OPINION

CEO Joint opinion piece, published in French in Les Echos on June 5^th, 2025

Ten years ago, the Paris Agreement set the world on a new pathway to carbon neutrality. To drive this transformation, Europe has taken a bold step: the Green Deal.

As leaders of major companies across all sectors, we have contributed significantly to this initiative by making the path towards carbon neutrality a key strategic priority and investing billions of euros in practical solutions with tangible results. Between 2015 and 2023, France’s economy and consumption grew by 9% and 11% respectively in constant euros, while their environmental impact significantly decreased: 17% fewer emissions and a 7% reduction in the carbon footprint. These results show that economic growth and emissions reduction can go hand in hand, prompting us to maintain this momentum.

The European model

Over the past decade, our vision for the green transition has also expanded to include other issues related to planetary limits. Climate disruption is a reality, as are planetary boundaries. Some current tensions already stem from exceeding these limits, including concerns about health, conflicts over natural resources, and forced migration. Our common interest lies in creating a society that thrives and meets everyone’s basic needs within those limits.

Europe’s development and green transition model is well-equipped to tackle these challenges. The intricate democratic processes that shape it provide stability and a perspective that encourages action. The regulatory framework arising from the Green Deal has become a cornerstone of our strategies and investments. While it is commendable and essential to streamline this regulation, any efforts to do so must uphold its ambition.

Still, on both sides of the Atlantic, some are urging a stop to the green transition and putting off green investments. These voices miss the point: the green transition is not a barrier to our future prosperity, but rather a guarantee of it. Businesses that invest in the transition will become the most resilient and innovative. On the other hand, those who delay will struggle with rising energy costs and dwindling resources. The transition is also crucial for boosting our competitiveness, as it drives us to be more inventive, efficient, and sufficient, using fewer resources to meet society’s needs.

Industrial revolution

Continued investment in sustainable sectors of the circular economy, such as electrification, carbon-free energy, water, biomass, new mobility, and building retrofits, is vital for success. Reindustrialisation driven by these sectors will not only benefit each nation’s economy but also grant us much-needed strategic autonomy. In the new global economy, where mastering these sectors presents a significant challenge, environmental excellence is no longer a hindrance but rather a vital competitive advantage for our future. Europe must build on this strength to shape its industrial strategy. The result will be revitalised labour markets, a healthy living environment, and restored industrial sovereignty. This is how we can regain control over our future.

The new industrial revolution requires the collective effort of all stakeholders: businesses and financial institutions directing their resources towards the transition; governments steering the transformation and streamlining regulations to promote green innovation and accelerate the implementation of solutions; and citizens actively engaging in changes to their lifestyles and activities. The convergence of these efforts will make the difference.

When some consider giving up, we stick to our commitments. At stake are our health, purchasing power, and the survival of our industries and jobs. Also at stake is the attractiveness of our cities, the prosperity and beauty of our countryside, the competitiveness of our businesses, and our well-being and sovereignty. Europe, with its Green Deal, is a decade ahead in this green industrial revolution. We must remain steadfast and take pride in doing so to affirm our leadership. This is the moment to define our sphere of action, our standards, and our vision. Europe can and must come up with a game plan.

This opinion piece is a joint initiative of Estelle Brachlianoff, CEO of Veolia, and Patrick Pouyanné, CEO of TotalEnergies, the new chairwoman and the outgoing chairman, respectively, of the French association Entreprises pour l’Environnement (EpE).

The other signatories are:

Patrick André, Chief Executive, Vesuvius

Pierre Anjolras, Chief Executive Officer, VINCI

Daniel Baal, Chairman, Crédit Mutuel Alliance Fédérale

Benoit Bazin, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Saint-Gobain

Véronique Bédague, Chairwoman and Chief Executive Officer, Nexity

Thierry Blandinières, Chief Executive Officer, InVivo

Olivier Blum, Chief Executive Officer, Schneider-Electric

Jean-Laurent Bonnafé, Director and Chief Executive Officer, BNP Paribas

Thomas Buberl, Group Chief Executive Officer, AXA

Mathieu Chabran, Co-fondateur, Tikehau Capital

Cedric Charpentier, Chief Executive Officer, Groupe Diot-Siaci

Thierry Déau, Chief Executive Officer, Meridiam

David Dupont-Noël, Chief Executive Officer, Deloitte France et Afrique Francophone

Aiman Ezzat, Chief Executive Officer, Capgemini

Jean-Pierre Farandou, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, SNCF

Laurent Favre, Chief Executive Officer, OPmobility

Antoine Flamarion, Co-fondateur, Tikehau Capital

Bernard Fontana, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, EDF

Olivier Gavalda, Chief Executive Officer, Crédit Agricole SA

Xavier Guesnu, Chief Executive Officer France, Holcim

Pascal Imbert, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Wavestone

François Jackow, Chief Executive Officer, Air Liquide

Philippe Kehren, Chief Executive Officer, Solvay

Slawomir Krupa, Chief Executive Officer, Société Générale

Thierry Le Henaff, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Arkema

Mathias Lelievre, Chief Executive Officer, ERM EMEA

Catherine MacGregor, Chief Executive Officer, Engie

Cyril Malargé, Chief Executive Officer, Sopra-Steria

Philippe Pascal, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Groupe ADP

Pierre Pauliac, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Suez

Sébastien Petithuguenin, Chief Executive Officer, Paprec

Arnaud Pieton, Chief Executive Officer, Technip Energies

François Henri Pinault, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Kering

Thomas Reynaud, Group Chief Executive Officer and Member of the Board of Directors, groupe iliad

Anne Rigail, Chief Executive Officer, Air France

Thierry Schietecatte, Chairman, Groupe CARSO

Jan Schouwenaar, Chairman, Primagaz

Maxime Séché, Chief Executive Officer, Séché Environnement

Jean-Dominique Senard, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Renault

Jérôme Stubler, Chief Executive Officer, Equans France

Guillaume Texier, Chief Executive Officer, Rexel

• https://www.lesechos.fr/idees-debats/cercle/entreprises-et-transition-ecologique-quand-certains-envisagent-le-renoncement-nous-maintenons-nos-engagements-2169124

• https://www.linkedin.com/posts/entreprises-pour-lenvironnement-epe_entreprises-environnement-epe-activity-7336408027752759297-4cjT

• https://www.epe-asso.org/tribune-les-echos-5-juin-2025/

This text appeared in the form of an open letter on 26 November 2023 in ‘La Tribune du Dimanche’: https://www.epe-asso.org/accelerer-la-transition-ecologique/

2030 Milestone for the Ecological Transition Report (ETE 2030) is the fruit of thinking similar to that on environmental planning. We have spearheaded this thinking since 2022 to address, in line with the corporate vision of our member companies, the issue of priorities: what do we have to do by 2030 to be on a credible ecological transition pathway which delivers on France’s and Europe’s commitments?

Europe and France have made ambitious commitments that are among the most progressive in the world. They consist, under the Paris and Kunming-Montreal agreements, in achieving carbon neutrality and restoring biodiversity by 2050 without placing further strain on the resources of the rest of the world, and in doing our part to preserve the habitability of our planet.

Scientists, along with the French High Council on Climate, point out that we are not on an emission pathway compatible with those commitments. It is essential to further step up the already considerable transition investments made by the public authorities, the French people and our member companies to reduce emissions, switch energy, invest rapidly in a decarbonised production and consumption model, adapt ourselves, and train stakeholders.

We must also make integrated efforts to adapt to climate change and regenerate nature with emission reduction measures.

Last year we collectively showed that sufficiency is indeed possible. The 2022 joint winter plan achieved combined gas and electricity savings of 12%. We now need to step up investment to increase and sustain these energy savings over time.

We believe it is possible to build new prosperity together within the limits of our planet and propose to centre it on innovations and investments which develop circularity, structural sufficiency and a new relationship with living beings. We also believe that doing so will create more meaningful jobs thus enhancing our health and well-being.

This study outlines our convictions and sets them out in concrete form to help everyone plan their own transition with their partners. It is also a joint appeal by our companies addressed to all components of society.

This transformation requires everyone’s participation to happen: economic players (who have solutions and a capacity for innovation, training, financing and collective action); public authorities (because the transition requires support through clear frameworks and mechanisms as well as equity of effort); citizens and inhabitants; consumers; elected officials; leaders; employees and shareholders – all of whom can choose to play an active role and adopt the new lifestyles proposed.

We call for collective and concrete progress on two priorities.

The first involves each of us reallocating our spending and time, reinventing and reinvesting in our production, distribution and service systems, and in our housing, transport, and consumption patterns with the aim of decarbonising, limiting waste, recycling, and regenerating nature. Long-term savings in energy, materials and land are essential to reduce strains on the planet and mitigate our vulnerabilities. We believe it possible to combine improved well-being with a lighter material footprint. We should be able to live better and enjoy new economic prosperity if we resolved together to change our consumption patterns resulting in better food, comfortable housing, accessible services and a better environment more conducive to our health.

The second concerns re-engineering our social model together. For example, our businesses are actively engaged in investing to reinforce our positive impacts and limit our negative impacts.

Furthermore, rules governing life in society are necessary to sustainably and equitably manage the scarcity of resources, support the most vulnerable in this transformation in a way that will protect them, and strengthen our resilience and ability to anticipate crises of various kinds. For the French to adhere to this transformation process, it must clearly be perceived as creating more fairness.

Overwhelming support for this transformation is a precondition for its success. Not only are we fully committed to it, but we also consider it to be a realistic path to prosperity, health and well-being. Daunting though it is, the challenge, which is unprecedented in the history of mankind, must be taken up. In this emergency, everyone needs to respond and contribute with every available solution, in a concerted move. We are ready for it and attentive to what you want to tell us. Together let’s go for it!

European Business Statement
“Scaling up action for nature”

At the outset of the European Business & Nature Summit 2021, a Business Statement is calling on businesses and policy makers to mainstream biodiversity in all decisions and policies.

On 1 December 2021, the European Business statement was officially delivered to the European Commission at the EBNS 2021, in the presence of Virginijus Sinkevičius, European Commissioner for the Environment and Laurent Burelle, Chairman of AFEP (Association française des entreprises privées). The European Business Statement was developed by 13 EBNS partners, and discussed at CEO-level among their members.

The statement calls:

• on European businesses to scale up action, ambition and innovative collaboration on biodiversity;
• on the European Union to integrate biodiversity as strongly as climate into the Green Deal and recovery plans, to actively work towards the adoption of a transformative Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework at CBD COP15, China, and to mainstream biodiversity in all European and national policies and decision-making.

Opinion column published in the daily Le Monde,
May 5, 2020.

On the initiative of Jean-Laurent Bonnafé, CEO of BNP Paribas and Chairman of EpE, a collective forum of French and international business leaders issues a call for putting the environment at the core of an economic rebound.

Over the past few weeks, massive resources have been allocated to address the unprecedented crisis triggered by Covid-19. As well as the health impacts, the social and economic consequences of the crisis are being felt by people across France. The focus now is on limiting the effects particularly through the deployment of financial resources that enable French businesses to bounce back in an inclusive and resilient manner. We welcome the quick and momentous decisions initially taken by the French government to address the situation and recognize the solidarity shown by the business community.

This trying situation comes at a time when we had embarked on the transformation of our economy to address the challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss and to prevent other major crises announced by the scientific community. We stand by our collective ecological transition ambitions and reaffirm the commitments we have made over the years, since continuing our efforts is the key to their success.

For this to happen, it will be essential to channel a large proportion of the financial resources earmarked for economic recovery into the areas already identified as supporting ecological transition[1], with an even greater emphasis on social justice.

We believe that these financial resources can be a powerful catalyst for a green and inclusive recovery. Forthcoming stimulus packages will present so many good opportunities for making the investments necessary to support transformation pathways.

The first opportunity consists in stepping up short- and medium-term support for sectors that have high job creation and environmental conservation value, in particular by focusing on:

• energy retrofits of dwellings, buildings and offices in the public and private sectors;
• development of decarbonised mobility, electric vehicles, soft mobility infrastructure and public transport;
• expansion and storage of renewable and decarbonised electrical energies or heat.

In these sectors, every public financial initiative is a powerful lever for private investment, making them the best candidates for an early recovery.

As all sectors continue to make headway on their decarbonisation pathway, the second opportunity consists in using public investment to make Europe’s industrial facilities more resilient, while decarbonising them and reducing our carbon footprint. The crisis has starkly revealed the vulnerability of global value chains. Developing a more circular economy and more sustainable and local food supply – for which there is a strong demand from our fellow citizens – would be part and parcel of this drive.

The third opportunity concerns action to boost research, innovation, industrial demonstrators, and future industrialisation solutions, with huge medium- and long-term implications. Well-identified as priorities to be promoted, the solutions include bioeconomy and hydrogen and their uses in land and air transport, carbon dioxide reuse, among many others.

The benefits of these green investments include improved air quality, population health and quality of life in cities. Successfully implementing this emergency plan will also give us greater legitimacy as active participants in the next European Green Deal.

To address the crisis beyond the short term, we will need to deploy collective intelligence in the post-pandemic world, envision far-reaching changes to our methods of production, business models, consumer behaviour and lifestyles, and rethink our relationship with nature. Already we have set this thought process in motion to ensure that economic recovery is on a sustainable and resilient footing.

By acting collectively, we will be able to safeguard the health of our fellow citizens, revitalise our industrial facilities and make the necessary changes so that our children have a liveable planet which delivers human, economic and social prosperity. Let us use the present challenge we are facing together as an opportunity for us all to put the environment at the core of a collective rebound.

[1] See in particular SNBC and the ZEN 2050 study, Imagining and building a carbon-neutral France by 2050, 2019

SIGNATORIES

Patrick André, Vesuvius ; Bernard Arnault, LVMH ; Jacques Aschenbroich, Valeo ; Patrick Berard, Rexel ; Laurent Beuselinck, ERM-France ; Thierry Blandinières, InVivo ; Thierry Boisnon, Nokia-France ; Sophie Boissard, Korian ; Yannick Bolloré, Vivendi ; Jean-Laurent Bonnafé, BNP Paribas ; Christel Bories, Eramet ; François Brottes, RTE ; Thomas Buberl, AXA ; Laurent Burelle, Président de l’Afep ; Patrice Caine, Thales ; Bertrand Camus, Suez ; Heiko Carrie, Bosch-France ; Guillaume Charlin, BCG-France ; Jean-Marc Chéry, STMicroelectronics ; Jean-Pierre Clamadieu, Engie ; Benoît Coquart, Legrand ; Anne-Marie Couderc, Groupe Air France-KLM ; Christophe Cuvillier, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield ; Philippe Darmayan, ArcelorMittal-France ; Pierre-André de Chalendar, Compagnie de Saint-Gobain ; Thierry de la Tour d’Artaise, Groupe SEB ; Augustin de Romanet, Groupe ADP ; Michel de Rosen, Faurecia ; Fabrice Domange, Marsh SA ; Pierre Donnersberg, Siaci Saint-Honoré ; Bertrand Dumazy, Edenred ; Emmanuel Faber, Danone ; Jean-Pierre Farandou, SNCF ; Guillaume Faury, Airbus ; Laurent Favre, Compagnie Plastic Omnium ; Antoine Flamarion, Tikehau Capital ; Antoine Frérot, Veolia ; Didier Gauthier, Chimirec ; Jean-Marc Germain, Constellium ; Jacques Gounon, Getlink ; Jean-Laurent Granier, Generali France ; Christopher Guérin, Nexans ; Catherine Guillouard, RATP ; Edouard Guinotte, Vallourec ; Paul Hermelin, Capgemini ; Thierry Herning, BASF-France ; Paul Hudson, Sanofi ; Xavier Huillard, Vinci ; Sylvie Jéhanno, Dalkia ; Ilham Kadri, Solvay ; Denis Kessler, SCOR ; Christophe Kullmann, Covivio ; Marianne Laigneau, Enedis ; Matthieu Lassalle, Primagaz ; Olivier Laureau, Servier ; Gilles Lecaillon, Ecocean ; Jean-Yves Le Gall, CNES ; Dominique Lefebvre, Crédit Agricole ; Thierry Le Hénaff, Arkema ; Jean-Bernard Lévy, EDF ; Eric Lombard, Caisse des Dépôts ; Pierre Magnes, Firmus France ; Nicolas Makowski-Kesic, Hudi ; Thierry Martel, Groupama ; Xavier Martiré, Elis ; Florent Menegaux, Michelin ; Didier Michaud-Daniel, Bureau Veritas ; Laurent Mignon, BPCE ; Dominique Mockly, Teréga ; Virginie Morgon, Eurazeo ; Frédéric Oudéa, Société Générale ; Bruno Pavlovsky, Chanel ; Jérôme Pécresse, GE France ; Yves Perrier, Amundi ; Jean-Luc Petithuguenin, Paprec ; Nicolas Petrovic, Siemens-France ; François Petry, LafargeHolcim France ; Robert Peugeot, FFP ; Olivier Peyret, Schlumberger SA ; Bruno Pillon, HeidelbergCement France ; François-Henri Pinault, Kering ; Benoît Potier, Air Liquide ; Henri Poupart-Lafarge, Alstom ; Patrick Pouyanné, Total ; Jean-Philippe Puig, Groupe Avril ; Benoît Rabilloud, Bayer-France ; Sami Rahal, Deloitte France ; François Riahi, Natixis ; Alexandre Ricard, Pernod-Ricard ; Stéphane Richard, Orange ; Bris Rocher, Groupe Rocher ; Geoffroy Roux de Bézieux, Président du Medef ; Romain Salza, ACQUA.eco/BioMicrobics France ; Frédéric Sanchez, Fives ; Joël Séché, Séché-Environnement ; Jean-Dominique Senard, Renault ; Guy Sidos, Vicat ; Nicolas Tiliacos, Prodibio ; Jean-Pascal Tricoire, Schneider Electric ; Philippe Varin, Orano, Président de France-Industrie (…)