PARIS, Sept. 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Since the start of 2022, the new SUEZ Group has successfully demonstrated its resilience and its ability to pursue its development: bolstered by the support of its shareholders—Meridiam, GIP, Caisse des Dépôts and CNP Assurances—SUEZ has notably made several strategic acquisitions to strengthen its position in key markets and business lines: IWS in France (Industrial Waste Specialties, hazardous waste treatment), EnviroServ in South Africa (waste management), SUEZ R&R in the United Kingdom (waste recycling and recovery activities).
Today, SUEZ presents its strategic plan for 2027 with the ambition of becoming the trusted partner for circular solutions in water and waste.
The strategic plan provides for development centered on value creation through the contribution of proven solutions, increased innovation and strengthened investment capabilities to help SUEZ's clients tackle growing environmental challenges.
The Group's strategic plan is based on three pillars:
1. Focus on the Group's key activities and markets.
In terms of activities, the Group will therefore focus its presence on the businesses of the Water and Waste Markets.
In terms of geographies, the Group will pursue its development in certain markets that are particularly buoyant—United Kingdom, Italy, China, India, Australia, Middle East and Africa—thereby benefiting from a balanced exposure between mature markets focused on innovation and emerging markets with strong growth. By 2027, the Group aims at generating approximately 40% of its revenue in international markets.
The acquisition of the former SUEZ R&R activities in the United Kingdom*, the third largest player in the Waste Market which has successfully positioned itself in recycling and energy recovery, will strengthen SUEZ leadership in new methods of waste recovery and diversify its geographic footprint. This represents the Group's third acquisition in eight months and the largest in size.
2. Invest and innovate in solutions that differentiate the Group.
SUEZ intends to differentiate through its unique expertise in infrastructure construction and recognized leadership in innovation, digital technology, and customer experience.
Innovation and R&D will be strengthened to develop new solutions for preserving water resources, combating pollutants, recycling, producing green energy from waste and reducing our customers' carbon footprint. The Group will increase its dedicated research and development budget by 50%.
Lastly, on the strength of its leadership in connected solutions ("Aquadvanced" to manage plants and networks, smart meters, etc.), the Group will continue to invest in digital technology and technologies that play a key role in preserving increasingly scarce resources (detecting leaks in water networks, advising users on energy sobriety, etc.) with the goal of doubling its revenue from these activities in five years.
Committed to its ambition to invest alongside its customers, in an effort to address new environmental and energy challenges, the Group will invest an additional €860 million compared to the previous period.
3. Create value for all of the Group's stakeholders.
Through its strategy, SUEZ seeks to create value for all of its stakeholders:
As part of its strategy, the Group also aims at maintaining its leadership in sustainable development. By the end of 2022, SUEZ will publish its sustainable development roadmap, outlining its contribution, ambitions and quantified targets for climate, nature conservation and social matters. 20% of Group executive long-term compensation will be linked to the achievement of environmental, social and governance criteria.
Overall, in financial terms, the implementation of this strategy will result in annual growth in revenue between 4% and 5% and annual growth in EBITDA in excess of that of revenue.
A new, simplified, more agile and customer-focused organization will put this plan into action. It will be structured around the Group's two businesses, water and waste. This new organization will be based on a culture promoting entrepreneurship and team empowerment. It will also promote commercial and operational excellence.
The Group's strategic plan is firmly rooted in a vision of its contribution to society, enshrined in its purpose. SUEZ is convinced that through its water and waste activities, it can play a vital role everywhere it operates in improving people's quality of life on a day-to-day basis. Developed in collaboration with the Group's stakeholders, employees, customers and partners, the Group's purpose will be translated into concrete and quantified targets for all of its activities. Incorporation into the company bylaws will be subject to approval by the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders held in the first half of 2023.
Our purpose Faced with growing environmental challenges, each day, for more than 160 years, we have been acting in support of our clients and partners to deliver essential services that protect and improve the quality of life wherever we operate. United by passion for our work as well as inclusive culture and team spirit, we innovate to conserve water and create value from waste, in the form of energy and recycled materials. We promote and implement responsible behaviors, more efficient technologies and circular solutions to recycle and make the best possible of the finite resources of the Earth. Deeply rooted in our communities, we are committed to providing people and the planet with the resources for à common future. |
At the presentation of the strategic plan, Sabrina Soussan, SUEZ Chair and CEO, commented: "The Water and Waste Markets face historic challenges, characterized by the environmental emergency and a paradigm shift in energy. My ambition is for SUEZ to become the trusted partner for circular solutions in water and waste. Today, SUEZ has set a clear direction to achieve this: an ambitious and sustainable growth strategy to generate an annual growth in revenue between 4% and 5% by 2027, based on unprecedented investment capabilities and an increase by 50% of our R&D efforts. The acquisition of SUEZ R&R in the United Kingdom is fully in line with this strategy. The award of the water treatment contract in India, which marks the largest signed to date by the Group in the country, also reflects our progress towards becoming a diversified and geographically balanced company. Strengthened by our history, the expertise and passion of our teams, and the unwavering support of our shareholders, we enter a new phase for SUEZ with confidence and determination."
*subject to approval by the competition authorities
About SUEZ
Faced with growing environmental challenges, for more than 160 years, SUEZ has been acting to deliver essential services that protect and improve the quality of life. SUEZ enables its customers to provide access to water and waste services, with resilient and innovative solutions. With its 35 000 employees present in 40 countries, the Group also enables its customers to create value over the entire lifecycle of their assets and services, and to drive their ecological transition, together with their end-users. In 2021, SUEZ produced drinking water for 66 million people worldwide and sanitation services for more than 33 million people. The Group generates 3.6 TWh of energy from waste and wastewater per year and avoided the emission of 3.8 million tons of CO2. In 2021, SUEZ generated revenues of 7.5 billion euros.
In Asia, SUEZ's journey began some 70 years ago, first in Southeast Asia before expanding to China nearly 50 years ago. With 6,500+ employees and 40+ joint ventures with local partners, SUEZ has built 600+ water and wastewater plants. The company also provides water and waste services to 20+ million people and delivers environmental services to 16 industrial parks. SUEZ manages China's first PPP water contract in Macau, operates one of Asia's largest hazardous waste treatment facilities in Shanghai, and has invested over RMB 4 billion in Chongqing. Today, SUEZ is recognized as one of the most influential companies and a service benchmark for leading the region's environmental industry.
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