Congratulations to the Section Paloise, the very first rugby club to obtain its second "green star"!

• TotalEnergies, the major partner of the Section Paloise Béarn Pyrénées, supports its sustainable development approach.
• The Section Paloise was the first club in the French Top 14 league to obtain the "Fair Play for Planet" label, the aim of which is to certify the club’s environmental commitment.
• On March 21, 2023, the Section obtained the second star of the label following an audit by experts.

TotalEnergies, the major partner of the Section Paloise, supports the territory’s flagship club in one of its priority objectives – to make Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) one of the pillars of the structure’s governance. The rugby club, already certified a "Player" by Fair Play For Planet (FPFP), which developed the first eco-friendly label for clubs, was rewarded for its continued efforts by obtaining another star, the second certification level of the label. Designed for sporting clubs, sites and events, the label was created in 2020 by the former professional rugby player Julien PIERRE, in partnership with the ADEME (the French agency for ecological transition).

The FPFP process is based on a global approach to fight climate change and it enables sporting organizations to take care of people and the environment while improving their economic development models. Several years ago now, the Section adopted an eco-friendly policy, focusing on the themes of energy efficiency, the circular economy, biodiversity and water management. The "Fair Play For Planet" approach is centered on proactive, effective and measurable actions that are beneficial for the planet. Some of the Section’s actions include the replica rugby shirts for supporters made from recyclable materials, the monitoring of biological indicators, the promotion of local know-how, and more.

According to Michel Parneix, the club CSR manager, the project of the “greenest” shirt carried through to completion with the kit supplier Macon and the support of TotalEnergies, was an important step in the club’s commitment. "After being the first club in the Top 14 league to offer eco-friendly replica shirts for supporters, we then started producing eco-fabric match shirts. They are made from 100% recycled polyester obtained from PET, certified by the Global Recycle Standard. This kick-started and catalyzed the actions already under way to obtain our second star from the FPFP," he explains.

In March 2023, the audit carried out by the "Fair Play for Planet" experts proved that the Section Paloise achieved a score of 66% in the three key areas focused on the environment, environmental performance, and the societal role.

There are several aspects to the major partner’s role: the brand’s visibility of course, but also the work involved in shared projects such as sustainable development, training for young people, territorial integration, and so on. "This sponsorship is one of the most significant for our Company in France, even worldwide. Rugby conveys values of commitment and solidarity, which are all-important in our Company. And if we’ve been a stalwart sponsor since 1986, it’s also because this partnership has constantly evolved, from a name on the team’s shirt to strong support as the major partner," declares Thierry Renard, Head of the TotalEnergies Site in Pau. "And with our employees fully committed to the energy transition of our multi-energy Company, we’re very proud to have passed this new milestone," he adds.

The Pau club is now "Certified engaged" and it now needs to take the next step to reach the last level "Certified Confirmed". Because teamwork makes us stronger, TotalEnergies and the Section Paloise have set themselves the goal of obtaining the third "green star". 

Find out more here about the first "green star".