On the occasion of Produrable, a European meeting of actors and solutions for the sustainable economy held yesterday in Paris, Antoine Frérot - CEO of Veolia and President of the Institut de l’entreprise – talked about what having a “raison d'être” can bring to a business. His contribution was in the framework of a conference alongside Olivia Grégoire, president of the special commission charged with examining the PACTE bill in France’s National Assembly.
A “raison d'être” is a step towards a new vision of the company
The current vision of business dates from 30-40 years ago. It prioritizes the interests of shareholders and seeks to optimize economic performance on the basis of a series of constraints in respect of other stakeholders (customers, suppliers, society, etc.) that are dictated by regulations.
A “raison d'être” according to Veolia
Veolia will present its “raison d'être” at its Shareholders' Meeting on 18 April. It will specify why the business exists, what it offers and how it does it, to the benefit of its employees, shareholders, customers and the company as a whole.
A series of goals and monitoring indicators will then be established to measure the company’s so-called "plural" performance. The Board of Directors will evaluate the quality of the work of the company on the basis of these indicators, which Veolia will publish.
The Group’s “raison d'être was developed collaboratively in a process involving a large number of stakeholders: the Board of Directors, employees and staff representation bodies, a stakeholders' committee of "critical friends", and customers.