Sustainability at Veolia North America

A Letter from Our CEO

Veolia remains deeply committed to growing our presence in North America as an industry and environmental leader. I am extremely proud of our team at Veolia North America. Together, we made tremendous progress in 2024 on our priorities for people, customers, communities, shareholders and the planet. Here are some of the key accomplishments you will read about in our sustainability report.

Executing our GreenUp Strategy

In this report we highlight our first steps to execute Veolia’s 2024-2027 GreenUp Strategy, which calls for accelerated growth in North America and expansion of our decarbonized energy, waste treatment and water technology capabilities. During the year we brought the strategy to life by investing in a major expansion of our hazardous waste facility at Gum Springs, Ark., and simplifying our portfolio through the sale of our sulfuric acid regeneration business. We have additional investments and projects planned for 2025 and beyond.;

Promoting Cleaner, Healthier Communities

We are making investments in cleaner, healthier communities across North America. In Wisconsin we launched our first Ecofactory, a new approach to water treatment that produces renewable energy, reduces greenhouse gas emissions and supports community resilience. Our BeyondPFAS end-to-end solution leads the industry in helping communities address an emerging public health concern. In Arkansas we are creating hundreds of jobs and setting a new environmental standard for hazardous waste treatment.

Building an Inclusive Workplace Culture

I want to reaffirm that our values and commitment to creating an environment where all employees can thrive remain unchanged. Our focus has always been on attracting and retaining the most talented individuals who share our vision, regardless of their background. We remain committed to being an employer that values varied viewpoints, experiences and backgrounds. VNA’s diverse workforce is our competitive edge. We are committed to ensuring that all of VNA’s programs support and provide opportunities for people of all backgrounds.

Developing our Workforce with AI and Digital

The rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI) creates opportunities but also comes at an environmental cost. We are investing in secure AI tools and training to help our employees build their digital skills and accelerate growth. In Louisiana we deployed the first Hubgrade by Veolia digital wastewater control system in the nation. At the same time, our in-house technical teams are building best practices for less carbon-intensive IT infrastructure, and our businesses are partnering with technology companies to help improve their environmental footprint and explore more sustainable ways of operating.

A Firm Stance on our Non-Negotiables

Our growth and progress must be built on the firm foundation of our non-negotiable priorities – health and safety, ethics and compliance. This fundamental social contract is essential to maintain trust and relationships with our stakeholders inside and outside the company. We can never take these priorities for granted. We reaffirm them and keep them visible through training, continuous dialog, and annual surveys across our team.

Through the execution of our multi-year GreenUp strategy we are building an engine for environmental security, economic growth and community development. Thank you to our teams, our customers and the members of our communities for your continued support.

Sincerely, 

Sébastien Daziano
Interim Chief Executive Officer
North America