The 20th
anniversary
edition
March 14 & 15, 2025
at UNESCO • Paris

Maïté, you are the Circular Economy Director at Saint-Gobain France, an international industrial leader that designs, produces, and distributes materials and services for the housing and industrial markets. We know that the construction sector generates 40% of global waste volumes and is responsible for nearly 40% of carbon emissions released into the atmosphere. However, the group has set a goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. What is your action plan?

Maïté Ketterer: The Group's CSR approch encompasses the dual commitment to minimize our footprint (carbon and raw material extraction) and maximize positive impact through three types of solutions: "low-carbon" options, those supporting the circular economy, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions for our customers.

To achieve these objectives, the Group invests in innovation and research and development. In 2024, Saint-Gobain spent €600 million on investments and R&D, particularly in support of decarbonization efforts.

The Group is firmly committed to its roadmap to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. In 2023, CO2 emissions from "scope" 1 and 2 (direct emissions from our sites and indirect emissions related to energy) decreased by 34% compared to 2017 (in absolute terms).

We are acting at every stage: we are modifying product designs and formulations, optimizing industrial processes and energy mix (converting factories to electricity, renewable energy purchase agreements), developing closed-loop recycling systems to produce low-carbon products, and marketing solutions that reduce carbon emissions from buildings throughout their lifecycle...

In France, we have recently launched major initiatives that make Saint-Gobain a reference in sustainable construction.

For example, in 2022, we announced the first low-carbon production of flat glass (scope 1 and 2), paving the way for the launch of the world’s first low-carbon glass with 64% recycled content, Oraé®. It’s important to note that one ton of recycled glass saves 1.2 tons of raw materials and reduces emissions by 700 kg of CO2 (scope 1, 2, and 3).

The Group was also the first manufacturer to produce and market a plasterboard made from over 50% recycled gypsum.

We’ve also partnered with the City of Paris and AP-HP to recycle materials from demolition sites directly into our French factories, producing new glazing, insulation systems, and plasterboard.

Saint-Gobain is strongly committed to the circular economy. Do you think the practice of the circular economy is a sufficient solution to address the growing tensions around raw material supply? And although this practice is still too marginal, how can we hope to overcome the barriers hindering its expansion?

The practice of the circular economy is definitely an essential part of sustainable construction. And it doesn’t just rely on material manufacturers; it involves not only the practices of producers but also the behaviors of other stakeholders in the value chain. On the production side, we advocate for a local approach that takes natural resources into account and minimizes transportation impacts. We also promote eco-design: creating solutions with fewer materials while maintaining their performance, and enabling easier deconstruction.

In France, circularity initiatives are accelerating with regulations like waste sorting on construction sites or "extended producer responsibility" (EPR) schemes.

The challenge in speeding up the deployment of circularity in construction lies primarily in coordinating actors and providing training: for example, how to sort waste on a construction site? How to make recycling and reuse streams known?

To drive the shift towards circularity, Saint-Gobain is developing partnerships with project owners to share best practices and create detailed specifications to ensure that recyclable materials make it to our factories.

Saint-Gobain is now present in 79 countries, and the group aims to position itself as a global leader in sustainable construction. What concrete initiatives are you deploying worldwide? Can global reach and sustainability be reconciled?

It is absolutely possible to reconcile global reach and circularity: projects must be tailored to each territory because each has its specific resources and challenges. This is the strength of Saint-Gobain: our decentralized organization allows each country’s leadership to stay close to the market and ensures strong responsiveness, adaptability, and local knowledge. Saint-Gobain has recently announced the launch of the world’s first plasterboard made from 100% recycled gypsum in the UK.

A promising avenue we are closely following is the use of wasterials—materials made from waste.

For Weber, our tile adhesive and facade coatings business, present in over 60 countries with 200 production sites, our 2030 goal is to replace 60% of cement with non-conventional materials such as palm ash, similar to what we are doing in Thailand.

As for the decarbonization of our industrial processes, we have made major strides, especially with our plasterboard plants: in 2023, we launched the world’s first hydroelectric plasterboard plant in Norway, and this year we will open a second one in Canada; in India, our Andhra Pradesh plant operates entirely with rice husk biomass.

You have committed to waste prevention and management. What exactly are your goals in terms of waste reduction, and what is your action plan to achieve them?

Our goals to reduce waste are clear: reduce our non-recyclable production waste by 80% by 2030 compared to 2017.

But we don’t stop there; we also focus on preserving natural resources, especially water. We are committed to reducing industrial water withdrawals by 50% by 2030 compared to 2017, and we aim for zero discharges in areas of extreme water stress.

To reduce our waste, we work on the performance of our plants, minimizing production waste as much as possible; we also strive to reintroduce production waste directly back into the production line. When that’s not possible, we find ways to repurpose it, such as using our waste in other industries as a substitute for virgin raw materials.

Regarding water, we have 42 sites with zero water discharge out of 108 located in areas with extremely high water stress.

Saint-Gobain has supported the development of the Université de la terre for several editions. What do you expect from a major gathering like the one taking place on March 14th and 15th?

We are proud to be a major partner of the 20th edition of l’Université de la terre at the UNESCO House. This event is a unique opportunity to raise public awareness about the critical issues in the construction sector, which has a direct impact on our planet, but also carries effective and sustainable solutions, aligning with the theme "Nature = Future."

For Saint-Gobain, participating in debates and exchanges with stakeholders from diverse backgrounds is essential. We aim to be a driving force for change and bring together various actors in an ecosystem-based approach. In this context, raising awareness about the circular economy is vital, as it allows us to rethink construction methods and responsibly value resources. Our goal is to quickly and sustainably transform the construction and building world, involving the entire value chain, to find the best solutions. Together, we can contribute to making our world a more beautiful and sustainable common home.