Sylvie Bénard "the real person responsible for sustainable development is the director of strategy" #15

2020/16/06

Doctor of Agronomic Sciences, Sylvie Bénard is one of the leading experts on the environment and ecological transition. Including responsible fashion. She began her career in the mid-1980s conducting research in microbiology for Hennessy, before becoming environmental director of the LVMH group, a position she will hold until March 2020. ADN is interviewing her on the occasion of the creation of her structure “La Dame à la licorne” and her new commitments, in particular with Paris Good Fashion.

“For me, the real person responsible for sustainable development is the director of strategy. He has to be able to have a medium and long-term vision. He has to be able to make his company evolve so that it is able to respond to the challenges linked to climate change and the erosion of biodiversity. There are real strategic questions. We are working on human pulp. And that has to be taken into account. The most complicated thing is not finding the right tools. It’s about transforming behaviors and changing the way employees see things, which is above all human. It takes time. You don’t do it overnight. It takes a minimum of six months to two years to live and transform an experience. Besides, for it to work well, you don’t have to be too radical at the start so as not to scare people. Otherwise, they will stop listening to you. You have to be soft in what you propose in the short term, then step up to the plate, keeping in mind that the first steps towards the medium and long term must be accepted and acceptable. You have to be diplomatic.”

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