France
I appreciate the importance of history and our heritage. They show us that long-term success requires that we constantly reinvent ourselves while staying true to our values. Managing a company that is more than 350 years old is an exercise in leadership and humility. I see myself as the link in a long chain of chairmen. I was the CEO of Saint-Gobain during 14 years and I will be now concentrating on my non-executive Chairman role and focusing on the commitments that are close to my heart: the climate, the industry, the reinvention of our cities, the integration of young people into the company and, more broadly, the transmission of knowledge to the younger generations. Very early on, I turned my attention to the environment and the company’s corporate social responsibility. I believe that companies can and must provide a solution to achieve the common good. Over the years, the fight against climate change has become a personal commitment for me. I have written a book about it and I am an ardent supporter of green growth, taking an active stance wherever Saint-Gobain enables me to speak out about this issue, that is, worldwide. I am a French citizen, which for me also means that I am a European citizen, and I contribute my opinion as a company leader to the public discussion in complete modesty.
Depuis 1975, l’Institut de l’Entreprise travaille à valoriser le rôle et la place de l’entreprise dans notre société. À travers différents programmes de recherche, de pédagogie ou de dialogue avec les parties prenantes, son ambition est de contribuer à rapprocher les Français de l’Entreprise. L’Institut de l’Entreprise est une association à but non lucratif réunissant une centaine d’adhérents, qui fédère les acteurs de l’entreprise et structure leur réflexion au travers de rencontres, de séminaires, d’ateliers et de formations.
Saint-Gobain designs, manufactures and distributes materials and solutions for the construction, mobility, healthcare and other industrial application markets. Developed through a continuous innovation process, they can be found everywhere in our living places and daily life, providing wellbeing, performance and safety, while addressing the challenges of sustainable construction, resource efficiency and the fight against climate change. This strategy of responsible growth is guided by the Saint-Gobain purpose, “MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER HOME”, which responds to the shared ambition of all the women and men in the Group to act every day to make the world a more beautiful and sustainable place to live in. €38.1 billion in sales in 2020 More than 167,000 employees, located in 70 countries Committed to achieving Carbon Neutrality by 2050
La Fabrique de l'Industrie is a french Think Tank dedicated to industrial issues and its connections with economy and society. As Co-president, I want to place this vital sector at the heart of the public debate, help to think and build the industry of the future and, in particular, to show the central role that this sector plays in the fight against global warming.