October 2004
abstract
Responsabilité & Environnement
Eco-enterprises
Issue 36
Eco-enterprises
By Marc Aviam, Nicolas Riedinger
Ingénieurs à la Direction des études économiques et de l'évaluation environnementale (D4E), MEDD
A mesh of ecological firms have taken shape in France, especially since the 1970s, in response to the environmental demands stimulated by public environmental policies among local authorities, firms or households. Whether big multinationals or specialized small and midsize businesses, here is a description of their typology, markets, advantages and expectations…
Intellectual services in the environment business
By Jean-Rémi Gouze
Directeur Général - Apave Groupe
Intellectual services related to the environment are a totally atypical market riddled with contradictions. This situation cannot last. The solution: Europe and the international level will be able to regulate and rehabilitate this marketplace.
Biologically processing liquid industrial wastes
By Claude Delporte, Pascal Berardo
Ondeo Industrial Solution
A method that, not yet tamed by industrialists, fits into a process of sustainable development — an update on the biological treatment of liquid industrial wastes, the uses and adaptation to needs…
The Maurienne superhighway (Savoy): A client of eco-industries
By Patrick Guilhaudin
Directeur général de la Société française du tunnel routier du Fréjus (SFTRF)
At the start: a valley where pollution from industry and automobiles stagnated; at the finish: an improved natural environment thanks to a superhighway. Far from worsening the situation, this highway investment made it possible to win back and rehabilitate sites, and even improve the quality of life. The Maurienne Valley serves as an example showing us how to advance toward sustainable development by using a project for hooking up highways.
Water, a French success story
By Claude Camilleri
Directeur général du Syndicat national des industries du traitement des eaux résiduaires (Sniter) et de l'Union des industries et entreprises de l'eau et de l'environnement (UIE)
Water industries raise environmental issues and questions of technological performance. They represent exceptional success stories in France and in French exports… and there are still needs to satisfy. The businesses involved in water market will have a promising future only if new regulations do not demotivate them.
The plan for boosting eco-business exports
By Michèle Pappalardo
Présidente de l'Ademe
Protecting the environment is a world market that will amount to 360 billion euros toward 2010. For many French firms, it is an opportunity for cushioning their growth by increasing their exports. To help them, Ademe proposed in 2002 a plan. Here is the first assessment.
Creating a company upon graduating from an engineering school
By Jean-Edouard de Salins, Aurélien Lugardon
Envalia
Eco-industries and environmental policies
By Jean-Luc Laurent
Ingénieur général des mines, chef du service de l'inspection générale de l'environnement, vice-président de la Commission des comptes et de l'économie de l'environnement
With more than 300.000 employees in 2002 and constantly rising sales, environment-related industries are thriving economically. This can mainly be set down to public policies. But given the complexity of problems and the distribution of know-how, it is now time to move beyond the standoff between public authorities and industrial suppliers.
Externalization on industrial sites: Combining economic and environmental performances
By Stéphane Caine
Veolia Environnement
The practice of externalization is spreading because each partner wins. The industrialist is able to reposition his firm around its core activities, improve productivity and reduce costs; and the supplier obtains means and breathing room. Other advantages are an improved management of risks related to the personnel and environment. Veolia offers an example of the passage from subcontracting to a genuine partnership.
Advising local authorities, public services and industrialists about how to approach environmental issues and risk-management : Sogreah’s example
By Jacques Gaillard
Président directeur général de Sogreah Consultants
and Jean-Marc Usseglio-Polatera
Directeur de la branche conseil de Sogreah Consultants
For nearly a century now, Sogreah has, day after day, been following up on trends in social demands related to the environment, risk-control or sustainable development. It has done so through a variety of assignments in quite different geographical and institutional contexts. The change has been fast, though irregular and inconsistent.
Environmental technology and industries in France: What is the current situation ?
By Michel Franz
Chef du bureau Energie-Environnement, Digitip, Minéfi
An eco-business panorama
By Ghislaine Morin
Digitip
White collars for eco-industries and the “environment function”: The Mining School of Saint-Étienne
By Valérie Laforest
Centre SITE, Ecole des Mines de Saint-Etienne
The environment option at the Mining School of Saint-Étienne seeks to prepare students in engineering for jobs related to the industrial and territorial environments in the context of sustainable development. But it also seeks to maintain the generalist approach that engineers involved technically and scientifically in solving environmental problems must have. This school has managed to adapt its education to industry’s expectations.
Saving energy and climatic change: Converting professionals to eco-industrialists
By José Mansot
Délégué régional Rhône-Alpes de l'Ademe
Only a change in our habits of consuming energy will enable us to rise up to the challenge of climatic change. Alongside national information campaigns, info-energy centers are trying to convince as many people as possible… and professionals in particular. The assessment…