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Arielle Schwab ist Head of H/Advisors Havas Paris und Deputy Managing Director & Head of Influence. Wir haben ihr drei Fragen zu den Herausforderungen für Unternehmen angesichts der weltpolitischen Lage gestellt und sie um eine Einschätzung aus der Sicht Frankreichs gebeten. Hier sind ihre Antworten (auf Englisch):
What are the biggest challenges facing companies in France due to the current political disruptions?
French companies face similar challenges to those of other European companies: economic uncertainty, logistical and supply problems, inflationary risks, maintaining competitiveness.
But the situation in France is also specific: the volatility of political decision-making, the rise of extreme ideas and tensions, the risk of a return to unemployment, budgetary tensions, the growing burden of energy costs and the end of the tariff shield.
What do businesses need to do to regain greater planning security? What role can the business sector play in restoring greater planning security to the system?
In an unstable environment, the business world naturally tends to and be conservative. But the situation is quite unprecedented: politics is no longer in a position to guarantee budgetary, legal or social stability.
Businesses have a major role to play, not only in providing the necessary framework for their own operations, but also in maintaining the stability of the country as a whole.
Companies are in the front line when it comes to maintaining industrial sovereignty, for example.
They are also at the forefront of technological acceleration with artificial intelligence, and more broadly, through innovation, they must contribute to maintaining the rank and strategic autonomy of France and Europe.
At a time of necessary budget restrictions, they must support efforts on certain key issues, such as cybersecurity, scientific research, hospitals, defense, education, the ecological transition, etc.
What are your top 3 recommendations for companies to establish sustainable and trustworthy communication with policymakers, the public, and other businesses, fostering long-term resilience?
These recommendations are in line with a logic in which companies play an active role in economic and social stability, while reinforcing their own solidity and capacity to influence in a complex international environment. The aim is to create a virtuous circle of economic stabilization. To achieve this, the credibility of economic players, their ability to interact and dialogue with public authorities, and solidarity in the service of the general interest are, in my view, a critical mission. Institutional relations, public affairs and communication in the broadest sense of the term are therefore key to creating this virtuous circle, and maintaining our social and economic policy framework.
1) Strengthen dialogue with political decision-makers: Companies need to intensify their coopération with public authorities to co-construct solutions to geopolitical challenges. This includes participation in think tanks, economic forums and national initiatives. By taking position on strategic issues (energy transition, industrial sovereignty, etc.) that contribute to public decision-making.
2.) Adopt an educational and transparent stance towards the public: The current period favors populism, and mistrust of all institutional players. Businesses have more credibility than politicians, even when it comes to matters of sovereignty, so they must play the role of trusted third party.
Communicate proactively on the impact of geopolitical crises and the actions taken to deal with them. This reassures consumers and employees, while reinforcing their own legitimacy. In this way, we can raise the stakes of innovation and relocation, and share our contribution to French and European economic sovereignty.
3.) Create strategic inter-company and horizontal alliances: Where possible, and without hindering healthy competition, companies can set up cooperation mechanisms, pooling their efforts in the face of shared risks (cyber threats, innovation, data). These alliances also legitimize and amplify their voice.
This is the virtuous circle in which institutional relations and communication are, in my view, the linchpin at the present time.
Foto: H/Advisors
