Poclain & LittleBig Connection: A Collaboration for a Successful Climate Transition

Poclain, a major French family-owned company in the hydrostatic transmissions sector, employs 2,300 people and operates 8 production sites worldwide. Active in the construction and agriculture industries, the company has decided to take a bold step forward: fully integrating decarbonization into its industrial strategy.

To structure this ambitious transformation, three key players joined forces:

• Poclain, driving the initiative with its climate vision

• LittleBig Connection, the platform that quickly identified the right partner

• CorpoKarma, a consulting firm specialized in climate strategy, selected for its industrial approach and proven results

This trio helped turn ambition into action by laying the foundation for a robust, credible climate strategy aligned with the challenges of the sector.

A Strategic Imperative: Building a Credible and Actionable Climate Roadmap

Before taking action, Poclain needed to structure its climate approach on solid foundations. The goal was to work with reliable data and identify tangible decarbonization levers that aligned with the realities of industrial operations — a considerable challenge in complex sectors such as construction and agriculture.

Together with Nicolas Marcoz, climate consultant at CorpoKarma, the company defined four clear priorities:

• Better measurement for better decisions: refining the carbon footprint assessment to obtain more accurate results and effectively target reduction efforts.

• Planning ahead with the right scenarios: identifying realistic decarbonization pathways compatible with the company’s business model.

• Embedding climate into overall strategy: involving all teams and departments in the responsibility.

• Training and engaging operational teams: bringing R&D, production, procurement, and sales on board in the low-carbon transition.

Finding the Right Partner for the Mission

To meet its climate objectives swiftly, Poclain needed to rely on an external partner capable of combining methodological rigor with a deep understanding of industrial contexts.

Thanks to LittleBig Connection’s marketplace, the company was able to quickly identify CorpoKarma — a consultancy known for its climate expertise and results-driven approach. Choosing expert Nicolas Marcoz via the platform also ensured a smooth administrative process, with no operational bottlenecks.

In 2024, the project began with a retrospective analysis of 2022 and 2023:

• Carbon footprint assessments for scopes 1 & 2, with a special focus on procurement

• Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of the emblematic MS02 engine, already conducted before the collaboration

• Official commitment to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), aligning Poclain’s roadmap with the Paris Agreement

The mission was structured around four key stages:
First, updating the carbon assessments for the previous years, with a special focus on product use — accounting for 99% of Poclain’s carbon footprint. Next, an in-depth analysis of low-carbon transition risks and opportunities guided strategic decisions. Based on these insights, a climate strategy was defined and translated into an actionable roadmap.

Finally, six decarbonization scenarios were modeled, each evaluated for its industrial feasibility. The climate strategy work involved quantifying the industrial efforts required to align with SBTi ambitions.

Poclain is committed to continuing its climate journey by:

• Validating its SBTi targets

• Conducting LCAs for other Poclain products

• Accelerating low-carbon innovation through R&D

• Securing supply chains by integrating climate criteria

A Strategic Turning Point for Poclain — and a Momentum That’s Just Beginning

By gaining a clearer understanding of its carbon footprint, Poclain was able to prioritize actions, adjust its industrial strategy, and set concrete climate targets. This partnership with CorpoKarma — made possible through LittleBig Connection’s marketplace — demonstrates how the right expertise, at the right time, can accelerate major transformations.

At LittleBig Connection, our mission is clear: to connect companies with the best partners capable of making a real impact. This client case is proof of that.

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