Résilience & Plasticité  

Paul Boulanger (TBS 1994)
President of Pikaïa

If only one TBS Alumni had to be selected for his involvement in the accompaniment of ecological and societal transitions, Paul would probably be a finalist both for the technicality of his active participation, recognized beyond France, and for the incredible conviction he instils in each of his projects. It is therefore not surprising that his company has won a contract with the Quebec government for the deployment of the economy of functionality in six industrial symbioses! At this stage, and for the benefit of the uninformed public who may be about to zone out, we thought it would be a good idea to offer you an informative approach to the two concepts mentioned above:

The economy of functionality consists in selling the use of a good, rather than the good itself. It avoids the overconsumption of resources, promotes the expertise and value of services and fights against programmed obsolescence through the production of durable and repairable goods.

The expected benefits are the implementation of new and resilient business models and resilient business models, increasing the competitiveness of companies, the development and maintenance of skilled local jobsand the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

Industrial symbiosis is about bringing companies together in innovative collaborations, finding ways to use one company's waste as another's raw material. The word 'symbiosis' is usually associated with relationships in nature, where two or more species exchange materials, energy or information in a mutually beneficial way. Local or larger-scale cooperation in industrial symbiosis can reduce the need for virgin raw materials and waste disposal, thus closing the material loop - a fundamental aspect of the circular economy and a driver of green growth and eco-innovative solutions. It also reduces emissions and energy use as well as creating new revenue streams.

Paul cites the landmark example of the Kalundborg Ecopark in Denmark as the first initiative of its kind in Europe.

To propel the economy of functionality and cooperation in Quebec, Pikaïa oversees training future coaches and industrial symbiosis facilitators specialised in the circular economy and of creating a community of competences in the field that can then develop itself.

Six organisations, experts in the circular economy and close to their territory, are behind the EFC Québec consortium. The consortium will support the transition of Quebec businesses to the economy of functionality and cooperation, an innovative circular economy strategy that is still little known in Quebec.

The pilot project will run for two years. It will bring together the six founding organisations who will work in pairs with business advisors in their territory. Together, they will accompany 24 volunteer companies to experiment with the economy of functionality, to initiate the transition and to document the benefits.

Wonderful projects, inspiring for our young graduates and opening new ways more respectful of our planet!