Leadership commitment – communicating from the top? Annual and Sustainability Report 2009 Veolia Utilities France 2009 Annual and Sustainability Report Veolia Environnement’s four businesses interact to enable our company to take a global, responsible view of environmental solutions.” Message from Henri Proglio Chairman of the Board of Directors of Veolia Environnement If there is one thing I am sure of, it is the vital importance of Veolia’s activities in the world today and that of tomorrow. Our company stands at the heart of the major challenges facing our century, namely urban growth, dwindling resources and climate change. Our cities, now home to half the world’s population, are increasingly crowded and beset with a host of problems. Too often their infrastructures are obsolete or inadequate. Veolia Environnement’s mission, its business, is to improve people’s daily lives and prepare for their future. This has been an extraordinary human adventure over the past 10 years, as we have built up a company of more than 300,000 people, with revenues of €34.6 billion. But Veolia is recognized for more than just its expertise. It owes its successes over the past 10 years to its capacity to foresee and prepare for the future, so that it is now well equipped to confront the world that lies ahead. The company already and naturally embodies the emerging values of tomorrow’s world, namely conserving resources and recycling raw materials. Everywhere, too, we are encouraging the development of partnerships for the long term. Above all, and I must stress this especially, Veolia Environnement is committed to people. With our Campus, we are rolling back barriers to entry to the company in the name of equal opportunity and diversity. More broadly, wherever we act, we give pride of place to people, to their activities and their aspirations. Where others may lean toward resignation and pessimism, I take great comfort from the fact that our company is tangible evidence of humanity’s capacity to remain master of its fate. We have many strengths to achieve that, foremost among them being the people working for Veolia. Driven by a deep sense of service, and fully familiar with local conditions, they are continuously inventing new solutions and innovating daily. They work for an outstanding company that embodies 150 years of experience in 74 countries, capable of working with decision-makers and adapting to every type of local situation. Veolia truly sets the standard for responsiveness and innovation worldwide. Finally, its four businesses interact to enable our company to take a global, responsible view of environmental solutions. It is a source of great satisfaction to me that what began as a hope and an intuition—that water, waste management, energy and transportation were destined to come together to tackle the challenges of the environment effectively—has now become a reality, thanks to the talents comprising the company today. 8 Veolia Environnement 9 pp 8-9 The Chairman discusses Veolia’s strengths and abilities and how these have enabled the Company to take responsibility for global environmental solutions. As well as highlighting the operational strengths of the Company, the Chairman also refers to their people within the business and how this relationship is managed, to be mutually beneficial for both the Company and employees. 24 Integrated thinking in reporting
