Photo: Sabrina Soussan, Chairman and CEO of SUEZ Group

SUEZ Group stressed the importance of the Chinese market following the launch of its latest 2027 strategic plan, saying that it will strengthen its presence in China together with local partners and supports the country’s green development，especially in water and waste treatment.

China is the key to the future and growth plans of the Group and this is a market full of opportunities, Sabrina Soussan, Chairman and CEO of SUEZ Group told the Global Times.

The Group  in September released its strategic plan for 2027. According to the plan, SUEZ will double its investments to consolidate its position as a leading player in water and waste management  with the aim to generate around 40 percent of its revenue from international markets by 2027.

Among buoyant international markets, China will “remain as one of its top growth area, maybe the top one,” Soussan said.

“When we look ahead，there is no doubt that we will continue to enlarge our investments in the country. We are also confident in the future of the country,” Soussan said.

Opportunities for growth and investment

SUEZ has been operating in China for almost five decades, providing services and solutions in water and waste management for industries as well as municipalities.

As one of the most influential companies in China and a service benchmark for leading Asia’s environmental industry, SUEZ works with municipal and industrial customers in more than 30 major cities and regions across China, manages China’s first PPP water contract in Macao, operates one of Asia's largest hazardous waste treatment facilities in Shanghai, and has invested over 4 billion yuan ($571 million) in Chongqing.

In addressing unique opportunities for growth and investment in China, Soussan believes that there are many opportunities which will continue to arise,especially with the priority of the Chinese government on green development, and the Chinese economy placing increased importance on environmental initiatives. 

For example, China has seen growing investment in water conservancy infrastructure as the country steps up efforts to bolster economic growth. China is expected to complete investments of more than 800 billion yuan in water conservancy construction in 2022, Xinhua News Agency reported.

By 2025, China will build a network for waste recycling with more than 1,000 green sorting centers, said a guideline jointly issued by seven government departments including the National Development and Reform Commission. About 60 cities will have completed waste re-use systems by 2025.

“Chinese market is a big market in terms of size and there is a strong government willingness to invest in more environmentally friendly technologies and solutions. We are the heart of this topic. We will continue to partner with local enterprises for the development of this business, bringing technologies and expertise to provide access to water and waste services, with resilient and innovative solutions in support China’s ecological transformation,” Soussan said.

Photo: SUEZ operates one of Asia's largest hazardous waste treatment facilities in Shanghai.

Act local, think global 

Speaking about the business strategy for China, Soussan said that the Group will continue to conduct business through joint ventures with local enterprises, strengthen local partnership for win-win cooperation and complementary expertise.

SUEZ was recognized as one of the Top 10 Most Influential Water Companies in China – a flagship annual award of China’s water industry. This makes SUEZ the only foreign company to have received the award each year since the award was created 19 years ago. 

At the same time, three SUEZ joint ventures, Macao Water, Jiangsu Sino French, and Chongqing Sino French, received the Most Socially Responsible Water Company in China designation for their exemplary performance and social impact.

In Shanghai, SUEZ helped position Shanghai Chemical Industry Park, home to some of the best-known Chinese and international chemical companies, as the world’s best model of ecological protection and circular economy, providing water supply, wastewater treatment, waste disposal, and environmental management services.

“Common interest and ambitions make for an unbreakable and enduring partnership and that's a good summary of how we see a partnership,” Soussan said.

Soussan also attributes the success to a strong and very highly expertise team in China, “which are one of the most talented people within SUEZ globally.”
 
Acting local and thinking global is also SUEZ’s advantages to stand out in the intensifying competition in the Chinese environmental market.

“We have many joint ventures where we partner with local players，local enterprises which help us to be local and to be more competitive. At the same time we will also leverage our global presence and R&D expertise and references all over the world to be competitive,” she said.

Going forward, SUEZ will continue to invest in water and waste management, its core business, while keeping up with the innovation answering to the ecological challenges.

“We will look into the water quality,waste water treatment, energy recycling, plastic recycling…being even a more trusted partner for circular solutions for water and for waste,” she said.

SUEZ delivers drinking water services for 66 million people worldwide.