Henkel executives were in Paris earlier this month for Earth University forum, which brought together more than 8,200 participants at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) worldwide headquarters in Paris. Jean-Baptiste Santoul, general manager of laundry & home care, Henkel France, participated in a debate called “From science to usage, let’s create a better world." Fruitful dialogues took place in conference rooms and at Henkel information booths, where representatives of Henkel France spoke with visitors about how the use of consumer products can contribute to a better environmental footprint.


Created in 2005, Earth University is a hub for reflection and discussion where citizens can find out about and discuss the planet’s foremost environmental, social, and economic challenges with leading experts and contributors over two days. At least 130 experts and recognized speakers from varied backgrounds – scientists, politicians, business representatives and NGOs – joined the event including Nicolas Hulot, special envoy of French President François Hollande for the protection of the planet and Jerome Bedier, deputy CEO of Carrefour Group. Amélie Vidal-Simi, president of Henkel France, participated in a roundtable focusing on work-life balance together with writer and psychanalyst Philippe Grimbert and Arnaud de Saint-Simon, CEO of Psychologies media group.


Before the event, the Henkel France leadership team gathered at the UNESCO headquarters with 120 team members involved in the Factor 3 action plan. It was a very emblematic location for an inspiring workshop to celebrate the achievements of the initiative that has already received recognition by winning several awards such as the LSA CSR and sustainability trophy. Henkel France’s participation at the event paves the way for an ambitious plan to further translate Henkel’s sustainability strategy into concrete local-level actions.