Alex Giolo, CEO of Decathlon Egypt
The French leading sports retailer Decathlon, jointly with LYNX Strategic Business Advisors and the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Egypt (CCIFE) organized a roundtable titled "The Role of French Companies in Supporting Egypt's Sustainability Priorities." The event was hosted at the French Ambassador's residence to mark the commencement of the French Sustainability Series.
This first event focused on the pressing topics of sustainable packaging and waste management. Sponsored by Decathlon Egypt, the event brought together key stakeholders from the Egyptian government, private sector, and development partners to discuss policies, share best practices, and explore future collaborations.
H.E. Eric Chevallier French Ambassador to Egypt
In his opening remarks, H.E. Ambassador Eric Chevallier stressed the role of the public sector, private sector, and civil society in combatting climate change and the energy transition. Alex Giolo, CEO of Decathlon Egypt conveyed the youthful spirit of the company, reminding the audience of the core values of sustainability and human development. Both Karim Wissa (CCIFE) and Mohamed Hanafi (LYNX) empathized the importance of the French Sustainability Series that ensue from the “White Paper of French Companies in Egypt” presented to the Minister of Environment during COP 27. This comprehensive document highlighted the role French companies played in advancing Egypt's sustainable development goals. It emphasized crucial areas such as sustainable transport, green energy transition, waste management, water scarcity, financing transparency, and sustainable cities.
Finally, Dr Karim Morsy delivered the keynote speech on behalf of H.E. Dr. Yassmine Fouad Minister of Environment, stressing the role played by the Ministry in creating an enabling environment for the private sector to participate in combatting climate change and tackling waste management.
The event witnessed insightful presentations from prominent French companies, including Decathlon, L'Oréal, and Bel Group. These industry leaders shared their sustainability policies, visions, and successful partnerships with Egyptian stakeholders. Decathlon hailed the cooperation with the Egyptian Organization for Standardization and Quality (EOS) and the General Organization for Export & Import Control (GOEIC) and the Egyptian Waste Management Regulatory Authority (WMRA) that resulted in reducing the use of plastic bags.
The roundtable concluded with an engaging interactive session featuring French companies and industry representatives, fostering an engaging dialogue between government representatives and the private sector. The event's success highlights the commitment of French companies to aligning their practices with Egyptian sustainability objectives and showcases their contributions to Egypt's sustainable development journey.
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