Sustainable action in the workplace: challenges and ecological transition

1 Can you tell us about your background and what drives you in your job today?

My name is Gabrielle Piot and I'm 26 years old. I began my career at ESTP, a general engineering school specialising in construction and building, where I became aware of environmental issues alongside my studies. This awareness led me to take a double Master's degree in research in my final year, focusing on the circular economy, carbon accounting, waste and water management, and climate justice, with a dissertation on the rebound effect. During my studies and at the start of my professional life, I contributed a lot to voluntary work, in particular to educate the general public and students through workshops, writing articles and mobilisations with committed associations such as makesense and My Little Planet. These experiences have enabled me to develop a real knowledge of the sector and its players. Today, I'm Head of Partnerships and Ecosystems at 2 tonnes, I'm also a member of the Ecology and Sustainable Development Committee, where I pool forces within the ecosystem to create joint projects and training initiatives. What I particularly appreciate in this role is the collective aspect: leading a network of players, encouraging mutual support and learning from the plurality of viewpoints enrich my skills and my understanding of environmental issues.

2. How can the circular economy benefit businesses and the planet?

The circular economy is a subject that is particularly close to my heart. To understand it properly, I often start by recalling how the linear economy in which most of us still live works: we extract resources, make products, consume them and then throw them away. The circular economy Instead, we propose to rethink each stage of a product's life cycle in order to reduce the need for materials, prolong its use and reuse existing resources as much as possible.

For businesses, it is above all a question of resilience. Every organisation depends on resources, equipment, energy, raw materials or mobility, and when their availability or cost fluctuates, it can undermine an entire business model. The circular economy makes it possible to anticipate these risks by reducing dependence on resources and encouraging repair, reuse and sharing. It also makes environmental issues more concrete: it's often easier to imagine a tonne of materials or waste than a tonne of CO₂, which makes it easier to mobilise teams and take action.

From the planet's point of view, the impact is major: for many objects, particularly clothing or IT equipment, almost 80 % of their carbon footprint comes from their manufacture. Extending the life of products or reusing existing materials is therefore becoming an extremely powerful environmental lever. But the circular economy is also a social and territorial project: repairing, recycling or relocating certain activities creates local jobs that cannot be relocated, supports professional integration and revitalises regions. Ultimately, it's a change of logic: produce less, but better, by designing goods that are designed to last.

3. What levers can companies use to effectively reduce their carbon footprint?

To effectively reduce their carbon footprint, companies need to start by measuring it accurately. This involves Carbon Footprint carried out by firms or experts trained in a certified method (Aktio, Sami, Carbo or even Toovalu)
Not only must the company's direct emissions be taken into account, but also those on which it depends, such as its suppliers or the life of its products. This approach makes it possible to go beyond responsibility, by focusing on the company's vulnerabilities and targeting actions where they will have the greatest impact. The carbon footprint is then translated into an action plan, prioritising levers for the most significant emission sources.

But having figures and a plan is not enough: you have to support a real change in culture and practices, which involves training, raising awareness and acculturating teams, while managing technical and financial constraints and, often, resistance to change. Regular monitoring of progress is also essential: this allows us to check the effectiveness of measures, celebrate successes and share results to inspire other companies. Finally, support from serious experts is often decisive, especially for SMEs or very small businesses that do not always have the internal resources to roll out these initiatives in a robust and sustainable way.

4. How can the need to produce more sustainably be reconciled with the company's economic performance?

This question is particularly relevant today, because we know that we need to change the way we produce and consume, but this takes time, skills and financial resources. Transitioning does not mean that a company has to disappear, but that it has to rethink its model in order to produce better, more sustainable products. On a societal scale, some activities will grow, such as organic food, eco-friendly mobility and the second-hand market, while others, particularly those linked to fossil fuels, will have to be drastically reduced.

The first step is for the company and its employees to become aware of this reality. It is often a real shock to realise that certain traditional activities will have to be scaled back or even disappear. This process requires support, because it is difficult to combine acceptance of reality with strategic thinking about reinventing the business.

But these changes can become an opportunity for resilience and innovation. Historical examples show that companies have been able to reinvent themselves in the face of upheaval: Kodak, faced with the digital revolution, or Les Conserveries la Belle-Iloise, which had to rethink their business in the light of the challenges of fishing and biodiversity. The aim is to rethink the business model, diversify the activity and reduce the environmental impact while maintaining economic viability.

This transition also implies professional retraining: existing skills can be channelled into professions that promote sustainable lifestyles, responsible consumption practices and a positive social impact. The aim is to create jobs that contribute to ecological and social transformation, while giving employees a sense of purpose.

To sum up, a pragmatic approach to transition means accepting the reality of the planet's limits, rethinking economic models in depth, reinventing ourselves collectively and supporting people through this change so that the transition is both effective and socially acceptable.

5. What skills or training are essential today for companies to take sustainable action?

For companies to act sustainably, it's not just a question of financial resources or technologies, but of developing skills and practices that are adapted to each organisation. The majority of companies in France are small or medium-sized structures that have to reconcile economic constraints with environmental imperatives: the reality is not to impose, but to accompany change.

The starting point is the attitude: enter into dialogue with companies to understand their obstacles, educate them and train them. Showing that the cost of inaction is now higher than the cost of action is often more effective than an external injunction. This dialogue needs to be extended within the teams: implementing an environmental action plan is a process of change management. It requires listening, compromise and communication between the various stakeholders. Too often, companies operate in silos; it is essential for teams to exchange ideas, co-construct and express their needs in order to build sustainable solutions together.

Management leadership also plays a key role: when people in strategic positions set an example, it is much easier to mobilise the whole workforce. Finally, training is essential: it helps to understand the issues, identify priority actions and develop cross-disciplinary skills, both technical and human. Programmes must cover environmental knowledge, the links between reducing dependence on fossil fuels and economic resilience, and the co-benefits in terms of health, well-being, sovereignty and competitiveness.

As well as acquiring knowledge, training must also focus on posture: critical thinking, openness, dialogue and the ability to come together to discuss solutions collectively. Workshops and programmes such as 2Tonnes or Convergences In this way, companies can build a sustainable path without jeopardising their economic operation, while giving meaning to their employees and encouraging them to take ownership of the changes.