« The nuclear revival heralds a new era in which we need to stand our ground firmly and look boldly to the future.»
Laura SCHLENTZ
Dismantling Studies Engineer, Process Chemistry-Engineering Studies Network Leader
NADÈGE G. - In addition to hiring, I think that the integration and mobility of women within the Group are very important drivers of loyalty.
LAURA S. - Yes, you must be able to retain skills and motivate women to stay on. It’s not just a question of work-life balance, but also of responsibilities and having a vision of your future within your structure or the Group as a whole. Middle management is an essential link in building employee loyalty.
PHILIPPE KNOCHE - We are moving forward on mobility, via a Group agreement, as well as fostering mobility from operations to engineering, which is a first. I am delighted to know that some of you have experienced mobility within the Group. We strive to optimize the employability of our employees by training them, developing their skills and setting them in motion. But of course, each person must also create the conditions for their own career shifts.
Our challenges
ARAY S. - What are the upcoming challenges for Orano?
PHILIPPE KNOCHE - The nuclear revival heralds a new era in which we need to stand our ground firmly and look boldly to the future. We need to confirm our sales results, which have far exceeded targets with over €2.5 billion in orders in 2022, while successfully implementing our production programs. There are many challenges at the industrial level.
We must pursue them with the same rigorous standards as ever in terms of safety and security, reliability, eco-responsibility and respect for the environment. Besides building new reactors, the revival of the French nuclear program must also start planning now for sustainable recycling over the ultra-long term, after 2040.
Again in terms of sovereignty, we plan to ramp up uranium enrichment capacities at our Georges Besse 2 plant, which will allow utilities to reduce their dependence on Russia.
Aray Selbayeva
Senior Legal Officer, Legal Department, Mining BU
MARION D. - You find Orano where you least expect it…
PHILIPPE KNOCHE - Yes, innovation is a core feature of our projects, for which we have built up an ecosystem of cooperation with start-ups to invent disruptive solutions and reinvent our business models for the future. As such, we are adapting our expertise in nuclear materials to new uses such as preventing cancer, recycling electric car batteries, processing, recycling strategic metals and even manufacturing stable isotopes. Some of these applications are in the process of being upscaled to industrial levels, which will enrich the range of services we offer our customers.
We were right to believe in nuclear power and to be proud of our cutting-edge technologies and our globally unmatched skills and expertise. Nuclear power is a reliable solution for safeguarding our sovereignty and effectively combating climate change. We will show that it is also a resource for the future.
PAROLE D’EXPERTS PODCAST
Nuclear power for women