INTERVIEW
Do not forget about ecology in the economic recovery. In a column published in the newspaper Le Monde , 92 leaders of large companies including LVMH, Sanofi and Air France-KLM call to take into account the objectives of ecological transition despite the economic crisis caused by the Covid-19. Florent Menegaux, CEO of the Michelin group which employs around 18,000 people in France, is one of the signatories of the forum. "The health crisis that we are experiencing at the moment has not stopped the climatic and biodiversity challenges of a world in which we have to respect the environment better," he said on Europe 1.
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Technology to solve ecological challenges
The group, present around the world, was exposed to coronavirus very early on in its factories in China. A situation that allowed the firm to organize itself in January. In France, production activities have already been revived for a few weeks. However, Florent Menegaux is not ready to make a concession for the recovery at any cost.
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"Michelin has been innovating every day for 130 years to improve what it does, and the services it provides to its customers and to society in general," he said. "Innovation is in our DNA. It is about believing in technology to solve part of the subjects that human activity creates itself. This positive character of a vision of technology at the service of individuals, we always had it and we continue to have it. "
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According to him, "the biodiversity deficit has a direct impact on the circulation of viruses". This health crisis should, on the contrary, convince us to do more tomorrow for the protection of the planet. "The fight against global warming, the reduction of the impact of human activity on the environment is absolutely essential for the preservation of our health", explains the CEO of the group. "Michelin never opposes health and economy, or ecology and economy."
An infinitely reusable mask
If on May 11, the tertiary activities of the Michelin group should resume, production activities were already restarted several weeks ago. And the production tools have been adapted to the manufacture of masks or protective visors for caregivers. In particular a "mask infinitely reusable". "It is a refillable mask with 100 refills included in its purchase price", details Florent Menegaux. "It will soon be available in large quantities for hospitals and we will have to wait a little later, probably towards the end of the summer, before it will be available to the public." This mask, named Ocov, is a FFP2.