2018 annual and sustainable performance report

An Iconic Partnership: Arkema, Sponsor of the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019TM

Women Shine in Business and Soccer

To show support for talented women as they work to succeed in areas traditionally dominated by men, Arkema in 2018 agreed to sponsor the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019™.

There’s  no better way to showcase women’s role in sports and the business world than to sign this global sponsorship deal with FIFA, the sport’s international governing body. “Women soccer players want to shine, and to shine a spotlight on their sport, through the high-level engagement and performance they so dazzlingly demonstrate. This also corresponds to a strong Arkema commitment to performance,” points out Gilles Galinier, Vice President, External Communication. Given the tie-in, we are featuring this all-women’s international event in our new employer branding communications. One visual depicts one of our researchers on a soccer field: Lise just happens to work on Arkema materials used in athletic shoes.

AN INTERNATIONAL EVENT THAT RAISES ARKEMA’S PROFILE WORLDWIDE

Our sponsorship will also display the Arkema brand to a billion television viewers watching an event broadcast in close to 180 countries. The pinnacle of women’s soccer competitions will be held in France from June 7 to July 7, 2019, and will pit the world’s 24 best women’s soccer nations against one another in nine major cities. Arkema host countries are well represented in the tournament. Besides France, there is the reigning world champion U.S. team, in the running for a second straight title. Olympic champion Germany is also a serious contender. Other favorites are Japan, which made the finals in the last two cups, and the Netherlands, winner of the UEFA Women’s Euro 2017 competition. Also worth a mention is China, the first country to qualify, in April 2018. Fans from Arkema are expected to turn out in droves. The company has a manufacturing and commercial presence and strong recruiting goals in all the countries mentioned.

THIS GLOBAL EVENT WILL BOOST OUR POPULARITY WITH A WIDE SEGMENT OF THE PUBLIC AND HEIGHTEN OUR EMPLOYER BRAND VISIBILITY. BUT WE ALSO HOPE IT WILL PLAY AN INDIRECT ROLE IN RAISING OUR BUSINESS PROFILE.

Gilles Galinier, 
Vice President, External Communication

EQUALITY
When I started 12 years ago, few women advanced to the management level. Things have changed immensely. Now the percentage of women at the Cerdato R&D center in Serquigny, France, is approaching 40%. I was inspired by an environment that encouraged me to take on a manager role. In a less supportive setting, I might have hesitated. As Business Development Director at Cerdato, I currently supervise 20 engineers and 15 technicians. But I don’t think the question of gender equality should be our sole focus. A broader perception prompts us to strive for the best possible balance, especially work-life balance. We take the time here to make sure that both male and female employees get it right. Through simple, regular actions, our managers convey the value we place on balance, which is meaningful and a factor in success.

Karine Loyen, Technical Polymers Business Development Director, Europe