ACT for a sustainable future

Paris, March 23, 2021

Dear Shareholders,

Air Liquide has just announced ambitious sustainability objectives which I would like to tell you about, as they represent a very important stage of your Group’s history.

We know that we all – States, Companies and Citizens – share a collective responsibility in building the future. Based on this conviction, we have put both the objectives of economic performance and sustainable development at the heart of our growth strategy.

Our business model, which is both diversified and highly resilient, coupled with the expertise and commitment of our teams, allows us to deliver steady results each year while making a firm commitment to the future. We are therefore in a position to respond to the urgency of climate change and the energy transition and support evolutions in society.

In this spirit, we are announcing today a series of commitments to ACT in three areas:

Abatement of CO₂ emissions leading to a low-carbon society 

• by reducing our own CO₂ emissions by 33% by 2035 – compared to 2020 – with the aim to reach carbon neutrality by 2050, and offering our industrial customers a wide range of solutions to reduce theirs,
• by accelerating the development of hydrogen which we know will play a key role in the energy transition. We will invest approximately 8 billion euros by 2035 in the low-carbon hydrogen supply chain, in order to multiply by at least 3 our hydrogen revenue by 2035.

 Care for patients

• by improving the quality of life of chronic patients at home, mainly thanks to digital solutions and new personalized care plans,
• but also, at the same time, by facilitating access to medical oxygen for rural communities in low- and middle-income countries.

Trust as the base to build upon with all our stakeholders

• by creating a positive and inclusive work environment for our employees. This aspect takes into account safety, diversity and care coverage, as well as the will to encourage employee engagement in local sustainable development initiatives in line with the Group’s priorities,
• and by continuously building best-in-class governance, in our relationship with our stakeholders (shareholders, customers or suppliers) and in the way the Group’s corporate bodies operate.

These commitments are set out in detail on this page, which is available to you. They represent a key moment for your Group, on which I will have the opportunity to elaborate during your General Meeting on May 4, 2021.

Dear Shareholders, be assured that your Group is fully committed to continuing to invent and build the future.

Thank you for your trust and loyalty.

Benoît Potier
Chairman and CEO of Air Liquide