An SDG Pioneer for Driving Partnerships for Low-carbon Investments

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Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO of France-based Total, is working to drastically reduce his company’s carbon output as a way to improve the world. His vision and work advance Goal 7: affordable and clean energy.

In 2015, shortly after becoming CEO of Total, an international integrated oil and gas company and second-largest international solar operator, Patrick launched a strategic industrial plan to expand low-carbon technologies. He has set a goal of instituting low-carbon technologies across 20% of the entire Total portfolio by 2036. Total is accelerating solar power with its majority-owned company, SunPower, and in 2016 bought Saft Group (an energy storage company) and Lampiris (a green electricity retailer). That same year, Patrick proposed the conversion of the oil refinery La Mede into a bio-refinery. In fact, he created a dedicated branch within Total to advance renewable solutions and energy efficiency. Patrick also endorsed the UN Advocates letter in 2016, and he appointed a person in charge of internal SDG implementation.

Patrick played a key role in creating the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI), a group of 10 oil and gas company CEOs committed to collaborating on action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and develop carbon capture, utilization and storage with an investment fund of USD 1 billion.

Advancing human rights is another passion of Patrick’s. After becoming CEO of Total, he pushed for the development of a Total Human Rights Guide publication. It contains concrete guidelines for upholding human rights and anti-corruption, fighting against inequalities and promoting labour rights.

About Patrick Pouyanné

Patrick Pouyanné is Chairman and CEO of Total, an international integrated oil and gas company. Patrick created a dedicated branch within the company developing renewable solutions and energy efficiency actions, and has led the company’s green energy operations through SunPower, Saft Group and Lampiris. He developed the Total Human Rights Guide, a publication featuring guidelines on upholding human rights, eliminating corruption and labor rights.

Patrick has held various public sector positions, including Environment Technical Adviser to the Prime Minister and Chief of Staff to the Information Technology minister.


Total is a member of Global Compact Network France

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