Rexel Group Press Book - Rexel UK

Rexel
A World of Energy
2013 Press Kit

Rexel
A COMPANY ON THE MOVE
p.3
A forward-looking plan
ENERGY IN MOTION,
AMBITIOUS OBJECTIVES FOR 2015
Profitable growth
Active resources management
Culture of cooperation
Excellence in operations
p.5
A partner of choice
EXPERTISE AND EXCELLENCE TO
CREATE VALUE FOR CUSTOMERS
Supporting all projects, everywhere in the world
Ensuring optimal accessibility through a multi-channel approach
Innovating and customizing to achieve supply chain excellence
Joining forces with suppliers
p.7
Customized product packages and solutions
ANTICIPATION AND INNOVATION
TO DEVELOP THE SOLUTIONS OF TOMORROW
Customized technical responses to the changing energy landscape
Tailored solutions for each market
p.12
A responsible, long-term commitment
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
TO SUPPORT GROWTH
Becoming a benchmark employer by making the difference
Optimizing energy performance to lead by example
The Rexel Foundation for a better energy future
p.16

Rexel
A company on the Move
A global leader in the professional distribution of products and services for the energy world,
Rexel plays a pivotal role in providing energy efficiency in the built environment (across
residential, commercial and industrial buildings). Rexel provides the link between all the major
stakeholders in the sector, from the utility companies and manufacturers to electrical
contractors and, installers and the final consumer. Rexel supports hundreds of thousands of
business customers in 37 countries, helping them to create value with solutions that enhance
productivity and comfort.
Over the past few years, Rexel has enhanced its operating excellence, doubled in size and
strengthened its performance.
A company that delivers results
With sales of €13.4 billion, EBITA of €767 million and net income of €319 million in 2012,
Rexel has developed its positions in mature markets while continuing to expand in high
growth markets.
A company with clear ambitions
In 2012, Rexel presented Energy in Motion, its new forwardlooking company plan. This
customer centric roadmap sets objectives for 2015 and clearly expresses Rexel’s ambition to
expand its leadership and enhance its local presence with strategic partners.
The company is activating four strategic levers to accelerate its development:
Profitable growth, both organically and through acquisitions.
Active resource management.
A culture of cooperation.
Excellence in operations.
Sales by region (in %)
KEY FACTS &
FIGURES
10 2
32
Europe
Asia-Pacific
56
North America
Latin America
Sales of €13.4 billion
31,000 employees
2,300 sales outlets
Operations in 37 countries
Estimated global market share
close to 8%
40 banners
140 supply chain distribution
structures
33%-owned by an investment fund
consortium comprising Clayton
Dubilier & Rice, Eurazeo and Bank
of America Merrill Lynch Capital
Partners.
3

A provider of customized solutions
Rexel serves three main markets:
Residential, with solutions to enhance energy
efficiency, comfort, safety, home automation and
more.
Industrial, with expertise around the world to equip
facilities and optimize their energy performance.
Commercial, with solutions for shopping centers,
sports facilities, hospitals, airports and other
buildings. Rexel supplies the general and
specialized contractors who equip these diverse
customers, who are often focused on improving
energy efficiency.
A partner of choice
58% of Rexel’s 31,000 employees are in direct
contact with professional customers through the
company’s 2,300 sales outlets in 37 countries.
These customers include:
Electricians
Service companies
Manufacturers
Retailers and DIY superstores
A partner of choice for contractors, key accounts
and manufacturers, Rexel has the unique ability to
provide the same level of quality and attention to
all customers, from local electricians to major
contractors, to large industrial firms.
Strong partnerships with
SUPPLIERS
Proximity to our
CUSTOMERS
A WIDE RANGE OF PRODUCTS
ENERGY
PROVIDERS
Lighting
Home
Automation
Industrial
equipment
Smart
products
SUPPLIERS
Climate
control
Security and
communication
Cables
Renewables
Comprehensive SUPPLY CHAIN
Offering (one-stop shop)
ADVICE
SERVICES
(energy audits)
BALANCED END-MARKETS– 37 COUNTRIES
LARGE
INSTALLERS
AND
ELECTRICAL
CONTRACTORS
RESIDENTIAL
Social and
private housing
COMMERCIAL
Offices, airports
and hospitals
INDUSTRY
Automotive,
oil&gas and
mining
4

Energy in Motion,
Ambitious Objectives for 2015
With growth as its key focus, Rexel develops its strategy on the basis of an ambitious
company plan called Energy in Motion. This chapter in Rexel’s success story includes four
strategic priorities that will create value for all stakeholders.
1. Profitable growth
Objective accelerate profitable growth by:
Promoting organic growth in three core areas:
- High potential business categories related to energy efficiency.
- Key accounts and international projects.
- Vertical markets, notably oil & gas and mining.
Together, these three areas are expected to achieve double-digit average annual growth, generate
more than €1 billion in additional sales between 2011 and 2015, and account for 20% of total sales
in 2015.
Devoting around €500 million a year between 2012 and 2015 to an active acquisitions policy
designed to:
- Win new market share and generate synergy in key mature markets.
- Strengthen Rexel’s presence in high growth markets.
- Broaden the company’s portfolio of value-added services and presence in key vertical markets.
2. Active resource management
Objective optimize the use of assets and allocation of resources to increase return on
investment by:
Unleashing team members’ potential, notably by developing specific skills, with experts specialized
in business development, marketing and key account management and dedicated technicalcommercial
teams.
Improving asset productivity by carefully managing commercial assets, enhancing the organization
and allocating more resources to the three levers of organic growth.
Capitalizing on the value of the Rexel brand.
Using the organization's knowledge and understanding of customer needs to develop competitive
service offerings.
The following values guide the way Rexel acts and interacts with
stakeholders:
Deliver the best customer experience.
Join forces for success.
Encourage to innovate.
Engage people to develop their talents.
Trust each other.
Enjoy making a difference.
5

3. Culture of cooperation
Objective leverage capabilities and synergies across the Group and foster value-creating
partnerships with key suppliers and customers by:
Encouraging teamwork.
Developing quality relationships with customers.
Managing strategic partnerships with key suppliers.
Keeping commitments to shareholders.
4. Excellence in operations
Objective enhance productivity and service levels to drive commercial effectiveness and
supply chain performance.
To achieve this objective, Rexel is rolling out an improved performance platform covering all
aspects from supply chain optimization to e-commerce, which is expected to account for at
least 15% of sales by 2015.
REXEL’S MISSION
Rexel’s mission is to support customers around the globe,
wherever they are, to create value and help them run their
businesses better by providing a broad range of sustainable and
innovative products and services for automation, technical
supply and energy management.
FINANCIAL TARGETS FOR 2015
Organic growth (excluding the impact of copper) between 2011 and 2015 should
outperform the weighted average GDP growth of the regions in which the Group
operates by around two percentage points, thanks to a stepped-up demand for energy
efficiency and the deployment of the Energy in Motion plan.
Acquisitions should contribute between 3% and 5% of additional annual sales on
average between 2011 and 2015.
In 2015, adjusted EBITA margin should be above 6.5%
Free cash flow after interest and tax should exceed €500 million in 2015.
6

Expertise and Excellence to Create
Value for Customers
Rexel owes its market leadership to its ability to offer the very best customer experience. A
global company and local partner, Rexel knows how to develop high value-added solutions
for all of its customers.
Everyone at Rexel is committed to continuously improving customer service and to:
Supporting all projects, everywhere in the world.
Ensuring optimal accessibility through a multi-channel approach.
Innovating and customizing to achieve supply chain excellence.
Joining forces with supplier partners to achieve success.
Rexel’s unique business model and innovative methods make the difference.
Local electricians and large global contractors alike find the right level of
service at Rexel thanks to our local branch sales teams and international
project managers. Our goal is to respond to our customers’ precise needs
and support them with our innovative services.
Pascal Martin, Group Senior Vice President, Corporate Strategy, Business Portfolio
“Management and New Business Development
”
1. Supporting all projects, everywhere in the world
Thanks to its wide-reaching, interconnected network, Rexel can provide the same level of
attention and quality of service to all of its customers. This can mean advising and supplying a
multi-national retail chain that wants to save energy and renovate the lighting in its sales
outlets, delivering a specific solution to an electrician within 24 hours at one of Rexel’s 2,300
branches, supporting the deployment of a windfarm project in Canada or supplying electrical
equipment to a mine in Chile at an altitude of 3,200 meters.
“ ”
We listen closely to our customers to constantly improve our service and
identify the best solutions to help them create value.
Jérémy de Brabant, Senior Vice President Customer Development
7

Multi-local presence
With operations in 37 countries, Rexel is developing its network and local presence through
an active strategy of acquisitions. This growth drive is allowing Rexel to expand or enhance
its presence in strategic regions and provide even more comprehensive service to
international customers.
The company has made numerous acquisitions in Brazil, India and China since 2011 while
continuing to intensify its presence in mature markets. In May 2012 for example, Rexel
acquired Platt Electric Supply, a leading independent electrical equipment wholesaler in the
western United States.
In all, a total of 23 companies were acquired between 2010 and 2012, eleven of them in highgrowth
countries and ten in mature markets. Together, they should lift annual sales by 3% to
5% on average between 2011 and 2015.
A key partner for exceptional projects
In addition to its network and sales outlets, Rexel has developed two levels of support for
international projects, the first focuses on megaprojects and international contracts (Rexel
International Projects Group, or IPG) and the second on key accounts (International Key
Accounts, or IKA).
Through Rexel IPG, created in 2009, Rexel is positioned as a key partner for large
contractors on international projects. IPG supports the deployment of large projects in all
locations with its strategic capabilities, which include upstream advice on specifications, and
operational expertise (supply, storage and on-site teams to coordinate the project). Rexel
works on megaprojects with major international construction and engineering firms such as
Bechtel, Fluor, Technip and Shaw.
A strategic partner for international customers
Rexel offers end-to-end support through Rexel IKA for key accounts that need products and
services for their projects and operations. The company leverages its network of local
banners and sets up customized organizations wherever necessary for its customers, be they
large contractors, manufacturers or equipment makers.
€1 billion
Additional sales expected from high-growth markets between 2011 and 2015.
These countries should account for more than 10% of total sales in 2015.
€880 million
Forecast sales through Rexel IPG and Rexel IKA in 2015.
8

In 2011, Rexel IPG was awarded the contract to
supply Pascua Lama, one of the largest gold
mine projects in Latin America. On site, Rexel
team members handle purchasing, logistics and
electrical equipment coordination with the
service providers.
The Pascua Lama mines where Rexel is
supplying the worksite of one of Latin
America's largest gold mines.
2. Ensuring optimal accessibility through a multi-channel
approach
For many years, Rexel has operated through a variety of strategically related sales channels,
including branches, call centers, e-commerce platforms and mobile applications. By
continuously anticipating customers' new sourcing habits and developing innovative channels,
Rexel ensures maximum availability and accessibility for customers and makes the most of its
suppliers' offerings. In short, everyone wins.
Deployment of a global web platform
In 2012, Rexel decided to converge the online purchasing systems of nine of its banners
worldwide in a single web platform. The move produced tangible results, with an 8% increase
in 2012 sales. At the same time, Rexel launched banner specific online stores accessible by
smartphones in a number of countries, including France, Canada, Austria and Belgium.
Creation of dedicated competence centers
For specific needs, Rexel also uses dedicated competence centers in its commercial
relationship with customers, notably in Germany.
Implementation of electronic data interchange (EDI) systems
These systems, used for key accounts, make it possible for Rexel’s information systems to
exchange data easily with customer systems, eliminating the need to send documents and
input data. The numerous advantages include just-in-time inventory management, reliability,
security and prevention of cost overruns.
Rexel, Michelin’s exclusive electrical equipment supplier
In 2011, Michelin selected Rexel as its exclusive electrical equipment supplier. With more
than 90 sites to be supplied in eight countries, Michelin is currently one of Rexel's largest
customers. To serve this account efficiently and optimize the supply process, a large-scale
logistics system has been deployed for end-to-end management, from order booking (using
online catalogues via e-commerce sites) to delivery (with order tracking and key performance
indicators).
9

40 online stores
Rexel had 40 online stores in 2011,
including three new sites in Spain, Italy
and the UK and eight revamped sites in
Canada, the Netherlands, Sweden and
Austria.
28%
Percentage of sales generated online in
Austria in 2012, up 40% from 2011.
“
We are committed to offering the
best possible customer experience,
whether in-store, on the phone or
over the Internet. We want to deliver
the same level of customer
satisfaction no matter what the
interface.
Peter Hakanson,
Group Senior Vice President,
Operations
”
3. Innovating and customizing to achieve supply chain
excellence
With 2,300 sales outlets, customers located around the world and an average 45,000 SKUs
(of which 35,000 available for next-day delivery), Rexel has not just one, but several supply
chain organizations and solutions. The company’s pride and strength is its ability to serve all
customers in all locations worldwide, with the same level of quality. Thanks to three
innovative, modular solutions and its supply chain excellence, Rexel is able to guarantee
product availability and create value for customers.
A supply chain that adapts to different regions and types of customers
Rexel has deployed a supply architecture suited to the specific characteristics of its markets
by leveraging a tested system based on achieving the right distance between customer and
supplier locations worldwide.
In order to be close enough to customers to serve them quickly, Rexel has determined that a
distribution center should be able to cover requests within a 350km radius.
The company has organized its supply chain with different configurations to reflect its diverse
customer base, which ranges from large and small contractors to manufacturers needing
maintenance for their operations, and to ensure optimal inventory management. This system
includes, on the one hand, national or local logistics hubs (or large branches serving as
logistics hubs) that receive items from suppliers and serve both customers and local
branches, and, on the other, stand-alone branches that take deliveries from suppliers directly
and respond to customer needs.
Rexel has the ability to devise dedicated solutions for large projects by setting up temporary
supply chain facilities on site.
Innovative services for customers of all sizes
Electricians and small contractors can drop by a branch early in the morning to pick up orders
placed the day before.
Large contractors can have their orders delivered to a branch or directly to a worksite.
Manufacturers and commercial firms can be supplied on a regular basis to cover ongoing
maintenance and repair needs.
10

50,000 SKUs 140 supply chain
Number of SKUs available on
distribution structures (of which 9 in France) and
average for next-day delivery thanks
2,300 branches
to Rexel’s supply chain excellence
in
and quality logistics services.
37 countries
“ ”
By making agility its supply chain priority, Rexel optimizes flows among its 140
supply chain distribution structures (nine of which are in France) and 2,300
branches in 37 countries.
Xavier Derycke, Group Supply Chain Director
4. Joining forces with suppliers
Backed by a powerful culture of cooperation, Rexel has always forged strong partnerships
with the different players in its industry. Working as a team in a spirit of mutually beneficial
cooperation is the key to shared success.
Building preferred supplier relationships
With a purchasing volume of €10.7 billion in 2012, Rexel has built its supplier relations around
a small number of strategic suppliers, chosen for their global reach or for their impressive
development potential. Active management of the supplier portfolio at the Group level has
gradually concentrated purchasing. In 2012, Rexel made more than 50% of its purchases
from 25 key suppliers.
Using performance indicators to continuously improve service
To measure and continuously improve service quality, Rexel has initiated a performance
indicator-based Service Level Agreement (SLA) program defined jointly with suppliers. The
SLA covers such aspects as delivery rates, information technology, deadlines, out-of-stock
rates, inventories and complaints. Joint improvement plans are deployed to address any
changes in these indicators, with a focus on electronic data interchange (EDI), order
placement and delivery processes and other key metrics. Participants in the program, which
was launched in four countries and extended to the UK, Belgium and Finland in 2012, include
Schneider Electric, Philips, Osram, Eaton and Hager.
Sharing innovations to move forward together
Given its daily contact with partners, Rexel also plays a major role in influencing changes in
supplier portfolios and technologies, and in encouraging customers to embrace them. Rexel
offers its customers training to help them obtain the most out of the products and solutions it
distributes.
“ ”
Supplier relations are central to Rexel’s business, to achieve the right
alignment between supply and demand and to enlarge both their and our
presence in promising geographic markets and market segments.
Gonzalo Errejon, Director of Marketing & Supplier Relationship Development
11

Anticipation and Innovation
to Develop the Solutions of Tomorrow
With its Energy in Motion company plan, Rexel has clearly defined its strategic
priorities. By anticipating economic and social trends, Rexel has developed with a
focus on innovation and durability. Two guiding principles reflect the ambitions of the
company: 1) innovate by offering forward-looking products and services in promising
markets, and 2) sustainably adapt to the energy shift currently underway and to
ongoing technological, social and regulatory changes. This is more than a challenge; it
is the guarantee of lasting progress.
Our customers’ businesses are becoming increasingly complex due to changing
regulations governing energy use in buildings, the electrical/digital convergence and
the emergence of alternative energy sources. Our goal is to support customers as
they navigate these changes by continuously developing additional services to
recommend, develop and deploy the solutions that will help them get ahead. “Rudy Provoost, Chairman of the Management Board and CEO
1. Customized technical responses to the changing energy
landscape
In addition to setting out the company’s priorities for 2015, the Energy in Motion plan
expresses Rexel’s identity, commitments and convictions. With energy efficiency and
renewable energies at the center of its portfolio, Rexel intends to speed advances in electricity.
The company’s high value-added offerings and services are described below.
Energy efficiency: tangible solutions for each situation
”
Energy efficiency, a fundamental growth driver and strategic market for Rexel, accounted for
sales of €450 million in 2011. This is expected to rise to €700 million in 2015. Within the
framework of the Energy in Motion plan, the energy efficiency market covers products or
services that generate a measurable direct or indirect reduction in energy use.
Leading-edge services marketed by dedicated Rexel teams include:
Energy audits.
Consulting on projects to renovate installations and sources of consumption.
Installation-related services.
Training to familiarize contractors with eco-efficient equipment, as well as personalized white
certificate training courses.
Turnkey management of energy efficiency projects, from the initial audit to solution design and
installation. Further out, Rexel hopes to offer even more comprehensive energy performance
programs including after-sales service, maintenance, financing and insurance.
Rexel offers a wide range of eco-efficient products, notably low-consumption lighting systems,
measurement and control systems, monitoring systems and speed drives.
12

Complete expertise in low-voltage lighting
Rexel markets an array of energy-saving lighting systems, including motion sensors,
detectors, LEDs and compact fluorescent bulbs, as well as lighting-related services for
construction and renovation projects.
Innovative HVAC systems
Rexel selects the most innovative products in terms of thermal efficiency and offers a broad
range of eco-efficient heating and ventilation systems. These include control and programing
systems, heat recovery ventilators, heat pumps and thermodynamic water heaters, just to
name a few.
Specific packages for industrial facilities
Rexel also distributes high-efficiency speed drives that help reduce industrial facilities’
electrical consumption. Electric motors are used in variety of functions, including ventilation,
pumping, mechanical drives and production line heating and cooling. They account for 70% of
electricity use in industry.
80% to 90%
LEDs use 80% to 90% less electricity
and last 20 to 30 times longer than
conventional bulbs.
65% of energy savings
Heating represents 65% of the potential
savings in homes, based on the average
consumption of an older 100 sq.m home.
Source: French Environment and Energy
Management Agency (ADEME).
30% of energy savings
Buildings account for 40% of global energy
consumption. The potential for energy savings
in residential and commercial buildings in
Europe is estimated at 30%.
COVENTRY GOLF CLUB
Objective: reduce the Coventry Golf Club’s energy
consumption by 25%
In the UK, Rexel worked with the Coventry Golf Club to renovate
its lighting systems and install photovoltaic panels. Rexel’s
expertise, services and recommendations helped the club reduce
its energy use by 25% and produce energy with its solar panels.
13

Renewable energies: quality first
Renewable energies are a key growth driver for Rexel, which has been active in this segment
for many years. As part of the Energy in Motion plan, products and services related to
renewable energies are expected to generate €100 million in additional sales between 2011
and 2015. Rexel’s offering targets two core areas in renewable energies:
Photovoltaics
With a focus on the residential and commercial markets, Rexel provides customers with a range of
high-quality components, including solar panels and rooftop installation systems, to build their own
solutions. It also designs ready-to-install customized kits.
Wind power
Building from a heavy initial presence in the United States, Rexel is strongly expanding its wind
operations in Europe, Canada and China. The Company leverages its technical and logistical
expertise to provide wind turbine manufacturers with the electrical and mechanical components they
need at their production sites. Rexel also supplies equipment to connect wind turbines to the grid.
Control and automation systems: making buildings smarter and safer
Building automation is an extensive market for Rexel, with sales led by Europe, followed by
the United States and Asia-Pacific. Building automation systems, smart control applications
and energy management are the company's priority growth avenues. Rexel intends to triple
its sales in this area between 2011 and 2015 as part of its Energy in Motion plan, with a longterm
target of €200 million.
To distribute the most effective solutions, the Group is involved in ongoing initiatives
to:
Strengthen supplier partnerships, so it can deliver the market's most advanced solutions for home
automation (home automation products; interoperability solutions; mix of thermal electrical and
electronic functions; motion sensors) and building safety and security (access control, security
systems, fire alarms).
Enhance its ability to support customers in selecting and implementing integrated control and
management solutions for industrial, residential and commercial buildings.
Rexel is a member of KNX
The KNX Association plays a leading role in the drive to develop a global standard
for home and building control. As the first distributor to join KNX, Rexel is committed
to promoting advances in buildings and smart networks. This strategic approach is
perfectly aligned with the Energy in Motion plan, since building automation and
energy management systems are key growth levers for Rexel. Now a promoter of
the KNX standard, which enables products from different brands to communicate
and work together, Rexel is in a position to serve customers as a solutions
integrator.
14

2. Tailored solutions for each market
Rexel has developed a specialized, vertical approach for industries whose solution, supply or
service needs are exceptionally critical or complex. Examples include the mining and oil
industries and retail store chains.
Customized offerings for win-win relationships
This approach is based on specific product offerings, a dedicated organization with sales and
technical teams that can be seconded to the customer's site when needed, and special
customer services such as inventory management, on-site teams and technical training.
For Rexel, with its recognized expertise in the oil & gas and mining industries, these vertical
markets represent an opportunity to considerably enhance its presence in the value chain by
offering dedicated products and services. Not only does this strengthen customer loyalty, but
it also increases sales and profitability.
Meeting the specific constraints of retailers
With its local network, specialized teams and packaged offerings, Rexel has what it takes to
meet the specific needs of retail banners. A number of large apparel retail chains in Asia, for
example, have turned to Rexel for the renovation of their lighting and air conditioning systems.
Working with Rexel offers two major advantages:
The company’s global presence makes it possible to install the same products and services in all
chain outlets, ensuring the same customer experience everywhere.
Rexel’s eco-efficient solutions deliver significant energy efficiency gains.
€680 million
Sales expected from vertical
market segments by 2015.
Hotel Peninsula - France
Located in Paris’s leafy 16 th
arrondissement, this Hong Kong and
Shanghai Hotel establishment aims to
become one of the French capital's top
luxury hotels. Backed by its expertise in
large project management, Rexel is
involved in supplying the project and
providing logistics for optimum worksite
productivity.
15

Corporate Social Responsibility to
Support Growth
At Rexel, corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a key business fundamental. As a
company with worldwide operations and in direct contact with its environment, Rexel is
committed to developing a model of profitable growth while working to reduce climate
change, promote employees’ personal development and support meaningful
community outreach.
Rexel's CSR approach is organized around four core commitments:
Accelerate the distribution of electrical solutions and help bring energy advances to all.
Take active steps to promote employees’ personal development.
Decrease the company’s environmental footprint.
Make a difference in the communities the company operates in.
GLOBAL COMPACT
The Global Compact: Rexel contributes to a more responsible global economy.
As a Global Compact signatory, Rexel embraces and promotes ten key principles in the
areas of human rights, labor, environment and anti-corruption.
1. Becoming a benchmark employer by making the difference
Rexel’s 31,000 employees are a source of both strength and pride. To create a close-knit
community and share a common vision for the future, Rexel has taken initiatives to:
Measure employee satisfaction through surveys
Designed as a management tool, the Satisfaxion in-house opinion survey is conducted
among Rexel employees on a regular basis. The survey measures employee perceptions in
seven areas: respect, well-being, engagement, compensation, management, communication
and strategy. In 2011, “respect for individuals” garnered the highest number of positive
responses, with 86% of those surveyed saying they were treated with respect. The company
uses the survey results to implement action plans on a country-by-country basis.
Develop talent with appropriate training for each profile
In 2012, the number of hours of training rose to 271,750 from 214,048 the year before.
Promoting skills is a key focus of Rexel's social commitment. In response to rapid changes in
professions, markets and technologies, training is crucial for acquiring new expertise.
Employees are offered training in areas that are aligned with their current jobs, skills, career
growth outlook, local requirements and personal and collective objectives.
Give employees a stake in the company’s results though employee share ownership
By launching three employee share purchase plans under preferential terms in 2007, 2010
and 2012, Rexel has encouraged employees to take a stake in the company's performance
and increase their interest in the company’s capital. The Opportunity12 plan in 2012 was
open to nearly 90% of Rexel’s employees in 16 countries.
16

2. Optimizing energy performance to lead by example
For Rexel, leading by example is more than an ambition—it is a daily commitment to being a
clean distributor while consuming less and better. The company’s clear challenges are to
reduce its environmental footprint by leveraging innovative energy efficiency solutions and to
develop a consistent environmental approach by defining targets, measuring progress and
disclosing reliable, tangible results. By walking the talk, Rexel offers all of its stakeholders a
comprehensive vision of the challenges and most effective solutions to be deployed on an
everyday basis.
A measurable, sustainable commitment
Since 2006, Rexel has taken a proactive approach to measuring its impacts by deploying a
consolidated environmental reporting process at the Group level. In anticipation of the
regulatory requirements of Article 225 of France’s Grenelle 2 Act, this reporting is designed to
cover the entire scope of the company’s consolidation.
With the publication of its first carbon footprint analysis in 2006 covering six key countries and
the consolidation of its annual reporting, Rexel developed real expertise in environmental
management.
- 18%
Reduction in greenhouse gas
emissions from electricity
consumption between 2012 and
2011 (scope 2)
- 22%
Reduction in greenhouse gas
emissions from product shipping by
the Rexel fleet between 2010 and
2011
Reduced carbon emissions from shipping
As part of the drive to decrease its environmental footprint, Rexel has renewed 25% of its
European fleet, which is the largest in the Group (50% of the fleet had been upgraded in
2011). Clearly, there are several advantages to the development of e-commerce and e-
procurement, characterized by EDI, paperless invoices and short contracts, and of moves to
pool shipping resources. These include improved service quality through more reliable flows
and a smaller environmental impact from trucks, which carry fuller loads.
Recycling: extending good practices to customers
In compliance with the European Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)
directive, Rexel recovers electrical equipment waste. As part of this commitment, the
company provides customers with a selective sorting system in its branches, notably with
special containers for lighting products. A number of banners even offer to collect waste
directly from customer sites. As a result, Rexel collected nearly 13,270 metric tons of
recovered waste through selective sorting in its branches in 2011, for a Group-wide recovery
rate of 65% versus 59% in 2010.
25 metric tons
Volume of batteries collected by Rexel in 2011
17

3. The Rexel Foundation: a key step towards a deeper
commitment
Since the company’s creation, Rexel has participated in programs that reflect its sense of
responsibility. In 2013, it is taking a new step by creating the Rexel Foundation for a better
energy future under the aegis of the Fondation de France. This move will provide a new
scope for the company's initiatives while allowing Rexel to continue its work with local
communities and involve a larger number of employees in outreach projects.
Access to sustainable energy for all – a three-pronged challenge
We are currently facing three major energy challenges: the increasing scarcity of energy
resources, rising energy prices and the threat to our energy security. Today, 8 million people
in France and 100 million people in Europe are in fuel poverty and over 1.3 billion people
throughout the world do not have access to electricity.
Two factors are exacerbating these issues:
• the world’s rising population coupled with mass urbanization that has seen the demand for
energy increase exponentially, and
• the continued waste of energy in our manufacturing and transport and current practices in
the consumption of energy resources.
Energy efficiency - an opportunity to develop solutions which will allow us to consume
and manage our energy more efficiently
Faced with these challenges, industry experts, businesses and leading policymakers agree
that energy efficiency is a turnkey solution and are implementing targeted strategies.
These challenges are being addressed on different levels:
• Environmental: the energy savings made from improved energy efficiency can help to
preserve our natural resources and combat climate change by reducing carbon emissions.
• Economic: improved energy efficiency allows consumers to save money on their energy
bills and the industry to drive profitability through a more competitive business model
• Social: improved energy efficiency provides greater comfort and a better quality of life. It
can also help fight fuel poverty by improving access to energy for the most disadvantaged
populations in society.
By improving access to energy efficiency for all, we can transform our lives, our
economies and beat fuel poverty. Through our commitment and in partnership
”
with our employees, our clients, our suppliers and with society at large, the Rexel
Foundation can become a catalyst for progress in energy efficiency.
Pascale Giet,
Vice-Chairman of the Rexel Foundation for a better energy future, Senior Vice
“President, Communication and Sustainable Development, Rexel Group
18

Through its expertise and proximity to its customers and partners both on an international and
local level, Rexel believes that:
• Energy progress is a value creator, not just for the economy, but for society at large
because energy provides the foundation for everything we do it powers heating, transport,
communications, industry….
• The energy efficiency value chain is an ecosystem where no one player is master and in
which the multiplier effect can make a real difference, this is why we need a global vision
to meet the challenges and a partnership approach to accelerate the energy transition.
Backed by the courage of its convictions and the support of the Fondation de France, the
launch of the Rexel Foundation for a better energy future is testament to Rexel’s social and
environmental commitment to the communities in which it operates. With this commitment,
Rexel is setting a strategic challenge for all its stakeholders: to improve access to energy
efficiency for all.
Four guiding principles
The Foundation follows in the footsteps of the Group's past and present commitments with
four guiding principles that provide direction and frame all of its projects:
Principle 1: Socially innovative
Projects should drive social progress, improve quality of life and provide improved access
to sustainable sources of energy for the most disadvantaged in society.
Principle 2: Environmentally friendly and providing energy savings
Projects should have a significant positive environmental impact and provide energy
savings to end-users: increasing access to energy efficiency for all with cost effective
energy efficiency solutions.
Principle 3: Collaborative and partnership driven
Projects should be based on an open approach to collaboration with all stakeholders to
improve understanding and raise awareness among key players in the industry as well as
among the general public.
Principle 4: Repeatable and Scalable
Projects should be both repeatable and scalable enabling the large scale adoption of
energy efficiency.
19

Three areas of involvement
The Rexel Foundation’s mission is to improve access to energy efficiency for all and is based
on three key pillars:
Knowledge
Improve
understanding and
raise awareness of
energy efficiency
Support
charitable
community-based
projects
Community
Projects
Research
Encourage
innovation
through
research and
educational
projects
Improve understanding and raise awareness of energy efficiency
Demystify and promote energy efficiency through the publication of studies and the
organization of workshops with the energy community and end-users.
Encourage innovation through research and educational projects
Support laboratory research programs by awarding grants to young researchers. Research
projects can be focused on affecting behavioral change in energy consumption, on low
carbon microgeneration based on small scale renewable energy and storage solutions or on
improving the performance of energy efficiency products and technology in home automation,
smart controls, heating ventilation and insulation.
These programs will target students and researchers at the start of the career ladder in
Europe, North America, Latin America and the Asia-Pacific – regions where Rexel's local
presence means it can oversee the projects.
Support charitable community-based projects
Form partnerships with NGOs, social entrepreneurs and other foundations, with a priority on
the countries in which Rexel operates. The Rexel Foundation for a better energy future will
support sustainable actions that help to affect behavioral change, upgrade the living
conditions of the most disadvantaged populations in society and provide training for
entrepreneurs specializing in energy efficiency.
The beneficiaries will be disadvantaged populations from the OECD countries as well as from
developing countries.
20