Individual share ownership is essential to Air Liquide’s long-term growth model, and provides a solid foundation for its development. It is important that this relationship based on trust which we enjoy with the Group’s 420,000 shareholders continues to be built upon with new generations, who are seeking performance but also purpose.
Today, two-thirds of Millennials and Xennials(a) say that they save every month(b). Looking for performance over time, they nonetheless favor regulated products that provide low yield (the French Livret A savings product, the French Compte Épargne Logement - home purchase savings account). The main reason for this? A lack of information regarding the mechanisms for investing in shares and a lack of time to take an interest in the stock market.
It is often said that the new generation does not understand the role of individual share ownership and of the stock market. I personally believe that companies have a role to play in informing and convincing them to invest in shares.
Benoît Potier, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Air Liquide
Raising awareness is therefore a major challenge for Air Liquide. That is why we carry out studies to better understand their expectations and reach out to these new audiences. In 2019, we took part in the first “Investir Day” event held in Paris, which attracted close to 4,000 visitors, of which more than one-third were aged under 35 and curious to discover the world of share ownership. Our aim is to show them that, by investing in Air Liquide, they are acting for themselves but are also contributing to the real economy. This results in the preservation and creation of jobs and, in Air Liquide’s case, in initiatives relating to energy transition and the evolution of the healthcare sector.
Do you want to pass on or buy Air Liquide shares for your children or grandchildren, even if they are minors? This is possible. What is more complicated is explaining the purpose of share ownership to them and how the system works. To help start discussions on this subject and provide the keys to understanding, we have designed comics adapted to the age of the child receiving the shares.Starting with a very simple picture book for the youngest, the content becomes more detailed according to the child’s age. Children of all ages can therefore better understand the role of individual share ownership and discover the Air Liquide adventure.
(a)Millennials: individuals born between 1984 and 2000, Xennials: individuals born between 1978 and 1983.
(b) Infopro Digital Études / Air Liquide - Investissement en entreprise : les jeunes Français en quête d’information (Corporate investment: young French people in search of information) – 2017 and Les Millennials et Xennials et l’investissement en entreprise (Millennials and Xennials and corporate investment) - 2018.
