Interview: Catherine Chevauché, Climate and Circular Economy Manager at SUEZ France

Catherine Chevauché #SheLeadsTheChange  

• What is your project/organisation about and what do you love about it?  

I’m in charge of the 1.5°C Trajectory for SUEZ. The challenge was first to identify our greenhouse gases emissions (direct and indirect) at a worldwide scope for all SUEZ waste and water activities. Then we defined a strategy to reduce them as far as possible to contribute to the neutrality by 2050. The first step is the -45% by 2030.  

Another challenge is to lead the international standardisation committee (ISO TC 323) on circular economy including more than 80 countries. Our goal is to publish the first comprehensive standards’ package by 2023.  

See: https://www.iso.org/committee/7203984.html 

• How does it contribute to improve the environment?  

These actions contribute to a better environment by promoting awareness within the company, pushing alternative mode of production and consumption and involving all stakeholders. 

• What other women have inspired you in your career? 

The first woman inspiring me was Alexandra David-Néel. I read some of her books when I was teenager. She was curious, erudite, moving forward despite the social conventions of her time. She was orientalist, Tibetologist, opera singer and feminist, journalist, and anarchist. She was the first western woman to reach Lhasa (Tibet) in 1924. 

• What challenges have you faced in your professional journey that could help others?  

You must know how to reach out to people and exchange, cross-fertilise knowledge and not stay in your own field of experience. Sharing and communicate are key to create a space of confident. That is a great challenge! You must be able to challenge yourself by sharing with people. 

• What kind of support have you found helpful in advancing your career? 

Really challenging question! Unfortunately, it’s a question of people you meet or not, a question of network…