This was the message given by Estelle Brachlianoff, CEO of Veolia, during Capital Market Day – an event organized by the Group on Thursday, March 2, before an audience of financiers, analysts and journalists. On the agenda: a presentation of the Group’s financial results, but above all, its unique role and the positive effects of its activities on all its stakeholders in terms of ESG impact.
Let's look back at some of the event’s highlights.
“With great power, comes great responsibility.”
This is the key message to come out of the Capital Market Day. While the quote is somewhat overused, Estelle Brachlianoff pointed out how it still holds true, stating: “First and foremost, this is our responsibility; so, how can we push our solutions on others without first applying them to ourselves? This is why we are doing our utmost to ensure that in France, Veolia will be energy self-sufficient within 5 years and carbon neutral by 2050.” How? In particular, by investing €1.5 billion over 10 years to phase out coal following the example of Veolia’s new Braunschweig biomass plant in Germany – commissioned at the end of 2022 to replace the old local coal-fired power plant – or by allocating €70 million to reduce Veolia's methane emissions from landfills in Latin America by increasing capture capacity.
“14 million tons of CO2 have been avoided, i.e reduced, in the trajectories of our customers in 2022.”
“This is the combined result of our solutions this past year; it highlights our role and responsibility as a leader for an ecology of solutions to take action to curb the impact our customers may have," said Estelle Brachlianoff. Examples of concrete achievements: replacing coal with non-recyclable waste at Solvay in Dombasle (Eastern France), thereby reducing the industrial site’s carbon footprint by 50%; producing biogas at the Group's wastewater treatment plants and landfills, resulting in fewer fossil-fuel imports and greater strategic autonomy; and lastly, achieving 15% energy savings in hospitals in northern Italy and shopping centres in the Persian Gulf all in the same year. “In fact, the more CO2 our customers emit, the greater our impact will be as a leader for an ecology of solutions in protecting the planet.”
A model: multifaceted performance
Veolia’s strong yearly results are primarily built upon the Group’s unique value-creation model, as Claude Laruelle, Veolia's Deputy CEO for Finance, pointed out: “Our multifaceted performance model helps us to ensure sustainable growth over the long term while fostering strong, trust-based relationships with stakeholders.” The model involves close assessment of 19 indicators, of which 15 are non-financial, that provides insight into how the Group's actions impact all stakeholders: customers, employees, society, shareholders, and the planet. “Each indicator is sponsored by a member of the Executive Committee who is directly responsible for it. So, as CFO, I am in charge of our CO2 emissions reductions." Another striking fact is that Veolia employees recently became the Group's largest shareholders, holding 6.5% of its capital.
Estelle Brachlianoff concluded by saying, “Decarbonization, Economy and Regeneration of Resources, and Depollution: these are the three challenges we are addressing for all our stakeholders as a leading ESG company.”
All the highlights of the Capital Market Day event are here
