The 100 Proposals for the Great Challenge for the Planet

It was a year ago. Jerome Cohen, Director of Engage, and Virginie Rayson Victor, President of Giec des Pays de la Loire, launch the Great Business for the Planet Challenge. Objective: To formulate 100 proposals to accelerate the environmental transformation of the economy and business. Inspired by the Citizen Climate Convention, this practice aims to be democratic. 150 voluntary companies representing 60 employees, 60 directors and 30 investors were drawn by lot. Six sessions were organized with experts in biodiversity, climate, economics… to deepen the knowledge of the participants.

to rule? “The learning process has been a success. As with the Citizens Climate Agreement, we can see that if people take the time to train and think among themselves and interact, the result is up to par. The 100 proposals show that very well.”says Novethic Jerome Cohen. Thursday, February 9, before the Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CESE), the assembly unveiled its main proposals. Moving on from replacing plastic stirrers with disposable spoons, companies want to change models.

Big changes

Creation of a reserve fund dedicated to the environmental transformation of the company, the circulation of the “Product Passport” with the obligatory indication of the composition, the origin of the ingredients and the areas of manufacture, the creation of the “Triple Capital” that values ​​human and natural capital, the calibration of dividends on environmental and social performance … The measures are ambitious and some The companies drawn by lot have already taken the initiative to lead by example.

This is particularly the case for Simpliciti. Specializes in embedded technologies that allow communities to better manage waste collection in particular. The company became a company with a mission last September. “We already had this desire before joining Grand Défi but it has accelerated the movement,” explains to Novethik Ludovic Genesti, Director of Strategy and Development. Circulating the company’s platform with a mission is one of 100 collective offerings. Driven by charter law, it allows companies to adopt and commit to a social or environmental profession in front of their stakeholders.

This situation makes it possible to return the company to its role, to link it to the public interest in the context of the financialization of the economy, which tends to distance it from it. Virginie Rayson Victor analyzes. Simpliciti has also given herself a purpose that allows her to follow her own path: “To make, thanks to technology, a more connected, greener and more efficient city citizen representative.” “Experiencing the Grand Challenge with nutrition has allowed us to open our thinking and sensitivity beyond climate change.” Comments by Ludovic Genesti. And he’s not the only enthusiast.

Avoid getting stuck in the Citizens Climate Convention

At MP Pack, specializing in food packaging, mainly for single use, it is the development of an environmental index that has been bolstered by the great challenge. The challenge now is to distribute it to its customers and partners. “The brake is the questioning of economic models. We can clearly see, in our immediate ecosystem, that there is still a very economical, very financial approach.”Aurelie Cordi, Director of Marketing Communications. The fact of trying the system themselves encourages others, who are more reluctant, to follow through with the process.

Therefore, it remains to be seen what will happen from the 100 proposals for the Great Business Challenge of the Planet, some of which will require the mobilization of public authorities. Participants voted to make biodiversity a great national cause. They also suggest redirecting vocational retraining funds toward impactful professions or setting up a one-stop shop to help with the environmental transition. “We are entering a pressure phase with economic and public decision makers.Jerome Cohen explains.

Marina Faber-Soundron @employee