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The ARCH and Climate Fresks groundbreaking awareness initiatives inspiring stakeholders to take action

To contribute to sustainable boating, building awareness on climate stakes among all our stakeholders is a priority. Our employees and partners shared some innovative experiences this year: from getting on board for a seminar focused on the green transition to taking part in a Climate Fresk workshop, our Group is committed to boating that is more respectful of the planet, oceans and people.

All aboard for the climate

The ARCH aims to promote 100 solutions for the planet by bringing together businesses, employees, solution providers, citizens and associations. As the event’s marine partner, we linked up with more than 3,000 people who share our commitment to finding new sustainable ways to move forward, on board the Euribia liner, powered by natural gas. An opportunity for our Group to present, when boarding in Saint-Nazaire, its latest innovation: the Mini 6.5, a competition boat designed using Elium® recyclable resin (ARKEMA) and fiberglass combined with flax fibers.

Major in-house mobilization

Production operators, experts, sales teams, partners, suppliers… We wanted to bring our entire ecosystem on board for this adventure, working together to build our roadmap for 2030. Between conferences and workshops, our crew worked on various pathways for taking action, looking at how to incorporate climate stakes into our activity, identifying the impacts and opportunities, and fostering cooperation on a wide scale. On their return, our “archers” shared their experience with more than 700 staff in-house and we organized “The Arch 2” event to scale up this initiative.

Our solutions presented to the European Parliament

On June 7, 2023, a delegation of the Group’s staff and partners was welcomed in Brussels by Catherine Chabaud, a European Member of Parliament and keen sailor. An exceptional opportunity to represent our company and contribute to the discussions surrounding the environmental challenges and stakes involved at European level. Three core pillars from our roadmap were presented: supporting sailing as a sustainable propulsion solution, accompanying the changes in the way recreational boats are used, and offering a European future for successful French initiatives such as the APER decommissioning channel.

Climate Fresk, inspiring us to take action!

Iwona Iwasko
Management Controller

At the end of 2023, more than 500 of our staff were made more aware of the climate challenges and stakes involved after the Climate Fresk initiative was rolled out in-house. To lead these workshops, 18 ambassador employees have now been trained on this method. Iwona Iwasko, management controller at our Polish site, was able to share this experience.

What is a Climate Fresk workshop?

This is an original method for looking at the stakes involved with the green transition. Like a combination of a board game, collective intelligence workshop and accelerated theoretical training. With cards and images, you create a fresco incorporating the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report. Then, you identify the individual and professional contributions and areas for improvement that could be put in place.

How do these workshops support the emergence of collective intelligence within the Group?

Creativity, knowledge sharing, discussions on possible solutions and carbon footprint metrics: each participant contributes their opinions and insights. The workshop pushes us to identify common solutions and areas to be looked into. An excellent way of enabling all of the Group’s stakeholders to contribute to our CSR strategy.

What are your takeaways from this experience?

Looking at protecting the environment during a financial seminar is quite unusual! And this was a first within the Group. More than 45 staff from France and other countries took part. This was a great opportunity for exchanges with colleagues, as well as with partner companies around this fundamental challenge. In addition to building our collective awareness, the workshop helped us become aware of how our day-to-day choices impact the environment. While also identifying practical solutions for how to reduce these impacts.

What would you say to anyone who might be hesitating to get involved?

The Climate Fresk is a bit like if the IPCC took just three hours to explain to us global warming, the challenges we face and the concrete actions we can take in our day-to-day life. But with a much more fun approach! You share a positive human experience, you learn and you find the catalyst inspiring you to take action, both individually and collectively. And within our Group, you can register for a session throughout the year.