Inroads of Transition – Sustainable development
As an international industrial group, Vallourec is fully aware of its impact and its role in helping to build a more sustainable, resilient and responsible world – a venture in which it involves its employees, customers, investors, suppliers and all of its stakeholders.
THE INTERVIEW
Vallourec has been working to promote sustainable development for more than 10 years. What is your view on the distance traveled so far and the road ahead?
Corinne Willecomme: The first milestones were set in 2008, with the launch of the GreenHouse project, which aimed to reduce energy consumption in our production processes. Since 2010, our initiatives have been taken within the framework of the United Nations Global Compact. In 12 years, we have managed to reduce our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 17%. Of course, we intend to go further. That is why we made a commitment, in 2017, to reduce our GHGs by 25% by 2025 to be in line with the Paris Agreements and, more recently, COP26.
What does that major commitment mean in practice at Group level?
C. W.: For Vallourec, to have an impact on its direct and indirect emissions, it means actions at all levels of its business. It also involves stepping up our energy savings, investing in green electricity, developing processes to reduce our methane emissions from the production of vegetable charcoal in Brazil, identifying less carbon-intensive supply chains for steel in China, working with our logistics suppliers to optimize road and sea transportation for our products… Basically, we are acting across the board.
How is this approach also making Vallourec more competitive?
C. W.: Firstly, our convictions, our actions and our transparency mean that we are now recognized as a leading player, committed to CSR. This recognition comes from external organizations (such as EcoVadis and MSCI), which rank us among the best in our industry, as well as from our customers, who are also very much looking to us for support during this period of profound transformation. These changes therefore present an important means of boosting our profile and attractiveness, especially since they are driving us to innovate. For instance, we are exploring new areas of sustainable growth in the field of renewable energies (see opposite). We are also making significant R&D efforts, in terms of our low-carbon tubes and biogenic products in Brazil, for example.
Equally importantly, CSR also means striving to be a responsible employer, one that supports the professional development of all its employees. From that perspective, our Women@Vallourec initiative, which promotes women within the Group, has set itself the target of increasing diversity in order to boost our performance and innovation.
What would be the key success factor to further speed up this transition?
C. W.: Collective action! The social and environmental changes we are facing are unavoidable. We therefore need to involve everyone in the company. We also sense very high expectations from our teams, which is why we have recently carried out actions (webinars, workshops, etc.) to share this growing awareness and align our knowledge of these issues. And this concerns all employees – on the ground, in offices, right up to the Executive Committee. At all levels, we all have a part to play in this transition.
less greenhouse gas emissions between 2017 and 2025. Target and trajectory validated by the scientists of the SBTi (Science Based Targets initiative) in May 2020.
Recognized and award-winning commitments
Vallourec has once again received recognition in 2021 for its social and environmental commitments:
- Reaffirmed leadership position in the CDP’s A list
- Winner at the first Energy ESG Top Performer Awards in the “Public Services” category
- Fourth place in the Challenges-Statista “Climate Champions” ranking
