FAQ on Nexans Low Carbon program

It is a strategic initiative designed to drive the continuous improvement of Nexans’ products and services environmental performance, by ensuring full transparency of environmental data. This global program applies to all Nexans products for which a Life Cycle Assessment has been carried out / to all products with a Life Cycle Assessment. The program is built on three pillars 

• Ensuring transparent and reliable environmental data;
• Driving continuous improvement in the environmental performance of our offerings;
• Providing customers with long-term guidance and support in their decision-making

Nexans ensures transparency regarding its products' environmental information through

• PEP declarations: at Nexans, each product LCA is published in the form of Product Environmental Profile (PEP) declarations or Environmental Product Declaration (EPD’s) verified by a third-party controller. This rigorous framework provides our customers with a solid foundation on which our customer can confidently set their own low-carbon strategy
• Low-carbon data display:  to make it easier and more understandable, Nexans decided to display a clear and simple summary of the environmental information coming from the products LCA  relying on solid and comprehensive indicators – which is called Low Carbon Display

All Nexans products are eligible for the program and provide the corresponding environmental information display provided their Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) results have been documented in a Product Environmental Profile (PEP) or Design Environmental Profile (DEP) verified by a third party

The Low Carbon program aims to establish an ambitious framework for the continuous improvement of the environmental performance of Nexans products. In order to ensure reliable and accurate information, this approach relies on the selection of the most relevant environmental information indicators that correspond to the levers Nexans can control – the ones listed in cradle-to-gate stages (from raw material sourcing to cable manufacturing)  

1- Global carbon footprint (CO₂): amount of greenhouse gases (in CO₂ equivalents) emitted to produce 1 km of cable (cradle-to-gate).

2- Improvement indicators: Low-carbon levers applied to the product: recycled conductor metal rate (copper or aluminum), recycled plastic rate in the sheath or the insulation , metal source (low-carbon energy mix).

3- Additional information: depending on the product line, production site, or other specific commitments.

The Low Carbon program is much more than a basic requirement for transparency: it serves as a strategic driver for both performance and compliance  across the entire value chain. It helps address the challenges of all stakeholders involved buyers, distributors, and installers, such as managing indirect emissions (Scope 3), anticipating regulatory changes, and reinforcing trust of their own customers and partners, in line with their own sustainable development goals.

To improve its products environmental footprint, Nexans leverages on the most impactful “cradle-to-gate” criteria

1- Integration of recycled materials: metal conductors generally account for 70% to 90% of a cable’s total cradle-to-gate carbon footprint. Incorporating recycled copper or aluminum dramatically improves cradle-to-gate performance. Despite the constraints related to recycled materials availability and high purity requirements  Nexans has successfully implemented this process on several product lines.

2- Sourcing low-carbon-footprint aluminum: using aluminum stemming from production processes powered by a decarbonized energy mix (nuclear, hydroelectricity, etc.).

Products with the best environmental performance can be identified easily thanks to the use of the “Low Carbon” cloud sign. Such products are part of Nexans “Low Carbon” range, and present an optimized environmental footprint that was achieved through one or more of the following :

• A minimum of 10% recycled copper or aluminum

or

• 100% sourcing of “low-carbon footprint” aluminum*

* Aluminum with an environmental footprint equal to or less than 7.3 tCO2 eq/t of aluminum, representing a 15% reduction compared to the European average (8.6 tCO2 eq/t of aluminum) - [Source: European Aluminium Association – February 2018 – Environmental Profile Report].

The environmental footprint refers to the impact of a cable on the environment throughout its entire life cycle. Its assessment is based on the product’s Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), a standardized evaluation method based on multiple criteria at multiple stages thereofre allowing for the cable environmental assessment across its entire life cycle. The environmental footprint is determined at every stage of the life cycle: from raw material sourcing to manufacturing, from installation to end-of-life. The Low Carbon Program has been designed as an accelerator for low-carbon innovation and a guarantee of transparency with regards Nexans products environmental data.

The “Life Cycle Assessment (LCA),” allowing to evaluate the environmental footprint relies on a multiple criteria measured at every stage of a product life cycle: Raw Material Sourcing, Manufacturing, Transportation, Use, and End-of-Life. This environmental assessment takes into account over thirty different criteria , such as eutrophication, soil and water acidification, ozone layer depletion, resource depletion, and the impact on climate change. The carbon footprint is currently the most fundamental and internationally harmonized indicator. It enables clear comparisons and serves as a key driver for action. Nexans Low Carbon Program was precisely meant for that, and aims at helping reducing the company’s own emissions.

Carbon (GWP for climate change) serves as the basis for Nexans Low Carbon display, being currently the most influential and harmonized metric at global level. It enables clear comparisons and serves as a key driver for action.

At Nexans, every LCA result published in the form of a Product Environmental Profile (PEP) or Product Environmental Declaration (DEP) is verified by an external certified body – allowing for a solid and trustworthy framework our customers can rely on to define their own low-carbon strategy.

An EPD (Environmental Product Declaration) is an environmental declaration presenting in a standardized format a product environmental impact throughout its life cycle. The EPD is an international format (ISO 14025 standard) used across various industrial sectors to communicate objective, verified, and comparable data on a product’s environmental footprint.

The PEP (Product Environmental Profile), on the other hand, is a specific EPD format for the electrical, electronics, and HVAC sectors; it follows the PEP Ecopassport® program therefore ensuringconsistent and recognized methodology, particularly in the building sector.

EPDs, including PEPs, are based on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and are used to inform customers, support regulatory requirements , and provide data allowing for the carbon footprint calculation of buildings, equipment, or infrastructure.

→ PEP (Product Environmental Profile):

An environmental declaration specific to electrical and electronic equipment, based on an LCA and verified by a third party (Bureau Veritas and PEP Ecopassport in our case)

→ EPD (Environmental Product Declaration):

A standardized environmental declaration, based on an LCA, allowing for the comparison  of environmental impacts using the same criteria.

70% of Nexans’ 2025 sales in Europe and North America have PEP declarations verified by independent third parties.

To ensure accurate and reliable information Nexans focuses on the cradle-to-gate stages, that correspond to life cycle stages ranging from raw material sourcing to cable manufacturing – which are the stages Nexans can best control.

A low-carbon energy mix refers to electricity generated from sources with low CO₂ emissions (nuclear, hydroelectric, and renewables). Relying on such mix to manufacture our products or raw materials contributes to optimize their carbon footprint.

As part of the Group’s global decarbonization strategy, Nexans aims to incorporate 25% recycled copper into its cables by 2028. In this context, 90 millions euros were invested to optimize the continuous casting facility in Lens, in order to incorporate more recycled copper to the wire rod produced by the plant.

Circular eonomy is at the heart of our industrial strategy. With more than a decade of commitment to circularity and relying on our successful long-standing recycling service in France Cableloop we decided to move one step further and start investigating in the reuse of electrical cables.

Our ambition is to establish a framework in order to ensure the safety of this practice and above all foster a reliable and responsible supply chain for the construction sector. Working alongside leading organizations such as ADEME and Valobat, this initiative is embedded within a strict and controlled framework. This approach will benefit the entire value chain from the secure supply of raw materials, through the reduction of production carbon footprint, to the long-term support provided to our customers’ environmental goals.

The Digital Product Passport (DPP) is a European regulatory initiative aimed at providing a secure digital identity record for each product. Depending on the sector, it may contain key information covering the product’s entire lifecycle, from its physical origin (raw materials, manufacturing processes) to data on transportation, certifications, and maintenance.

This system facilitates the collection, tracking, and sharing of essential information, thereby contributing to more transparent, sustainable, and efficient management of the product lifecycle. It also facilitates the assessment of environmental impact and the transition to a circular economy.

• Facilitate the circular economy: by sharing essential data, the DPP provides information to consumers on product repair, reuse, and recycling.
• Promote transparency: greater visibility into the supply chain helps reduce waste, improve efficiency, and encourage responsible practices.
• Ensure product compliance with local regulations and facilitate border controls.
• Meet new regulatory requirements: the DPP helps anticipate the obligations of the Ecodesign of Products Regulation (ESPR), which will become mandatory starting in 2027 for batteries, toys, textiles, steel, and aluminum, followed by construction products.

The ESPR (Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation) is the new European regulation that requires companies to meet stricter sustainability requirements, ensure the recyclability of their products, and guarantee enhanced traceability throughout their products’ lifecycle.

This regulation will come into effect in 2027.

Applications associated with the DPP are rapidly expanding; for example, product traceability and the provision of documents (user manuals, installation guides, technical data sheets) are ultimately intended to enable any manufacturer to ensure consumers access to any product information, from a single location and well ahead of any product purchase. This can provide companies with a major competitive edge by creating a unique customer experience especially for products that must comply with strict regulations and requirements – providing a key differentiation factor for companies.