Both by Ring #15 - 🎸 How do we sleep while our beds are burning? 🔥
Featured with Erwan Le Méné, co-founder and CEO @Ecotree
Dear community,
Summer rimes with fire. It is now clear for everyone. Australia in 2019, France in 2022, and Canada in 2023: those are the irresistible reminders of climate change urgency – and each summer, we watch our forests and our beds burn 🎸. Now let’s act!
Talking about forests, did you know that France has never had as much forests in its territory as it has now? Nevertheless, the French are not immune to the huge issues linked with the forests: low potential of carbon sequestration, reduction in biodiversity, soil depletion… But there seem to be a path, at least Erwan Le Méné, co-founder of Ecotree, says so. And he is pretty convincing.
This is what BOTH is about: showing how people, companies, investors and institutions can act and play their part in this transition.
The interview
‘In 5 to 10 years, businesses will question the quality of their carbon footprint reduction efforts, rather than just the quantity.’
Erwan Le Méné, co-founder and CEO @Ecotree
What are the major challenges of reforestation?
The key issue is that while forests are plentiful in France, many owners, often older individuals with low income, struggle to maintain their forests due to rising living costs. Around 75% of forests belong to these individuals. Therefore, there's a great need to restore and maintain these forests. We need to repair areas with poor management, neglected sections, and non-reconstituted clear-cuts. The aim of Ecotree is to restore and renovate these assets, similar to rehabilitating a dilapidated building. Even though we have planted nearly 2 million trees since we started, it's a drop in the water. It however, demonstrates that progress is possible and gives companies a concrete way to combat climate change. Another major issue is the preservation and enhancement of biodiversity. Many people still view carbon sequestration as the main solution, but this misses the broader need for mixed forests and wetland restoration to increase biodiversity. We must balance our actions not just for carbon absorption, but also to provide a refuge for biodiversity.
In the headlines
‘It is time to act for a new environmental and social paradigm’
Our impact report reveals our conviction: it is time to act for a new environmental and social paradigm. Faced with the profound challenges that are disrupting both our planet and our societies, the response calls for radical actions. #Radicality means acting at “the roots of the problem”. At Ring Capital, we think that being radical is overturning the paradigm of corporate virtue by overcoming the “#ESG mirage”. We think that being radical is placing #impact at the core of business models.
Ring Capital's strength lies in our ecosystem of entrepreneurs developing solutions to the major challenges facing our society. We are very proud to support them in their development and to use finance to contribute to reconcile the living forces to find the path to collective prosperity. To do so, we have the support of our LPs, who have been committed on our side to build this new paradigm with the idea that putting impact at the core of the model is the key to create value in the next decades.
Top reads and resources:
😎 Who are the sustainability KOL?
For the first time, TheGood.fr has edited the TOP 50 of the french sustainability influencers: find Jean-Marc Jancovici, Emmanuel Faber and Raphaël Glucksmann at the top of this edition.
🌿Advocacy for a regenerative enterprise?
Discussion with Christophe Sempels, co-founder and CEO of Lumia, research and training center dedicated to regenerative enterprise.
⏰ “We can’t afford to take a break in the regulation”
Interview of Philippe Zaouati, CEO of Mirova, about the risks of slowing down in regulation on sustainable finance under the pressure of the advocates of business-as-usual.
👥 Konexio promotes apprenticeship (apprentissage)
Konexio is one of the non-profit organizations supported by Ring Foundation, Ring’s philanthropy fund. It promotes empowerment and connection through digital learning.
Since 2022, Konexio bets on apprenticeship to bring talents to jobs. They focus on two jobs: fullStack developer and network support technician.
You’re looking for new talents to join your team: see here the resume of the talents selected by Konexio.
See you next month ✌🏼