SD Vision - Halyps Cement

ole of public procurement is often underemphasized
or ignored in this dynamic, yet is it tremendously
important and worth emphasizing as an
excellent way to drive demonstration and implementation
of eco-innovation and consequent
green growth. From basic purchasing policies
to use of public buildings as demonstrators and
models of responsible renovation and resource use,
well-managed public procurement can both serve
public needs and pull innovation from upstream
R&D actors. Beyond procurement policies, there
are special opportunities for governments to drive
real innovation in large-scale public-private partnerships,
far beyond implementation of current
best practices. Governments can put in place
enhanced environmental performance standards
for pilot projects in urban redevelopment. Pilot
areas of this type are wonderful opportunities to
encourage private sector actors to absorb and
learn to use eco-innovations, while ensuring
that implementation of technical innovations is
carried out in a socially responsible way, balancing
«eco» with «equo» to create livable, attractive
human environments whose eco-system service
demands are sustainable.
Do you believe that eco-innovation can be
a key to companies’ competitive advantage
on top of representing a necessary
response to the increasing environmental
challenges of our day?
Eco-innovation is certainly a source of competitive
advantage, in straightforward terms of effective
use of available new materials, products and
processes. Further advantages can be secured
from early preparation for increasingly stringent
environmental performance standards. It
also bears mentioning that consumers are
often willing to pay more for environmentally
responsible products – changing public attitudes
and tolerance may mean the end of businesses
which do not adapt to these new expectations.
And, perhaps most importantly, we are not
too far from a global treaty on greenhouse gas
emissions: an event which will produce winning
and losing businesses, where the winners are
those ready to thrive in a low-carbon global
business environment.
In your opinion companies operating
in developed countries are investing
enough in environmental research and
in the development of new products and
processes?
This is a diffi cult question. Many French fi rms
invest in internal R&D then used by highlyskilled
workers in development of products and
processes for sale in domestic and international
markets. We have long enjoyed a leading international
position as a productive economy thanks
In our urban
society, city
transport,
building and
communication
systems can
all be improved
to function
better while
demanding
less from our
environment.
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