requirements. The TotalEnergies framework is available to all employees.

An HSE reference framework common to all the business segments has been rolled out in order to give greater overall consistency to TotalEnergies’ operations, while taking into account the specificities of each business segment. This reference framework, called One MAESTRO (Management and Expectations Standards Toward Robust Operations), applies to all the Company’s operated sites as defined in point 5.11 of chapter 5 (scope of One MAESTRO).

One MAESTRO is structured around ten fundamental principles: (1) leadership and management commitment, (2) compliance with laws, regulations and Company requirements, (3) risk management, (4) operational accountability, (5) contractors and suppliers, (6) expertise and training, (7) emergency preparedness, (8) learning from events, (9) monitoring, audit and inspection, (10) performance improvement.

In 2010, the Company also introduced the TotalEnergies' Golden Rules for safety at work. Widely circulated, they bring together the fundamental rules, which must be scrupulously observed by all personnel, whether employees or the staff of contractors, in all the countries and business segments in which the Company is active. The aim of the Golden Rules is to define simple, easy-to-remember rules based on situations reflecting a number of occupational accidents. These rules cover the following subjects:

TotalEnergies has also rolled out the Our lives first: zero fatal accidents program, comprising the introduction of joint safety tours with contractors, the incorporation into the permit to work process of a ritual to be performed prior to undertaking work at the TotalEnergies' operated sites (Safety Green Light), and tools to step up on-site checks and assess compliance with safety rules for eight high-risk activities (working at height, lifting operations, work on process or powered systems, working in confined spaces, hot work, excavation work, manual cleaning using high-pressure jets and Industrial cleaning using mobile pump and vacuum truck).

In addition, anyone, irrespective of their level in the organization, is authorized to interrupt work in progress, if they notice a high-risk situation, by using their Stop Card.

The Stop Card is a plastic-coated card. It grants its holder the authority to intervene and stop work in progress, if he/she notices high-risk actions or situations, or situations that may lead to an accident, with an assurance that no disciplinary action will be taken as a result, even if the intervention turns out to have been unnecessary.
If an action or situation seems hazardous for one or more people, a facility or the environment, the Stop Card provides a means of intervening. Uses of the Stop Card can range from a simple question to check that no risks are present, to interrupting the work in progress.
This interruption offers an opportunity to exchange with the colleagues involved (members of staff and their supervisor) with a view of finding a solution to the perceived problem. If necessary, changes are made to the way of working before resuming the work in progress.
If the problem cannot be solved immediately, the work is suspended, pending the implementation of suitable measures.

Preventing the occurrence of major industrial accidents

To prevent the occurrence of a major industrial accident such as an explosion, fire, leakage of hazardous products or mass leakage that might cause death, physical injury, large-scale pollution or pollution at an environmentally sensitive site, or important damage to property, TotalEnergies implements suitable risk management policies and measures that apply to the Company’s operated activities that are exposed to such risks. The Major Risks division of the Company’s HSE division provides support in the application of this policy.

TotalEnergies’ policy for the management of major industrial accident risks applies from the facilities design stage in order to minimize the potential impacts associated with its activities. The policy is described in the One MAESTRO reference framework. It provides for analysis of the risks related to the Company’s industrial operations at each operated site subject to these risks, based on incident scenarios for which the probability of occurrence and the severity of the consequences are assessed. Based on these parameters, a prioritization matrix is used to determine whether further measures are needed. These mainly include preventive measures but can also include mitigation measures. They may be technical or organizational. These analyses are updated periodically, at least every five years, or when facilities are modified.

With regard to the design and construction of facilities, technical standards include applicable regulatory requirements and refer to industry best practices. The construction of the Company’s facilities is entrusted to qualified contractors who undergo a demanding internal selection process and are monitored. In the event of a modification to a facility, the Company’s rules define the management process to be adopted.

With regard to the management of operations and integrity of facilities operated by the Company, formal rules have been set out to prevent specific risks that have been identified either by means of risk analyses or from internal and industry feedback. For specific works, the preliminary risk analysis may lead to the establishment of a permit to work, the process of which, from preparation through to closure, is defined. The Company’s reference framework also provides a process to manage the integrity of facilities, which includes, for example, preventive maintenance, facility inspections, identification of safety critical equipment for special monitoring, management of anomalies and downgraded situations, and regular audits. These rules are part of the One MAESTRO reference framework. Operations teams receive regular training in the management of operations in the form of companionship or in-person trainings. For example, in order to control the integrity of pipelines operated by the Company, they are subject to periodic surveys such as cathodic protection checks, ground or aerial surveillance or in line inspections. These actions are planned as part of the pipeline monitoring and maintenance programs. In areas with high human or environmental risks identified by the risk analysis, these controls and their frequency are reinforced.

Preventing transport accidents

In the field of road transportation, the Company has for many years adopted a policy intended to reduce the number of accidents by applying standards that are, in some cases, more stringent than certain local regulations. This policy, defined in the One MAESTRO reference framework, applies to all the Company’s personnel and personnel of contractors working for Company entities. For example, it includes a ban on telephoning while driving, even with a hands-free set, a ban on using motorized two-wheeled vehicles for business travel, mandatory training for drivers, and the definition of strict technical specifications for Company vehicles (in particular, light vehicles must pass NCAP 5* tests). Additional requirements are defined depending on the level of road traffic risks in the country in question and the nature of the activity. Thus, in countries with high road traffic risks, vehicles are equipped with recorders of driving inputs and the conduct of drivers is monitored.

For maritime and inland waterways transportation, the process and criteria for selecting ships and barges are defined by the team in charge of vetting. These criteria take into account not only the ship or barge but also the crew, ensuring that the crew has all the qualifications and training required under the STCW (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers) convention. These same teams also verify the application of the safety management system defined for ships by the ISM (International Safety Management) Code of the IMO (International Maritime Organization) as well as industry recommendations such as OCIMF (Oil Companies International Marine Forum) and SIGTTO (Society of International Gas Tanker and Terminal Operators), which take into account the human factor to prevent accidents to people on board ships or barges. In addition, TotalEnergies’ chartering contracts require that the crew belong to a recognized trade union affiliated to the ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation). The ITF represents the interests of transportation workers’ unions in bodies that make decisions about jobs, conditions of employment or safety in the transportation sector, such as the International Labor Organization (ILO) or the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

With regard to air transportation, a carrier selection process exists to limit the risks relating to travel by Company and contractors’ employees, if their journey is organized by TotalEnergies. This process is based on data from recognized international organizations: ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization), IOSA (IATA Operational Safety Audit), IOGP (International Association of Oil and Gas Producers), and civil aviation authorities’ recommendations. Airlines that do not have a rating from an international body are assessed by an independent body commissioned by the Company.

Preventing occupational accidents

TotalEnergies has a policy for preventing occupational accidents that applies to all employees of Subsidiaries and employees of contractors working on a site operated by one of these Subsidiaries. The safety results are monitored with the same attention for all. This policy is described in the One MAESTRO reference framework.

As part of the policy for preventing workplace accidents, TotalEnergies has defined rules and guidelines for HSE training, personal protective equipment and high-risk operations for employees of the Company and of the contractors working on sites operated by the Company. In order to continually move its practices forward, TotalEnergies also implements a process for analyzing accidents, irrespective of their nature, with the method used and the level of detail involved depending on the actual or potential level of severity of the event.

The Company’s HSE division includes a division of specialists in high-risk operations (work at height, lifting, confined spaces, etc.) that consolidates in-house knowledge and relations with contractors, and issues the relevant One MAESTRO rules. The HSE division also includes a division aimed at providing support for Subsidiaries in their own voluntary approach to strengthen their safety culture. This division also develops and disseminates tools to improve human performance by identifying the Organizational and Human Factors of a work situation and defining appropriate measures.

Preventing occupational health risks

With regard to the prevention of occupational health risks, the One MAESTRO framework provides that Subsidiaries of the Company identify and assess risks at the workplace in the short, medium and long term. To do this, the framework provides application guides for implementation. The analysis of these health risks relates to chemical, physical, biological, ergonomic and mental risks. This results in the roll-out of an action plan. An Industrial Health correspondent in subsidiaries is identified and tasked with implementing the policy for identifying and assessing work-related health risks. The actions are integrated into the entities’ HSE action plans and can be audited as part of the One MAESTRO audits.

In general, potential exposure to chemical or hazardous products at a site operated by a Company entity or nearby is one of the most closely monitored risks in view of the potential consequences. New facility construction projects comply with international technical standards from the design stage in order to limit exposure. For production sites operated by a Company entity and subject to this risk, the One MAESTRO reference framework sets out the prevention process in several stages. First, hazardous products such as carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproduction (CMR) chemicals are listed and their risks identified. Second, potential exposure to levels that may present a risk to the health of personnel, contractors or local residents at the site or nearby are identified and assessed, and prevention or mitigation measures are implemented in order to control the risk. Last, the approach is checked (atmospheric checks, specific medical monitoring, audits etc.) in order to verify its effectiveness and implement improvement measures if necessary. This is also set out formally in a risk assessment file, which is revised regularly by the Subsidiary.

Limiting the environmental footprint of the Group’s sites

TotalEnergies implements a policy of avoiding, reducing and, where necessary, offsetting the environmental footprint of its operations.

Water and air protection

The Company’s operations generate discharges such as smokes from combustion plants, emissions into the air from the various conversion processes and discharges of wastewater. In addition to complying with applicable legislation, TotalEnergies has drawn up rules and guidelines that the Subsidiaries can use to limit the quantities discharged. TotalEnergies has set itself targets for reducing sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions and is committed to limiting its hydrocarbon discharges into water. After analysis, the exposed sites can introduce various reduction systems that include organizational measures (such as using predictive models to control peaks in sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions based on weather forecast data and the improvement of combustion process management, etc.) and technical measures (wastewater treatment plants, using low NOX burners and electrostatic scrubbers, etc.) All refineries controlled by the Company currently have this type of system.

For new facilities developed by the Company, the internal rules require impact assessments to be carried out and, if necessary, actions must be taken to limit the impact of these emissions.

Soil protection

The risks of soil pollution related to TotalEnergies’ operations come mainly from accidental spills and waste storage. TotalEnergies has drawn up a guide that the Subsidiaries can use to prevent and contain this pollution. The recommended approach is based on four pillars:

  • preventing leaks, by implementing, as far as possible, industry best practices in engineering, operations and transportation;
  • carrying out maintenance at appropriate frequency to minimize the risk of leaks;
  • overall monitoring of the environment to identify any soil and groundwater pollution; and
  • managing any pollution from previous activities by means of containment and reduction or elimination operations.

In addition, a Company rule defines the following minimum requirements:

  • systematic identification of each site’s environmental and health impacts related to possible soil and groundwater contamination;
  • assessment of soil and groundwater contamination based on various factors (extent of pollution inside or outside the site’s boundaries, nature and concentrations of pollutants, presence of a vector that could allow the pollution to migrate, use of the land and groundwater in and around the site); and
  • management of health or environmental impacts identified based on the use of the site.

Last, decommissioned facilities operated by the Company (i.e., chemical plants, service stations, mud pits or lagoons resulting from hydrocarbon extraction operations, wasteland on the site of decommissioned refinery units, etc.) impact the landscape and may, despite all the precautions taken, be sources of chronic or accidental pollution. In addition to the appropriate management of the waste associated with the dismantling and securing of sites, TotalEnergies has created a soil and groundwater depollution policy based on the assessment and management of the risks that such pollution may incur. For the sites at the end of their activity, the management of pollution is determined in accordance with regulatory obligations with an objective of continuing to control the use of the sites while favoring the possibility of redevelopment of TotalEnergies’ activities (solar, reforestation, etc.) and protecting biodiversity. Remediation operations are carried out by specialized entities created by TotalEnergies.

Managing impacts on biodiversity and ecosystems during projects and operations

In 2016, the Company pledged to contribute to the success of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including those relating to biodiversity. In 2018, TotalEnergies signed up to the act4nature initiative promoted by the French Association of Enterprises for the Environment, now act4nature international.

In 2020, TotalEnergies set a new biodiversity ambition on the occasion of preparing for the United Nations’ global biodiversity plan, which aims to protect global biodiversity and updates its public commitments concerning biodiversity. This ambition has been factored into the One MAESTRO reference framework. The core principles of this ambition are described in point 5.5.4 of chapter 5, which includes the following principles of action:

The Company has made a commitment not to conduct any exploration activities in oil fields under sea ice in the Arctic;

the Company has made a commitment to recognize the universal value of UNESCO’s world natural heritage sites, by not conducting oil and gas exploration or production activity in these areas.

for each new project located in an IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) protected areas category I or II or a Ramsar site, the Company undertakes to implement measures to produce a net positive impact on biodiversity.

Limiting risks for the health and safety of consumers

Unless certain precautions are taken, some of the petroleum or chemical products marketed by TotalEnergies pose potential consumer health and safety risks. Respecting regulatory requirements is the main measure to limit risk throughout the life cycle of these products. TotalEnergies has also defined the minimum requirements to be observed in order to market its petroleum or chemical products worldwide with the goal of reducing potential risks to consumer health and the environment. These include the identification and assessment of the risks inherent to these products and their use, as well as providing information to consumers. The material safety datasheets that accompany the petroleum and chemical products marketed by TotalEnergies (available in at least one of the languages used in the relevant country), as well as product labels, are two key sources of information.

The implementation of these requirements is monitored by teams of regulatory experts, toxicologists and ecotoxicologists within the Refining & Chemicals and Marketing & Services segments of the Company. The task of these teams is to ensure the preparation of safety documentation for the marketed petroleum and chemical products so that they correspond to the applications for which they are intended and to the applicable regulations. They therefore draw up the material safety datasheets and compliance certificates (contact with food, toys, pharmaceutical packaging, etc.) and ensure REACH(11) registration if necessary. They also monitor scientific and regulatory developments and verify the rapid implementation of new datasheets and updates within Company entities.

Governance of the process is rounded off within the business units or Subsidiaries of the Refining & Chemicals and Marketing & Services segments with the designation of a product manager who ensures compliance during the market release of his or her entity’s petroleum and chemical products. The networks of product managers are coordinated by the Company’s specialist teams either directly or via an intermediate regional level in the case of the Marketing & Services segment.

The safety datasheets for oil and gas produced by the Exploration & Production and Integrated Gas, Renewables & Power Subsidiaries are produced by the Marketing & Services expertise center. The compliance of the go-to-market process of these products is ensured by the Subsidiary.

For the Integrated Gas, Renewables & Power segment, the implementation of the Company's requirements for the marketing of chemical or petroleum products is carried out by each Subsidiary concerned according to its own organization.

(11) Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and restriction of CHemicals (REACH) EU Regulation.

Fundamental principles of purchasing

The relationship between the Company and its Suppliers is based on adhesion to the Fundamental Principles of Purchasing(12), which explain and break down the principles set forth in the Code of Conduct as they apply to suppliers.

The Fundamental Principles of Purchasing lay out the commitments that TotalEnergies expects from its suppliers in the following areas: respect for human rights at work, protection of health, safety and security, preservation of the environment, prevention of corruption, conflicts of interest and fraud, respect for competition law, as well as the promotion of economic and social development.

Subsidiaries ensure that the requirements of the Fundamental Principles of Purchasing are communicated to Suppliers and endeavor to include them in contracts or replace them with equivalent principles at the end of negotiation. These principles are also accessible to all suppliers in French and English on TotalEnergies’ website.

(12) Saft Groupe and SunPower have defined fundamental principles of procurement specific to their activities (for example: SunPower Supplier Sustainability Guidelines).

Internal control framework

TotalEnergies consistently ensures that an internal control framework, based on the referential of the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO) is in place.

TotalEnergies has a reference framework that is supplemented by a series of practical recommendations and return on experience. The structure of this reference framework reflects that of TotalEnergies’ organization: a Company level framework, frameworks by business segment, and a specific framework for each significant operational entity.

Assessment procedures

TotalEnergies has defined procedures to assess its Subsidiaries and Suppliers, including in collaboration with independent bodies, which help identify and prevent risks of impacts on human rights, health, safety and the environment. Staff training, particularly of managers, is the necessary complement to assist the Subsidiaries in the implementation of the TotalEnergies Action Principles (refer to “Actions to mitigate risks and prevent severe impacts” section).

Procedures for assessing subsidiaries

HSE assessments

Assessment of the implementation of the HSE framework involves self-assessment by the Subsidiary and HSE audits by experts from TotalEnergies’ HSE division.

Subsidiaries must undertake a self-assessment at least every two years.

The Audit and return on experience unit of the HSE division conducts an HSE audit at least every five years, according to an audit protocol. These audits deal with a set of activities and facilities governed by a single HSE management system. They address notably: management involvement, compliance with applicable rules, risk management, individual involvement at every level, relationships with suppliers present on the Subsidiary’s site, skills, preparations for emergency situations, return on experience, self-assessment by the Subsidiary and the continual improvement process. The Company’s HSE audit protocol is based on the One MAESTRO framework and includes the requirements of the international standars ISO 14001:2015 (environmental management) and ISO 45001:2018 (occupational health and safety management). The audit protocol is applied in full during self-assessments and according to a risk-based approach during audits. The goal is to identify potential gaps in the implementation of the rules by the Subsidiaries and to enable them to define and implement improvement actions. The progress of improvement actions is reported to management at the appropriate level in the management chain. The status of actions taken following audit observations beyond a defined severity level is reported to the business segment and HSE divisions every semester.

The HSE division defines the rule and reporting guide and ensures the implementation of the standards for the consolidation of data, provided by the Subsidiaries, related to the Company’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Assessments regarding human rights

The Company appoints a service provider specialized in ethics and human rights assessments to check the proper application in the Subsidiaries of the principles included in the Code of Conduct. These assessments include criteria relating to human rights. As part of the process, a panel of employees and external stakeholders of the Subsidiary is questioned in order to understand how its Activities are perceived locally. The content of the assessment is adapted to each Subsidiary and may address issues such as the involvement of Subsidiary management, employee awareness of the Code of Conduct, employee working conditions, supplier selection procedures, security measures taken or proactive collaboration with local stakeholders. Following the assessment, the Subsidiary defines and implements an action plan, and a monitoring procedure is put in place.

At project level, TotalEnergies conducts human rights impact assessments of the Company’s Activities in sensitive situations (mainly based on criteria linked to the risks to human rights in each particular country) with independent organizations specialized in human rights, or in the prevention and management of conflicts between corporations and local communities. These assessments take account of the salient issues identified by the Company (refer to “Safety, health and the environment” section).

Security, which is identified as a potential salient risk in the map of the risks of impacts on human rights, is subject to risk assessment processes at an entity and project level. The Security division is notably tasked with ensuring the implementation of TotalEnergies’ commitments to enforce the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights (VPSHR), a multi-stakeholder initiative that TotalEnergies joined in 2012, involving governments, companies and associations, that addresses relations with government or private security forces. As part of this process, the Subsidiary undertakes an assessment of risks in relation to both security and human rights. In addition, a VPSHR self-diagnostic tool has been developed to enable Subsidiaries to assess their own implementation of the VPSHR and to identify areas of improvement. This tool measures the Subsidiary’s commitment to VPSHR, personnel training and relations with government security forces and private security companies.

Finally, an annual self-assessment questionnaire enables the Subsidiaries in the One MAESTRO scope to evaluate the degree of deployment of the societal initiative on the ground. Actions involving dialogue, impact management and the contribution to socioeconomic and cultural development are recorded and analyzed.

Procedures for assessing suppliers

With respect to Suppliers, a risk mapping related to procurement, by category of goods and services, was established in 2012 on the basis of questionnaires completed by the managers of each procurement category. This risk mapping is periodically reviewed. Qualification procedures for Suppliers of goods and services have been harmonized at Company level(13). An internal framework was published in 2018. The qualification process includes a review of human rights at work, environment and health and safety. A risk analysis is carried out for each Supplier, followed where deemed necessary by a detailed assessment. The detailed assessment includes questionnaires on each of the aforementioned issues and, if needed, results in an action plan, a technical inspection of the site by employees or an audit of working conditions carried out by a consultant. An IT qualification tool has been in place since 2019 and is being gradually deployed, initially targeting significant entities.

In parallel, TotalEnergies has put in place a Supplier assessment procedure with a view to identifying and preventing risks of severe impacts on human rights and fundamental freedoms, and people’s health and safety. The Company periodically audits Suppliers to assess working conditions during the life of the contract. A targeted annual audit plan is defined every year and includes Suppliers at risk with respect to human rights with the objective of auditing strategic Suppliers as well as Suppliers at risk every three years.

At the Subsidiary level, this qualification process may be complemented by specific verifications of compliance with the VPSHR by a Supplier. When private security companies are used to protect a Subsidiary, preliminary checks are made. They include a review of the recruitment process, technical and professional training (notably on the local context, the use of force and the respect for the rights of individuals), working conditions and the company’s reputation. In addition, the proposed Supplier’s employees are screened for previous conviction or implication in human rights violations.

Where deemed necessary in certain contexts such as palm oil or vetting, dedicated teams may be set up to conduct the qualification process.

The unit put in place in the Company for the selection of suppliers of palm oil seeks to ensure that the palm oil purchased is certified sustainable in accordance with the criteria required by the European Union (ISCC EU certification). These criteria include a review of carbon footprint, the preservation of forests, good use of land and respect for human rights. In addition to this mandatory certification, suppliers must have signed the Fundamental Principles of Purchasing and be members of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). TotalEnergies is committed to ceasing its palm oil supplies in 2023.

The Vetting department of Trading & Shipping defines and applies the selection criteria for the tankers and barges used to transport the Company’s liquid petroleum or chemical and gas products. This review aims notably at ascertaining the proposed Supplier’s technical qualities relative to internationally recognized industry practices, the crews’ experience, and the quality of the shipowners’ technical management. A green light from the Vetting department, granted strictly on the basis of technical data and independently of business considerations, is required for all ships and barges chartered by a Subsidiary, third parties transporting cargo belonging to TotalEnergies, or ships and barges that stop over at a terminal operated by a Subsidiary. Audits of shipowners also allows the Company to assess the quality of the technical management systems implemented by operators, crew selection and training, as well as the support provided to vessels.

TotalEnergies is actively involved in the Ship Inspection Report Program (SIRE), which was set up by the Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF) to allow the sharing of inspection reports amongst international oil and gas companies, thus contributing to the continuous improvement of safety in oil and gas shipping.

Last, since 2012, a large-scale inspection program of road transportation contractors has also been rolled out by Marketing & Services, the segment with the most road transportation within the Company, with the delivery of products to service stations and consumers. This program has been extended to the product transportation activities of the Polymers division of the Refining-Chemicals segment, to the liquid sulfur transportation activities of the Integrated Gas, Renewables & Power segment, and is being progressively extended to the Exploration-Production segment. It calls on independent transportation experts who inspect the practices and processes adopted by transportation contractors with regard to the recruitment and training of drivers, vehicle inspections and maintenance, route management, and the HSE management system. After inspection, an action plan is adopted. If there is a serious shortcoming or repeated poor results, the freight company may be excluded from the list of approved transportation contractors.

(13) Crude oil and petroleum product purchasing by Trading & Shipping, gas and electricity purchasing by the subsidiary TotalEnergies Gas & Power Ltd, and the purchasing made by the subsidiaries Hutchinson, Saft Groupe and SunPower are subject to supplier qualification processes specific to their organizations.

Actions to mitigate risks and prevent severe impacts

Specific actions are taken to mitigate risks and prevent severe impacts, drawing mainly on the Action Principles and assessments described above.

They are also based on return on experience from HSE incidents and include training of TotalEnergies employees, programs to raise the awareness of Suppliers, as well as measures to manage emergency and crisis situations.

With respect to climate, which is a global risk for the planet resulting from all human activities, the Company has structured its approach in order to integrate climate challenges into its strategy and has defined specific objectives within different timeframes, in order to control and reduce the GHG emissions resulting from its Activities (Scope 1+2). These are reported in the “Climate ”section." in the implementation report.

Return on experience

The Company implements a process for the analysis of accidents, irrespective of their nature, with the method used and the level of detail involved depending on the actual or potential level of severity of the event.

A return on experience may include an analysis of the incident including of its severity and result in communication to the relevant stakeholders or a wider population within the Company. The purpose of sharing return on experience is to ensure that Subsidiaries are informed and share lessons learned from the incident.

By way of example, a near-miss with a high severity potential undergoes an analysis similar to that of a severe accident. This analysis is considered an essential factor of progress. Depending on its relevance to the other TotalEnergies entities, it may trigger a safety alert and the communication of a formal return on experience. More generally, the corporate culture encourages formal and informal return on experience on all matters relevant to the Vigilance Plan.

Awareness and training of TotalEnergies employees

The Company has a variety of communication and information channels in place, enabling all employees of TotalEnergies SE and its Subsidiaries to have access to the Action Principles defined by the Company in relation to human rights, health, safety and the environment.

Each employee receives a copy of the Code of Conduct to raise awareness of the Company’s values, including safety and respect for others, which includes respect for human rights. The Code of Conduct is also available on the TotalEnergies website in twenty languages. Every new employee is required to read the Code of Conduct (and must certify to having done so). The TotalEnergies induction day includes an initiation to ethics and human rights and an online training on the challenges of business ethics is also available.

HSE training courses, incorporating on-line educational programs as well as technical training tailored to the various Activities, are offered to all Company employees. Programs dedicated to health, safety and the environment are deployed. They may be general or specific to a type of activity or subject area. By way of illustration, the general training depends on the participant’s level of responsibility and experience in the Company: HSE Leadership for Group Senior Executives, HSE training for managers, and training for new recruits.

These training courses include since 2020 training actions related to climate challenges dedicated to all Company employees. A specific module is dedicated to Company senior executives and managers.

In the Subsidiaries as well as head office, teams regularly engage in crisis management exercises, the scenarios of which are based on potential incidents identified in the risk analysis. Dedicated training (initial and refresher training) also contributes to preparing employees for potential crises including in relation to the various roles played by members of the crisis team (for example crisis team leader, liaison with operations, experts and communicators etc.).

Training programs dedicated to human rights have been set up for senior executives, site directors and employees most exposed to these issues. Awareness-raising sessions are organized regularly for employees, for example as part of ethical assessments of Subsidiaries.

The Human Rights department is developing a training plan for Company employees to encourage understanding of issues relating to human rights and thereby better manage the associated risks. This training plan is rolled out as a priority among employees who are most exposed to human rights risks.

Specific training modules explaining TotalEnergies’ ethical commitments and the Fundamental Principles of Purchasing have also been developed for the Company’s procurement teams.

Every year, the Security division organizes a training session on the VPSHR for security managers in the Subsidiaries. Local visits are also organized to deliver in-person training in the Subsidiaries.

Internal channels of communication, such as intranet websites accessible to most employees, are also used to raise employee awareness of matters pertaining to human rights. Dedicated web pages on ethics and the respect for human rights present the priority areas identified by TotalEnergies. These web pages have several goals: to explain the Action Principles, present how TotalEnergies implements these principles and to help employees adopt the ethical conduct expected of them in their everyday work.

Events such as the annual Business Ethics Day are used to raise awareness among employees of TotalEnergies SE and its Subsidiaries.

A Guide to Human Rights is also made available to employees and stakeholders. Its goal is to raise TotalEnergies employees’ awareness on issues relating to human rights in its industry (at work, with local communities and in relation to security) and it provides guidance as to the appropriate behavior to adopt in their activities and relationships with stakeholders. It includes case studies, specifically on Myanmar, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This guide serves as a reminder of the Company’s commitments in relation to human rights. It offers proposed answers to common questions and concerns about human rights, notably child labor, forced labor, discriminatory practices and collective negotiations.

The Practical guide to dealing with religious questions, published in 2017, aims to provide practical solutions to issues raised by Company employees and managers worldwide. It draws on the experiences of the business segments in various countries and encourages dialogue, respect and listening as a way to find solutions suited to the local context. Many internal and external experts contributed to this document, including representatives of various religious communities. This guide has been translated into ten languages. It is available on the intranet and is also distributed at training courses.

The HSE Division organizes the Company’s World Safety Day and World Environment Day in order to bring teams on board and raise their awareness of ways of implementing the Action Principles. Various HSE guides exist within the One MAESTRO reference framework to share HSE best practices with the Company’s Subsidiaries. In addition, periodic HSE communications are published throughout the year (seminars, webinars, symposia, intranet). Safety culture is reinforced on a day-to-day basis by the Company’s employees through safety moments at the beginning of meetings or before hazardous operations, consisting of a short discussion to reiterate the key safety messages and align participants with mutual commitments. A similar approach is being deployed to introduce sustainability moments.

Awareness and training of Suppliers

The Fundamental principles of purchasing constitute a contractual commitment by Suppliers and are also a means to raise awareness among Suppliers, notably on HSE and human rights issues. They are communicated to Suppliers at the time of their integration in the Supplier database. A brochure explaining these principles in detail is also handed out to Suppliers at annual meetings or events such as Suppliers Day. The Fundamental Principles of Purchasing are also available on the TotalEnergies website.

Training actions are also carried out for Suppliers, for example training on responsible security and the VPSHR delivered to employees of security service providers. Contracts with these service providers mention compliance with the VPSHR and the need to train their personnel about the VPSHR. Additionally, the Security division may deliver this training directly to security service providers.

Suppliers working on Subsidiary sites are made aware of the risks to health, safety and the environment of the activities of the site. They receive support in the management of risks related to their activities, those of the site and any potential interactions, such as in the work permit process or during site safety inspections.

Responses to emergency or crisis situations

Crisis management is organized to ensure sufficient preparedness and an efficient response to a crisis or emergency event.

In order to manage any major industrial accident efficiently, TotalEnergies has implemented a global crisis management system, based notably on a 24/7 on-call system, a set of unified procedures deployed in the Subsidiaries and on a dedicated crisis management center that makes it possible to manage two simultaneous crises from head office. The framework requires Subsidiaries to have in place plans and procedures for interventions in the event of leaks, fires or explosions and to test them at regular intervals.

Whistle-blowing mechanisms

TotalEnergies has several whistle-blowing mechanisms that are open to employees, Suppliers and third parties.

To support employees on a day-to-day basis, the Company encourages a climate of dialogue and trust enabling individuals to express their opinions and concerns. Employees can turn to their line manager, an HR or other manager, their Compliance Officer or their Ethics Officer.

The Company’s employees, Suppliers, as well as any other stakeholder can contact the Ethics Committee to ask questions or report any incident involving a risk of non-compliance with the Code of Conduct by using a generic email address ([email protected]). This system was set up in 2008, in cooperation with TotalEnergies trade unions organizations on a European level. The Ethics Committee is a central structure, in which all business segments of TotalEnergies are represented. All its members are TotalEnergies employees with a good knowledge of its Activities and have demonstrated the independence and impartiality necessary for the performance of their duties. The Ethics Committee assures compliance with the Code of Conduct and ensures its proper implementation. It is assisted in its work by the relevant departments, as well as by a network of local Ethics Officers. The Chairperson of the Ethics Commitee, who reports to the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of TotalEnergies SE, submits an annual Ethics report to the Governance and Ethics Committee of the Board of Directors. The members of the Ethics Committee are subject to a confidentiality obligation. The Committee ensures the confidentiality of the complaints, which can only be lifted with the agreement of the complainant. The system is supplemented by specific whistle-blowing mechanisms implemented at certain Subsidiaries.

Suppliers can also contact the internal supplier mediator using a generic email address ([email protected]). Available to Suppliers and procurement teams, the mediator’s role is to restore dialogue and help find solutions.

Based on the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business & Human Rights, the One MAESTRO framework requires TotalEnergies’ operational entities to deploy procedures to manage stakeholder grievances related to the Subsidiary’s activities (excluding business claims). This provides residents and local communities with a preferential channel to voice their concerns and grievances. Handling these grievances locally makes it possible to offer a response to anyone who feels that they have been negatively affected by the Activities and to improve internal processes in order to reduce impacts that may be caused by the Activities. Managing grievances consists of: informing the stakeholders of this free process; receiving and registering grievances; acknowledging receipt of the grievances and informing the stakeholders about the follow-up actions; if necessary, proposing a means of settling the grievances in collaboration with the stakeholders and monitoring the handling of the grievance. This process is regularly analyzed to see where improvements can be made.

These mechanisms can also be used to implement the VPSHR. In addition, in the event of an incident, a reporting process requires the Security division to be

informed and an internal analysis to be performed to establish the facts, resulting in a final report. This allows the Subsidiary to re-assess its VPSHR process and to take measures to reduce the risk of incidents.

Monitoring procedures

Multi-disciplinary committees review the implementation of measures within their purview. Indicators are used to measure the effectiveness of the measures, progress made and to identify ways of improvement.

Committees

The Ethics Committee is particularly involved in monitoring compliance with the Code of Conduct and can be called upon for advice on its implementation.

The Human Rights Steering Committee is made up of representatives from different divisions (including security, procurement and societal) and business segments. It is chaired by the head of TotalEnergies’ Sustainability & Climate division. It meets four times a year to coordinate the actions on human rights taken by the business segments and the Subsidiaries, as part of the implementation of the human rights road map submitted to the Executive Committee. All Country Chairs contribute to this monitoring process, notably by acting as the local point of contact for the Security division with respect to compliance with the VPSHR.

Representatives of the Management Committee of TotalEnergies Global Procurement and of the Sustainability & Climate, HSE and Legal divisions as well as of the Ethics Committee meet at least once a year within the Sustainable Procurement Committee, which monitors the effective implementation of the Responsible Procurement road map.

The HSE division has set up cross-functional committees of experts, including in the fields of safety, the environment and crisis management, and monitors the ongoing coordination of HSE issues.

Reporting

The system of internal reporting and indicators for monitoring implementation of the actions undertaken in TotalEnergies in these areas is based on:

  • for social indicators (including health in particular), a guide entitled the Corporate Social Reporting Protocol and Methodology;
  • for safety indicators, a Company rule regarding HSE event and statistical reporting; a return on experience analysis process identifies, notably, events for which a formalized analysis report is required in order to draw lessons in terms of design and operation; and
  • for environmental indicators, a Company reporting procedure, together with activity-specific instructions.

Consolidated objectives are defined for each key indicator and reviewed annually. The business segments apply these indicators as appropriate to their area of responsibility, analyze the results and set out a plan of action.

Implementation report (14)

Consult the document

(14) In accordance with Article L.225-102-4 of the French Commercial Code, the report on the effective implementation of the Vigilance Plan is presented below. Since the identification of risks and the prevention of severe impacts on human rights, human health and safety and the environment overlap partially with certain risks covered in the non-financial performance statement (refer to chapter 5), TotalEnergies has chosen to report below on the implementation of its Vigilance Plan by incorporating certain aspects of its non-financial performance statement although the latter includes risks of varying degrees.