Waste is a new resource

Waste management is crucial for our planet and is contributing to reach at least three of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) designed by the United Nations in October 2016: 

• affordable and clean energy
  
• sustainable cities and communities
  
• responsible consumption and production. 
  
  

The waste management companies by increasing their recycling capacities and by developing new valorisation processes contribute to preserve natural resources and to mitigate the climate change by avoiding GHG emissions.

Helvetia Environnement accelerated the pace towards sustainability by acquiring SRS, another waste management company, in 2016. This allowed Helvetia Environnement to double their size on a highly fragmented national market. Thanks to a larger volume of waste collected, they are optimising their fleet management and have invested in a new automatic and more efficient sorting center improving dramatically their recycling rates.

They have also developed the production of biodiesel by using recyclable materials allowing them to close product cycles.   

A Green Bond success story

Vincent Chapel, CEO of Helvetia Environnement, explained to l'Opinion, how as a private company, they have been able to accelerate the pace towards a more sustainable and circular process by issuing a green Bond.

"We are the market leader in waste management in Switzerland and currently have a turnover of 140 million Swiss francs. Having acquired the former assets of Veolia in our country at the start of the year, our group has practically doubled in size. "

"The team at BNP Paribas really encouraged us to issue a green bond. It was the first transaction of its kind conducted by a private company in Switzerland! Our bankers have been a positive link between our aspirations of being a stakeholder in the new green economy, and those of investors. "

"In the future, if we turn to the bond market again, it will definitely be via a green bond. I think that in this area, it is good to stay on course. You do not issue a green bond on a whim. This corresponds to a voluntary approach in favour of a more sustainable world".


The complete article was published in l'Opinion in October 2017.