As patron of the event, Sabine Roux de Bézieux (E86), President of the Fondation de la Mer and Vice-President of the European and International Affairs Commission of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council (ESEC), addressed students and graduates at the ESSEC 2025 Gala organised by the Carioca student association, in partnership with ESSEC and ESSEC Alumni. Here is the transcript of her speech.  

I am delighted to be here today to talk about a subject that is particularly close to my heart: commitment. And more specifically, why I've chosen to think of my whole life as a commitment, and why you should, too.

First of all, let me tell you that commitment is not just a buzzword or a box to tick on your CV. It's an attitude, a way of life, a way of looking at the world and saying: “I can do something to make it better.” Believe me, there's a lot to be done! And each and every one of you can make a contribution.

How and where can you participate? It's a bit like a sport or a cultural activity (music, theatre): you start by choosing the activity you want to do. Each to their own, sometimes individually, sometimes in a team, sometimes indoors, sometimes outdoors, sometimes with equipment, sometimes without. In short, the important thing is to choose. The first step in making a commitment in life and in the world is to choose something you’re passionate about. And you can also change your mind and your cause.

For me, it's the Ocean: I dream of the Earth being renamed and called the “Planet Sea”, because the Ocean covers more than 70% of its surface. Perhaps this would help us to stop treating it like enormous dustbin. Plastics, toxic waste, oil... Everything ends up there, as we’re constantly reminded in the news. A third of all coral reefs and a third of marine mammals have already disappeared. It's a tragedy, a scandal.

But it needn’t be this way. Each and every one of us can do our bit to protect this immense natural bounty. France has decided to make 2025 the “Year of the Sea”. In two months' time, the United Nations Ocean Conference will be held in Nice. This major event will bring together experts, decision-makers and citizens from all over the world to discuss the challenges and solutions for preserving our oceans. I'll be there with the entire Fondation de la Mer team, and I'd be delighted to welcome any of you who would like to accompany us.

Once you’ve chosen a cause to commit to, the second step is to take action. In practice, this means taking the initiative, learning, practising and listening to the experts... Sometimes you make mistakes and have to start again. Sometimes it’s a painful process; often it brings great joy. You make progress. I remember the first time I took part in a rubbish collection in the countryside: I arrived without gloves, wearing totally inappropriate clothing and came home with a backache that lasted several days..

Finally, making a commitment is a wonderful human adventure. It's about meeting spirited people, discovering new cultures, learning and growing. It's also about feeling useful, about being part of something bigger than yourself. And that's an extraordinary feeling.

If you've come to the ESSEC Gala, it's clearly because you want to enjoy sharing special moments with others. ESSEC has always placed a high value on the human dimension in its courses and teaching options. Do the same in your life, by making a commitment.

Some of you may be wondering why you shouldn't just enjoy life, without worrying about the world's problems? Well, it’s because these problems always end up catching up with us. Pollution of the oceans does not obediently remain on the sea bed. No, it rises to the surface, enters the food chain and ends up on our plates. So if you like fish and chips or sushi, keeping our oceans clean is in your interest! 

I would also like to emphasise the importance of the female dimension in this commitment. Women have always played a crucial role in protecting the environment and defending just causes. They bring a unique perspective plus a sensitivity and determination that are key to getting things done. By making a commitment, you’ll be contributing not only to the preservation of our planet, but also to the equality and diversity of voices that are shaping our future.

So how do you get involved? There are a thousand and one ways to do so. You can take part in beach clean-ups, support an environmental protection organisation (starting with the sea, which, let me remind you, covers more than 70% of the planet) or even simply change your consumption habits. For example, use less plastic, give preference to local and seasonal produce, or reduce your meat consumption. Every little gesture counts.

And if you're worried that you're not up to the job, that you're not doing enough... don't worry. No-one's asking you to save the world on your own. What's important is to do what you can, with the means at your disposal. And to do so with conviction and enthusiasm.

So, all you young people out there, I invite you to make a commitment. 

To the Ocean, to the planet, to future generations. 

Interview by Louis Armengaud Wurmser (E10), Content Manager at ESSEC Alumni

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