The Group has once again demonstrated its ability to deliver a solid overall performance and provide solutions that prepare for the future. Shareholders need a sense of purpose: investing in Air Liquide means supporting a company that offers concrete solutions, where environmental, social and societal contributions have their place alongside financial performance.
As a company, we think long-term, and we’re in it for the long haul. The consistency of our financial performance enables us to take this long-term view, and to have the resources we need to finance the large-scale projects required by the energy transition. As CFO, my role is to ensure the Group’s financial solidity and economic performance. These are essential conditions for us to act freely.
We are all concerned about social, economic, and environmental issues. How is Air Liquide responding?
Indeed, 2023 was marked by heightened climatic, energy, and geopolitical challenges, but the Group once again demonstrated the resilience of its business model, based on its diverse geographies and businesses.
We’ve built the ADVANCE strategic plan to ensure the Group remains resilient in the face of the transformations impacting our world. Our presence in virtually every sector of the economy and our closeness to our customers allow us to anticipate market trends and to adapt, while focusing on markets of the future, such as hydrogen mobility, carbon capture, high technology, and healthcare. In these buoyant sectors, opportunities are accelerating, and Air Liquide is strengthening its positions by increasing its investments. On the environmental front, the Group is continuing to reduce its CO2 emissions, which will allow it to achieve its goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. And to achieve this, the Group can rely on the commitment and skills of its 67,800 employees.
Air Liquide now has close to 800,000 individual Shareholders. What explains the unique bond between Air Liquide and its Shareholders?
This record figure is a source of pride for the Group. Individual Shareholders hold 34% of the Company’s capital – the highest proportion of any CAC 40 company. This demonstrates the relationship of trust that the Group has maintained with its individual Shareholders since its very beginnings. It’s a long-standing relationship that we’ve fostered through transparent communication and nurtured by delivering consistent performance for our Shareholders. I’ll give you one example: over 20 years, we’ve achieved an annualised rate of return for our Shareholders of 12.6%. Beyond that, Air Liquide has a strong shareholder policy that translates into multiple benefits, such as loyalty bonuses and the regular distribution of free shares.
Air Liquide has a unique position in the French stock market. What trends are you seeing in share ownership?
Two trends stand out. The number of women Shareholders increases, representing 39% of our Shareholders in 2023. And our Shareholders are getting younger: 16% are between 25 and 40, representing the fastest- growing age group in 2023. These two figures show that our Group is in tune with society’s expectations, and in particular with young people’s desire to invest in a company that is working to build a sustainable future. This encourages us to continue inventing this future, taking into account the interests of society as a whole.