During session 2 of the Provence Méditerranée Business Convention for Climate (CEC) course (cf. the first session), participants explored concrete ways to reorient their business models in the face of pressing environmental and social challenges. The common thread of this session was the introduction and appropriation of the regenerative economy, a concept that calls for going beyond the simple reduction of negative impacts to generate positive effects on ecosystems and the human communities that depend on them.
« Sobriety gives us a chance to be good ancestors »
Yamina Saheb
One of the most notable interventions was that of Yamina Sahebin the sumptuous setting of the Marseille History Museum. For the Science-Po researcher, member of the IPCC, ” sobriety gives us a chance to be good ancestors »: the warming resulting from our activities, which could reach up to +3°C on a global scale, will make certain territories uninhabitable because biodiversity and natural balances will have been destroyed. It is the livability of the planet that needs to be saved, not the planet. The new generations will then have little chance of reaching the age of their grandparents due to climate change… unless we change everything with a metamorphosis of society, based on sobriety.
The quest for sobriety for businesses (CEC credit)
With sobriety, we start from the need instead of thinking about solutions. In all scenarios, we need sobriety. Public policies make it possible to remove barriers to achieve metamorphosis. Sobriety is not austerity or precariousness, it questions the need: ” Sobriety is a set of policies and daily practices that avoid the demand for energy, materials, water, land while guaranteeing the well-being of all while respecting planetary limits.. »
Redman’s strategic shift
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Sophie Rossofrom the Redman company, this time intervened as part of the Epopée to share her experience as an alumni of the first edition of the Convention des Entreprises pour le Climat. Redman, now labeled B Corp and recognized as a mission-driven company, began its transformation in 2017. This transition was marked by a strategic shift towards rehabilitation rather than new construction, with an emphasis on bio-sourced constructions. This change required not only strong engineering, but also an evolution of internal practices, including significant renunciations, such as the abandonment of soil artificialization projects. Redman also decided not to retain employees who were not in line with this new direction, which paradoxically strengthened the commitment of the remaining teams.
During the conference hosted by Romain Cristofinidirector of Lumia, the emphasis was placed on the unique capacity of living things to regenerate naturally, unlike human creations that consume resources and generate disorder. The need for humans to stop overexploitation and to promote conditions conducive to the regeneration of ecosystems was illustrated by concrete examples, such as reforestation or the rehabilitation of urban wastelands. Regeneration was defined as putting life back at the center of decisions and actions, a principle to which regenerative companies can actively contribute. These companies, by integrating practices that respect living things, become key players in the restoration of ecosystems and human communities. The conference also highlighted the importance of conscious leaders to lead this profound transformation, requiring a paradigm shift in our relationship with living things.
Business for the climate: nature at the center
The session, hosted for its third day at the Cloître, was also enriched by the duo conference of Severine Fantapie and Emmanuel Delannoy on the regenerative economy. They insisted on the idea that nature, like a “supplier without invoice “, must be at the heart of new economic models. The transition to a regenerative economy is not limited to marginal adjustments but requires a real inversion of current economic priorities, putting cooperation and the creation of shared value at the heart of the process.
Emmanuel Delannoy and Sévérine Fantapie (Credit CEC)
This second meeting of the 60 companies committed to the climate concluded with a precious time with Noémie Aubron, futurist at Circa 2040, During her speech, she particularly insisted on the paradox that ” change has changed ” in that it has become systemic, rendering the reading grids of the 2000s obsolete, particularly in the face of the growing polarization of society. She explained that foresight moves away from linear thinking to imagine several possible futures: probable, plausible, preferable or desirable.
The Climate Business Convention course: an excellent anticipation tool
A striking example is that of Ikea, which no longer focuses on annual objectives, but on several scenarios anticipating various futures. Noémie Aubron mentioned the ” seeds of change » on which the foresight is based: the transition from a world of abundance and comfort to a world of resourcefulness, like the one where we would move from an omnipresent internet to a rare resource. She also introduced the notion of ” black elephants “, elements that are widely identified but not taken into account, and insisted on the need to develop collective empathy with the future, through tools such as design fiction and prospective fiction, to better understand emerging signals – particularly for businesses. In this respect, the course of the Convention des Entreprises pour le Climat is an excellent anticipation tool for businesses.
Business Climate Convention: An Urgent Call to Action
These concrete examples illustrated the feasibility of the transformation, while highlighting the challenges to be overcome, including the need for a profound change in mentalities and practices. The session reinforced the conviction that to succeed in this transition, a systemic and collective approach is essential, with a strong commitment on the part of business leaders to review their business models from a regeneration perspective. Session 3 of the Provence Méditerranée Business Convention for Climate will take place on September 12 and 13 at the Regain Center in Manosque, and will focus on how ” undertake with the living… »
Testimony from the Alumni community: continue the momentum with CORSICA Linea
CORSICA linea, alumni of CEC Provence Corse, has taken on the challenge of the regenerative question. A flagship concept of the CEC course to question a renewed vision of an economic model consistent with the environmental and societal challenges of the 21st century.
Before participating in the CEC, the Company was already committed to a trajectory of reducing the carbon footprint of its fleet of ships. The concept of regenerative economy has made it possible to broaden the scope of reflection to ask how we could, beyond reducing emissions, be producers of positive value in our ecosystems?
This is the new course that has been set : embark the company’s ecosystem in Corsica and the Mediterranean, to reduce CO2 emissions by 40% by 2030, move closer to NetZero in 2040, commit its actions in favor of biodiversity, while preserving the capacity to finance this energy transition. Around this pivot, six thematic levers have been defined and accompanied by measurable impact objectives and action plans to reach this new milestone.
As a practical example, concerning the lever of sobriety, it is a question of adapting the number of crossings, optimizing the size of the fleet and arbitrating the most appropriate operating choices with regard to the established environmental criteria. Thus, in addition to the increased ambition of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions, CORSICA Line has chosen to go much further in the medium-long term vision of its role as a maritime transporter within the framework of planetary limits, while ensuring the financial health of the company necessary for the change of direction.
CORSICA Linea’s “A Galeotta” ship, inaugurated in 2023, runs on LNG (Credit: Olivier Emran)
From Efficiency to Sobriety: The Quest for a Regenerative Economy
As the world grapples with the pressing environmental and social challenges, businesses are being called upon to reorient their models and adopt more sustainable and regenerative practices. The concept of a regenerative economy, which goes beyond mere reduction of negative impacts to generate positive effects on ecosystems and human communities, is gaining traction. This article explores the key takeaways from the Provence Méditerranée Business Convention for Climate (CEC) course, where participants delved into the importance of sobriety, regeneration, and a regenerative economy.
The Imperative of Sobriety
Yamina Saheb, a Science-Po researcher and IPCC member, emphasized that “sobriety gives us a chance to be good ancestors.” With the current warming trend, certain territories may become uninhabitable due to the destruction of biodiversity and natural balances. It is essential to save the livability of the planet, not just the planet itself. Sobriety is not about austerity or precariousness, but rather about questioning our needs and adopting policies and daily practices that minimize energy, material, water, and land consumption while ensuring well-being and respecting planetary limits [[1]].
Regenerative Economy: A New Paradigm
The regenerative economy is about putting life at the center of decisions and actions, rather than merely reducing negative impacts. Companies can contribute to the restoration of ecosystems and human communities by integrating practices that respect living things. This fundamental shift requires conscious leaders who can lead the transformation, which involves a paradigm shift in our relationship with living things.
Concrete Examples of Regenerative Practices
Redman, a B Corp and mission-driven company, shared its experience of transforming its business model to prioritize rehabilitation over new construction, with an emphasis on bio-sourced constructions. This change required significant renunciations, such as abandoning soil artificialization projects, and an evolution of internal practices. The company’s commitment to regeneration strengthened its teams and