**_Question 9_**
**_As registration with the European Union's Transparency Register and with the French High Authority_**
**_for Interest Representatives is compulsory in France, the FIR has access to your declarations (human_**
**_and financial resources, center of interest)._**
**_Through this question, we would like to focus your answers more on the influencing activities you_**
**_have carried out (head office, subsidiaries, professional associations, or consultancy firm) in ESG_**
**_areas. We would like to understand how advocacy activities are aligned with sustainability_**
**_objectives / how your advocacy practices fit into your group's CSR strategy._**
**_a)_** **_What are the main interest activities (e.g., top 3) that you prioritize in relation to your material_**
**_ESG issues? Can you specify all the jurisdictions in which you carry out these lobbying activities?_**
Dassault Systèmes is a scientific company focused on software research and development, whose
ambition is to imagine sustainable innovations capable of harmonizing products, nature and life. It has
a limited number of interest representation activities, focusing mainly on industrial and digital
sovereignty (at national and European level), disruptive innovations in support of the ecological
transition, and innovation in the context of public health policies.
In this context, Dassault Systèmes carries out activities to represent its interests, which are declared
to the European Union's Transparency Register and to the Haute Autorité pour la Transparence de la
_Vie Publique (HATVP) in France._
Dassault Systèmes' commitment to responsible interest representation activities includes both a
desire for transparency, in line with applicable regulations and best practices, and an explicit
commitment to respect the principles of corporate responsibility enshrined in the United Nations
Global Compact, to which Dassault Systèmes is a signatory.
To ensure alignment with these principles, Dassault Systèmes has adopted a Charter for Responsible
Public Affairs, which all Dassault Systèmes employees must respect. This charter is based on two
principles, which can be broken down into several requirements:
- Alignment between Dassault Systèmes' raison d'être and Public Affairs:
o Respect for standards of trust and transparency;
o Commitment to political neutrality;
o Contribution to organizations aligned with Dassault Systèmes' commitments (see answer
to question 9 (b)).
- Commitment to responsible Public Affairs principles:
o Compliance with transparency and integrity requirements in all countries where Dassault
Systèmes operates;
o Application of the charter when using external Public Affairs agencies;
o Strict regulation of gifts and hospitality offered to public officials;
o Compliance with specific Public Affairs governance within the Company.
With regard to ESG and ecological transition interest representation activities, these focus on
environmental innovation and the promotion of digital technology to serve the transition. More
specifically
- Promoting the air quality simulation product portfolio in support of industrial and
environmental performance;
- The presentation of the potential of virtual worlds for the transition to a circular economy and
a reduction in the environmental footprint of products throughout their lifecycles.
**_b)_** **_How do you ensure alignment between your ESG objectives and the positions of industry_**
**_associations? How do you manage potential divergences? (Examples: attempts to realign the_**
**_positioning of associations with your own ESG objectives, or reflections on the possibility of_**
**_leaving a trade association that is definitely not aligned with your ESG strategy). What do you_**
**_publish on the subject of alignment and/or divergence?_**
Participation in professional associations is governed by the Dassault Systèmes Responsible Public
Affairs Charter.
Dassault Systèmes ensures that dues and contributions are paid to professional associations, industry
organizations and think tanks that reflect the Company's values and interests. Dassault Systèmes'
employees must act within these organizations in full compliance with applicable laws and regulations,
in particular competition rules.
Accordingly, Dassault Systèmes is not a member of any professional association whose positions are
controversial with regard to the public interest, the climate objectives of the Paris Agreement or the
ESG standards of the countries in which the Company operates.
Dassault Systèmes is also committed to working with other stakeholders to combat climate change,
and in particular with organizations whose positions on ESG commitments are consistent with those
of the Company.
To ensure alignment between ESG objectives, the Company's raison d'être and associative positions,
Dassault Systèmes promotes its ESG strategy within various associative working groups and steering
committees.
In addition to its commitment to reducing CO2 emissions, Dassault Systèmes has joined global
initiatives to promote sustainable development, including the European Green Digital Coalition and
the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
**_c)_** **_What is the role of the Board of Directors in implementing your interest representation policy_**
**_(e.g., activities, budget, meetings)?_**
Dassault Systèmes' interest representation activities are the responsibility of the General Secretariat
and are discussed by the Company's Executive Committee. The Board of Directors is kept informed of
interest representation activities by corporate management.
**_d)_** **_Do you train people internally or externally (e.g., firms) in responsible lobbying? If so, what_**
**_criteria do you apply in selecting the firms that work with you?_**
All Dassault Systèmes employees undergo regular internal training. Among these, some concern ethics
and compliance, and introduction to the Company's code of business conduct is mandatory,
constituting a sine qua non condition for employees to take up their new positions.
The Company's code of business conduct governs interactions with representatives of public
authorities, with a view to promoting transparency and integrity, and preventing non-compliant acts.
Dassault Systèmes performs due diligence on all its intermediaries (distributors, agents) and other
third parties (major suppliers, customers, etc.). This process also applies to Public Affairs firms.
External players carrying out representation activities for Dassault Systèmes are also required to
comply with the Company's Charter for Responsible Public Affairs