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programmes. This is how the protection of biodiversity will be fully integrated into constantly and rapidly changing value chains.

While their high environmental impact means that companies are the first in line to act, protecting living organisms remains everyone s business. It is therefore vital that we communicate information, share knowledge and raise awareness by encouraging dialogue between all stakeholders. Firstly, within the company to pass this culture on to employees, and then among the general public through partnerships with NGOs and the academic community.

Water resource management: a model of the interactions between a company and its ecosystem

One of the challenges of this dialogue lies in explaining the link between biodiversity and the circular economy. And, I would like to offer a second illustration: water management. For indeed, what is more essential to the development of life than water? Although the circular economy model is more commonly associated with materials, it also aims to optimise water consumption, expand its use and preserve the quality of its resources.

In this respect, the evolution of the wastewater treatment plant towards an ever-increasing consideration of the living world is quite revealing. Initially, the wastewater treatment plant had a purely hygienic function. It aimed to rid urban wastewater of its organic pollution in order to restore it as clean as possible to the receiving environment (river, lake, sea ) and thus to keep away from cities the risks of epidemics especially cholera.

Companies must explicitly take biodiversity into account in their research and innovation programmes.

CHALLENGE

Inspired by wetlands, the Libellule zone provides complementary wastewater treatment while maintaining biodiversity

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