Tribune: 300 actors from the impact and economic worlds advocate for prioritizing ecology for our shared future

Published in Les Echos on March 18, 2024

Gathered at the initiative of ChangeNOW, 300 stakeholders from the impact and economic world are calling for overcoming divisions and positioning ecology and planetary boundaries as fundamental principles upon which society must build and organize itself, for a sustainable future.

In a constantly evolving world, where challenges are multiplying and becoming more complex, ecology is often perceived as an additional constraint, a moral luxury reserved for some or for times of prosperity. Not only is this view reductive, but also dangerous. It artificially pits ecology against other fields such as agriculture, industry or the economy, as current events remind us. As if protecting our environment required us to sacrifice everything else.

However, ecology from the Greek โ€œoikosโ€ (house) and โ€œlogosโ€ (science), is none other than the science of our common home, the framework in which all life on earth is governed. It is intrinsic to every aspect of our existence: moving, producing, consuming, are all ecological acts because we are always operating within the limits of our living world. Ecology concerns everyone. It touches on all aspects of our daily lives, impacting our common existence and our economic system. As such, it is intrinsically political.

With nearly 50% of the global population heading to the polls in 2024, it is crucial that environmental issues are neither overshadowed nor exploited. Rather than using ecology to sow division and discord, it is imperative to realize that it forms the shared foundation on which we all depend.

Ignoring ecological principles risks becoming โ€˜out of touch,โ€™ disconnected from the physical realities that frame our existence and widening the social divide caused by the consequences of climate change. Science teaches us that every action has its effects, and ecology applies this principle to all living beings and our interaction with them.

It is therefore imperative to adopt planetary boundaries as a guide for our development. Not as a brake, but as a necessity to build a sustainable, fairer future that leaves no one behind.

It is in this spirit that we, entrepreneurs, leaders, investors, members of NGOs, activists, experts, artists, athletes and citizens from all walks of life, will gather in large numbers at ChangeNOW from March 25 to 27 in Paris around concrete solutions, to transcend the sterile confrontation between ecology and progress, and demonstrate a common commitment to building a sustainable and more humane world.

In a world that pushes us to polarize, to divide, threatening the very existence of our democracies, two elements unite us all: ecology and humanity. Ecology, as the science of our common home, because it defines, like a physical law, the framework in which we live. Humanity, because it defines, like a moral law, what we all are.

It is time to consider ecology not as a constraint, but as the foundation of our common future.

An opinion paper signed by 300 players from the impact and business worlds, brought together by ChangeNOW.

Signatories of the tribune:

Emilie Alberola, Director EcoAct Southern Europe, EcoAct

Grรฉgoire Alston, Co-Founder & CEO, ReSoil

Monica A. Altamirano de Jong, Director, Climate Impact, WaterEquity

Theo Alves Da Costa, Co-President, Data For Good, Head of AI for Sustainability, Ekimetrics

Amandine Hersant, General Manager, Planete Urgence

Harena Johussa Andriatsaramanana, Sales assistant, Bรดndy International

Yasir Arafat, Co Founder and COO, AponTech Ltd.ย 

Baptiste Arribe, Co-Founder, The New Materialist

Felipe Arriola, CEO, BioEsol

Raphael Ascoli, Architect, Blue Temple

Pascal Asselin, Co-founder, MORFO

Cรฉdric Aussaresses, Co-founder, FairTrotter

Mina Awad, Commercial Enablement Lead, Plan A

Nils Bachmann, Co-Founder, PROSERVATION GmbH

Marlene Badenhorst, CEO, SlideLuvre

Thomas Bajas, Investment Director, Founders Future

Nicolas Banchet, CEO, Zeplug

Alice Barbe, CEO, Acadรฉmie des Futurs Leaders

Nurra Barry, CEO, Carbon Saver

Fabrice Barthรฉlemy, CEO, Tarkett

Assaf Ben Or, CEO, Greeneum

CATHERINE BENACIN, Fondatrice, Social 3.0

Jahawi Bertolli, Founder, East African Ocean Explorersย 

Maeva BESSIS, CEO, LA CASERNE

James Bidwell, CEO, Springwise

Philippe Birker, COO & Co-founder, Climate farmersย 

Camille Blin-Oudard, Project manager international development, ROSI

Ivonne Bojoh, CEO, Circle Economy

Sara Bonnet, Directrice de la communication, Circul’R

Benedikt Bรถsel, Founder, Gut & Bรถsel // FInck Foundation

Josรฉphine Bouchez, Co-founder & CEO, Ticket for Change

Augustin Boulot, Dรฉlรฉguรฉ Gรฉnรฉral, B Lab France (B Corpโ„ข)

Lucile Brachet, Co-directrice, 50 Partners Impact

Georg Breitenberger, Founder, ParaStruct

Tim Breker, Co-Founder & Managing Director, VYTAL Global GmbH

Thomas Breuzard, Directeur permaentreprise, Norsys

Edward Brial, CEO, Materra

Thomas Bruno, Project Manager, Cleantech Open France

Bonnie Burnham, President, Cultural Heritage Finance Alliance

Nicolas Carlรฉsi, CEO & Founder, IADYS

Nicolas Celier, Managing Partner, Ring Capital

Thibault Chabert, Marketing Manager, Publicis Sapient

Olympeย  Chabert, Co-founder, SmartBack

Valรฉrie Chabot, Coordonnatrice projets internationaux, Coop FA

Elsa Chai, Co-founder, OpenClimat

Ram Chaitanya, CEO, Ecowiser

Linda Chanussot, CMO, Cycle Up

Bertrand Charpentier, Volunteer, The Shifters

Caroline Cheng, Co-Founder, Yi Design Company Limited

Flore Cholley, Global ESG & Sustainable Development Director, EDENREDย 

Silja Chouquet, Chief Commercial Officer, Artidis

Antoine Clรฉment, Secretary of Works Council Environmental Committee, SAP France

Julien Clery, Head of CSR, DS Smith

Bella Collins, Brand & Strategy Director, Flexi-Hex

Zoe Colosimo, COO, Neighbourly

Constance Cordier, Curator, Global Shapers Paris

Xavier Criel, Board member, Planet on Stage

Leanne Cullen-Unsworth, CEO, Project Seagrass

Elsa Da Costa, CEO, Ashoka France

Jรฉrรฉmie Dalibot, Business Creation Manager, EIT Manufacturing

Fabio Dalmonte, CEO, SEADS-Sea Defence Solutions S.r.l.

Stephanie De Beaumont, DGD, PHITRUST

Christian De Boisredon, Prรฉsident, Fondateur, Sparknews

Carine de Boissezon, Vice President, C3D

Nicolasย  de Brabandรจre, Founder, Urban Forest Europeย 

Matthieu de Lesseux, CEO, La Belle Forรชt

Chuck de Liedekerke, CEO, Soil Capital

Carine de Meyere, Founder & CEO, Women of the Worldย 

Maxime de Rostolan, Directeur de Sailcoop, fondateur de La Bascule

Julien de Sousa, Founder, Panache

Martin de Stoppani, CEO, Abundant Earth

Evolรฉna de Wilde dโ€™Estmael, Co-founder & CEO, Faircadoย 

Clรฉment DEBOSQUE, Co-founder, Ma Petite Planรจte

Antoine Degavre, CEO, Urban Youth Games

Michelle Del Valle, CEO, FinSat

Louise-Oceane Delion, Chargรฉe de communication, Women for Sea

Jean Despax, Directeur Investissement, 50 Partners Impact

Jorden D’hulster, CEO, The Green Revolution

Romain Diaz, General Partner, Satgana

Anne Dijkstra Sta van Uiter, Co-founder, Feelou

Xavier Dommange, Dirigeant, Coeur et Canopรฉe

Tony Donne, Former CEO, EUROfusion

Jeimila Donty, Founder & CEO, Koraรฏ

Gabrielle Doussaint, Student, Emlyon Business Schoolย 

Philippe du Payrat, Co-founder, 4jours.work (1er pilote en France ๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท)

Alice du Verne, founder, Zest for Life

Anne-Sophie Dubanton, Associรฉe, Life Flowing

Vanessa Duchatelle, Co-founder and CEO, ScholaVie

Florent Ducos, Directeur, 50 Partners Impact

Jeremy Dumont, Fondateur, NOUS SOMMES VIVANTS

Stรฉphanie Dupuy-Lyon, Directrice de l’engagement sociรฉtal, Groupe La Poste

Eric Duverger, Founder, CEC (Convention des Entreprises pour le Climat)

Eylรผl ER, Co-founder, CEO, PALGAE

Gunnlaugur Erlendsson, Founder & CEO, ENSO

Gonzalo Escudero, co-founder and CMO, Recovo Lab S.L

Daniela Fernandez, Founder & CEO, Sustainable Ocean Alliance

Fionn Ferreira, CEO, Fionn & Co.

Sophie FILLET, HEAD OF EVENT PARNTENRSHIPS, SOCIETE GENERALE

Sabine Flechet, Co-Founding Partner, Masawa

Cรฉdric Franรงois, CEO, EQUIUM

Lena Frank, Head of Menstruation Education, WASH Unitedย 

Quentin Franque, CMO, MORFO

Sammy Fry, Head of Climate, Tech Nation

Cyril Garcia, Head of Global Sustainability Services and Corporate Responsibility โ€“ Member of the Group Executive Board, Capgemini

Diana Garcia, Managing Director, Quest studio

Maelle Garrido, Directrice, NASKAS RP

Luigi Gatti, Partenariats, commercial et opรฉrationnel, FairTrotter

Shana Gavron, CEO, Endangered Wildlife OU

Marie Geneste, Founder, The C Collective

Iyad Ghanem, Digital Transformation Director, Publicis Sapient

Nora Gherbi, Founder, WHo CARES!? Chronicles

Gaspard Gilbert, Co-Founder & Business Manager, MAASH S.A.

Eduardo Gonzalez, CEO, Green Box

Santiago Gowland, CEO, Rainforest Alliance

Aude Grasset, Board Director, Planet on Stage, Founder & Sustainability Consultant, Uncle Ltd

Jean-Baptiste Grassin, Managing Director, Nomad Plastic

Monica Griso Schrรถtter, Founder, Fond of goodย 

Maja Groff, Convenor, Climate Governance Commission

Isabelle Grosmaitre, Founder, CEO, Goodness & Co

Christopher Guรฉrin, CEO, Nexans

Alex GUILLUY, Prรฉsident, Les Alchimistes

Shawn Guttman, Founder & CEO, Project Didi

ERIC HALIMI, CEO, EMERGENCE SOLAR

Aron Handreke, Founder & CEO, ContainerGrid GmbH

Veeral Hardev, VP Corporate Strategy, Ubiquitous Energy, Inc.

Anu Harkki, European Climate Pact Ambassador, EU

Adrian Haworth, CMO, Gazelle Wind Power

Kamna Hazrati, Founder, AndPurpose

Michael Henriksen, CEO, Wavepiston

Julian Hertrampf, Marketing & HR, eeden GmbH

Yvan Husson, Sales and Marketing Director, Okamac

Susan Israel, CEO & Founder, Climate Creatives

ABAH ViCTOR ITOA, Conservator, ECOSPHERE CONSERVATION Foundationย 

Lukas Jasiunas, CEO, Ecorbio

Jonathan Jennings, CEO, Health In Harmony

Kate Johnstone, CEO, Natural Habitat Bank

Elodie Jolivet, Directrice de la Communication, Sparknews

Moez Jomรขa, Founder & CEO, INFINITE

Camille Kaboulou, Chargรฉe de mรฉcรฉnat, Premiรจre Urgence Internationale

Galitt Kenan, Executive Director, Jane Goodall Institute France

Clรฉmence Knaรฉbel, Publicis Sapient

Vincent Kraus, Co-Founder of FEVE (Fermes En Vie), FEVE

Eugene Kuzmenko, Head of Engineering, Geodesic.Life

Vincent Lamanna, CEO, Crewdle

Thibault Lamarque, CEO, Castalie

Dan Lammot, CEO & Co-founder, threshold.world & b.world

Jacques LAMOINE, Gestionnaire de communautรฉ et relation client, Association 1er degrรฉ

Sรฉverine LARROUY, Co-Founder, JASH Partenaire

Santiago Lefebvre, Prรฉsident fondateur, ChangeNOW

Erwan Le Mรฉnรฉ, Chairman, EcoTree

Mathilde Le Roy, COO, ReGeneration

Arthur Le Vaillant, Founder, GENERATION 21ย 

Tristan Lecomte, Founder, Second Life

Antoine Leguin, Sales / development, 1% for the Planet

Clarisse LELONG, Partner, Deloitte

Antonin LEONARD, Partner, Asterion Ventures

Raphaรจle Leroy, Directrice Engagement dโ€™entreprise, BNP Paribas Banque Commerciale en Franceย 

Amaury Lethu, Secrรฉtaire gรฉnรฉral et trรฉsorier, 1er degrรฉ

Guillaume Leti, CEO and cofounder, Carbonable

Beatrice LEVEQUE, Founder, LOOK SHARP

Christian Lim, Managing Director, SWEN Capital Partners I Blue Ocean

Joshua Linn, CEO, The Ocean Package

Birgit Marie Liodden, Founder & Chief Mermaid, The Ocean Opportunity Lab AS

Pierre Louette, Prรฉsident Directeur Gรฉnรฉral Groupe Les Echos-Le Parisien

Rose-May Lucotte, Co-fondatrice, ChangeNOW

Buvat Ludivine, Chief of Marketing, Communication and CSR Officer, Reforest’Action

Paul LUU, Executive Secretary, 4 per 1000 international Initiative

Bertier Luyt, Cofondateur, Adesio

Revd Jide Macaulay, Founder & CEO, House of Rainbow CIC

Prosper Magali, Head, Innovation and Strategic Growth, Ensol Tz Ltd

Sรฉbastien Maire, CEO, France Ville Durable

Emilie Malek, Marketing Manager, CompPair

Jasmine Manet, CEO, Youth Forever

Mahรฉva Manganaro, Prรฉsidente, CEO, FairTrotter

Edouard Mathieu, Sales, Le Printemps des Terres

Ludovic Maugรจre, Campaign manager, On Est Prรชt

Tammy Mayer, Director/Founder, One Climate Action

Ajay Menda, CEO France, Greenmood

Nithya Menon, Head of Product and Technology, Okra Solar

Gesa Miczaika, General Partner, Auxxo Female Catalyst Fund

Vanessa Molia, Sales Manager, Newcy

Camille Mommer, Co-Founder, Natura Mater

Laurence Monnoyer-Smith, Head of Sustainable development, CNES

Victor Mora, Investment Director, 50 Partners Impact

Mathilde Moulin, CEO, Geopure

Elizabeth Myers, Founder & CEO, Mฤ€DI

Hechem Nadjar, CEO & co-founder, Enhywhere

Shahriar Najafian, Founder & CEO, Green Energy Development Co.

Sarah Newman, Executive Director, Climate Mental Health Network

Caroline NEYRON, Directrice Gรฉnรฉrale du Mouvement IMPACT France, Mouvement IMPACT France

Maya Noรซl, Managing Director, France Digitale

Sรฉbastien Nunes, CEO, ClimateSeed

Nico Occhiminuti, President, Waves of Change

Marine Olacia, Founder, SAO textile

Jacquelyn Omotalade, Climate Investments National Director, Dream.Org

Alfred Opio, CEO and Founder, KAINOafrica

Pierre PAGEOT, Directeur Gรฉnรฉral Transition รฉcologique, Groupe SOS

Boaz Paldi, Chief Creative Officer, United Nations Development Programme

Deborah Pardo, Impact scientist, Leaders d’envergure

Axel PAUGAM, Head of Impact Investment, GROUPE SOS

Magali Payen, Fondatrice, On est prรชt, Imagine 2050

Caecilie Hougaard Pedersen, Programme Manager, Challenge Works

Rebecca Percasky, CEO, The Better Packaging Co

Fanny Picard, President, alter equity

Julien Pierre, CEO, Fair Play For Planet

Brune Poirson, Group Chief Sustainability Officer, Accor

Jenny Poulter, Senior Associate, Volans

Mickael Pourteau, CEO, Takats’Eau

Angel Prieto, Membre, Pour un rรฉveil รฉcologique

Celine Puff Ardichvili, DG and Partner, LOOK SHARP

Valeria Ramundo Orlando, Managing Partner, Greensquare Ventures

Anne Ravanona, CEO, Global Invest Her

Rebecca Ravenni, Investment Associate, Techstars Sustainability Paris

Katrin Redmann, Regional hub lead Paris, Encourageventuresย 

Maรฏlys Reneaume, Teacher, Ecole de la Transition / Teachers for the planetย 

Celia Rennesson, Founder and Managing Director, Rรฉseau Vrac et Rรฉemploi

Ingmar Rentzhog, Founder & CEO, WeDontHaveTime.org

Bruno Resseguier, Agile Transformation Consultant – Director of training academy, Publicis Sapient

Maxime Richรฉ, Artist Photographer, Maxime Richรฉ

Christopher Ridgewell, CEO, AW-Energy

Carole Riehl, CEO, Optic for Good

Cรฉdric Ringenbach, fondateur de la Fresque du Climat

Katie Roche, Communications Lead, Unreasonable

Binta Rodrigues, CEO, Balenti

Jenny Romano, Co-Founder, CEO, The Newsroom

Nastassia Romano LC, Consultant / Business Development / Strategy & Partnerships, NRLC BizDev For Good

Benjamin Rombaut, CEO, Sand to Green

Alain Roumilhac, President, Southern Europe, ManpowerGroup

Laura Rousse, Rรฉfรฉrente emploi-autisme, Auticon

Nonette Royo, Executive Director, Tenure Facility

Samuel Rubin, Co-Founder, Entertainment and Culture Pavilion

Jeff Russakow, President, Getaround

Denis Saada, Prรฉsident, BETTERWAY

Brieuc Saffrรฉ, Founder, Circulab

Maiko Schaffrath, Founder & CEO, Impact Hustlers

Jean-Michel Scheuren, CEO, Novobiom

Vitalie Schiopu, Co-founder & CTO, ClimateCamp

Michel Scholte, Director & Cofounder True Price & Impact Institute, True Price & Impact Instituteย ย ย 

Nicolas Sdez, CEO, PRONOE

Brice Sendra, CEO, Demet’air

Jonathan Seror, Responsable Projet รฉvรจnementiel, La Poste

Liesse Shimanawe, Finance and Accounting Director, Greening Burundi

Christian Sigmund, CEO, WILDPLASTICยฎ

Carla Sipp, Marketing, FairTrotter

Katarzyna Sobierajska, marketing assistant, SYSTEM 3E

Moody Soliman, CEO & Co-founder, Ryp Labs

Carry Somers, Writer, speaker, activist, League of Artisans

Anil Soni, CEO, WHO Foundationย 

Taylor Souter, Owner, Souter Services

Gergana Stancheva, Co-founder and COO, LAM’ONย 

Wilhelm Stein, CEO, Sunmaxx PVT GmbH

Aaron Stevenson, CEO, Ashored Innovations

Sabine Stuiver, CMO & Co-founder, Hydraloop

Mรฉlanie Sueur Sy, Directrice Gรฉnรฉrale, Enactus France

Franรงois Taddei, President, Learning Planet Instituteย 

Kevin Tayebaly, Co-fondateur, ChangeNOW

Daniela TEJADA-VENEGAS, Brand and Communications Director, Count Us In

Adina Teleuca, Founder, Toboro

Julien Tessier, Directeur Exรฉcutif, Karbonpath

Pauline THEVENOT, Communication & Marketing Manager, IADYS

Benoit Tholence, Co-founder, Sanka Cycle

Einar Thorsteinsson, Mayor, The City of Reykjavik

Valรฉrie Tiersen, Founder & CEO, Green Score Capital

Mathieu Toulemonde, CEO, Agoterra

Romain Troublรฉ, Executive Director, Fondation Tara Ocรฉan

Anastasia Usova, Founder & CEO, TomorrowPackย 

Cynthia Vallayer, Responsable RSE, Tallano Technologies

Stijn van der Linden, Impact Developer, Paper on the Rocks

Anne Pleun van Eijsden, CEO, Paper on the Rocksย 

Ananta Vangmai, CEO, Revivebattery bv

Dani Varadi, President, Climate Protectorsย 

Etienne Variot, Cofounder CEO, Regen Insight

Louis Vicart, volunteer, Waves of Change

Jean-Christophe Vidal, Deputy CEO, Konexio

Vincent Villet, Green IT expert, Publicis Sapient

Harry Waters, Founder, Renewable English

Helen Watts, Executive Director, Student Energy

Molly Webster, Director of Marketing, Arbimon & Rainforest Connection

Melati Wijsen, Founder, Bye Bye Plastci Bags and YOUTHTOPIAย 

Nora Wilhelm, Founder, Paraymaย 

Adi Yeh, CEO, Fabumin

Shu Zhang, CEO, Pandobac

Carole Zibi, VP Marketing, Plan A

Alexander Zรผst, Founder, Head of Business, Zurich Soft Robotics GmbH