"We want to transform leaders so they can transform their companies"
Could you tell us about the Dirigeants Responsables Océan (DRO) network?
Dirigeants Responsables Océan is a network of business leaders founded in Nantes in 2010, which gave rise to a national collective spanning a dozen regions. In Nantes, we now have 120 business leaders.
Our mission is simple: in the face of environmental and social crises, to help leaders take action and steer their companies toward a more responsible business model. We define ourselves as a “do tank”: we’re not here just to think, but to act and make a tangible impact.
Our efforts are organized around three key areas: the resilience of businesses, their value to society, and their social, environmental, and regional impacts. Each leader sets their own priorities. The key is to keep moving forward, as part of a commitment to responsible progress.
It means growing your business while respecting both the planet’s limits and basic social standards.
What does “doing business differently” mean to you?
It means growing your business while respecting both the planet’s limits and social standards. This is by no means about giving up on entrepreneurship, but rather about incorporating these realities into business decisions—and, in many cases, using them as a driver of performance and purpose.
A leader has a dual responsibility: toward natural resources and toward the men and women who work with him or her. The company must make a positive contribution to its local community and, whenever possible, adopt a regenerative approach.
How is your network different from other executive networks?
We collaborate with many other committed organizations (the CJD, the Community of Mission-Driven Companies, the Impact France movement, the Business Climate Convention, etc.), and we are delighted to do so: transformation is a collective effort.
What sets us apart is our resolutely practical approach. We are a network of leaders, for leaders: a safe space where everyone can openly share their challenges, learn from others, and walk away with concrete insights. Our belief is simple: it is by helping leaders grow that we transform the company—and, in turn, the region.
What tools do you provide to your members?
Thematic working groups (governance, resilience, utility, impacts, etc.) where executives work together to develop diagnostic tools, test them within their own companies, and then share what they’ve learned. This is collective intelligence in action—and it’s immediately useful.
We also organize meetings and panel discussions open to all industries, because diversity of perspectives is a valuable asset. For example, a leader who has implemented an employee stock ownership plan in their company saves valuable time for someone who is about to take that step. That is the true strength of the network: no one changes on their own.
In addition, I can announce that we will be launching the DRO network in Saint-Nazaire by the end of the year; we are currently in contact with several companies there. We are also considering opening a branch in the Vendée.
Leaders who commit to this today do so out of deep conviction, not because of regulatory pressure.
In a context where environmental issues sometimes seem to take a back seat, how do you view the situation?
The economic climate is more challenging, and executives have less time to devote to networking—that is a fact. But this in no way calls our convictions into question. In fact, we’re seeing the opposite: executives who commit today do so out of deep conviction, not because of regulatory pressure. That kind of commitment is stronger and more enduring. Environmental and social issues remain at the heart of our work, and they will continue to do so.
You are involved in the governance of Nantes Saint-Nazaire Développement. What do you expect from this agency?
A company should aspire to make a positive contribution to its region and its ecosystem. This requires meaningful dialogue between public and private sector stakeholders, and that is precisely the role of an agency like Nantes Saint-Nazaire Développement.
Together with Laurent Bazin, co-chair of the DRO collective and a board member working to advance DRO’s development in Saint-Nazaire, we have three expectations for it. First, that it facilitate communication and simplify access to existing programs. Second, that it raises the profile of the region and highlights the values championed by its key stakeholders, particularly innovative and socially responsible companies. Finally, we hope it will allow us to engage in dialogue with all our partners: to articulate our challenges and constraints, but also to listen and gain a comprehensive view of the region—a perspective we cannot achieve on our own at our current scale.
The Nantes–Saint-Nazaire region has considerable strengths, starting with its port operations, which still hold significant potential for development that should be harnessed.
- Learn more about the Network of Ocean-Responsible Leaders (DRO)
- For more information, contact Karen Hugé
