Groupe Rocher partner of the IUCN Congress

The World Conservation Congress of the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) is where the world comes together to set priorities and drive conservation and sustainable development action.

The IUCN and the French government decided to organize the World Conservation Congress of the IUCN 2020 from 3 to 11 September 2021, 2021 in Marseille. The event, originally scheduled for June 2020, has indeed been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

IUCN’s 1400+ government, civil society and indigenous peoples’ Member organisations vote on major issues, action which guides humanity’s relationship with our planet for the decades ahead. IUCN’s unique and inclusive membership gives the Congress a powerful mandate as it is not only government or non-government, but both together.

For Groupe Rocher, the challenges of preserving biodiversity and the relationships between humans to their environment are at the heart of its mission to reconnect people to nature.  Committed to these dimensions for more than 60 years, we are well aware of the imperative global transition of business models in connection with eco-socio-systems and the company supports the French State for this great moment of the IUCN World Congress in Marseille.

Contributing to the success of this key event is therefore a significant way to demonstrate our commitment and involvement in nature and sustainable development. Alongside with the Yves Rocher Foundation and our brands Petit Bateau and Yves Rocher, we support the Ministry of Ecological Transition. As such, we have joined the Partners and Sponsors Club of the Ministry.  This Club brings together stakeholders from different backgrounds (local authorities, associations, companies, media...) mobilized with the Ministry to contribute to the success of the Congress in Marseille, in particular with financial support, organization of events, meetings and demonstrations but also communication on all our media to strengthen the national and international mobilization in favor of biodiversity of private, public and civil society actors.

The Congress is also the largest marketplace for conservation and sustainable development science, practice and policy. Scientists, policy experts, business leaders and professionals from around the globe share their experience, innovation and latest research.

The IUCN World Conservation Congress 2016 in Hawaii, USA attracted over 10,000 participants from 180 countries and generated over 21,000 news articles and reached 75 million people on social media. IUCN Members took over 120 decisions on major conservation issues and this, along with the momentum, knowledge and commitments generated at the event, helped move the recently-adopted Paris Climate Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals into action.

At the international level, this major event will influence the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) of the UN (United Nations) Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which must define the global framework to stop the loss of biodiversity. The Congress will be decisive, because if the actors involved show that there are real means of action, they will create the conditions for an ambitious agreement for COP15. 

At the national level, the Congress is an opportunity to engage all citizens and actors, especially economic, in favor of the preservation and recovery of biodiversity.

By participating in numerous discussions and animations on site, Groupe Rocher, the Yves Rocher Foundation, Petit Bateau and Yves Rocher take part in the transformation of citizens into agents of change to protect biodiversity.  Indeed, for the first time in the history of the World Nature Congresses, France is hosting immersive and participatory spaces, the Nature Generation Areas, designed with several hundred project leaders including for example the Water Family association supported by Petit Bateau. All these spaces will be free to access to all audiences and especially schoolchildren.

To find out more and/or to participate in the event, visit the official website of the Congress: https://www.iucncongress2020.org/