From an early age, Laurence Payre was aware of societal challenges, which naturally led her to join the Social Entrepreneurship Chair during her studies at ESSEC. Today, she leads NoWW, a company she co-founded in 2019 to support the return of reusable packaging and reduce the environmental impact of food containers. Discover her story and the convictions that drive her.

E.S.B.: What’s your background, and what led you to focus on CSR?

L.P.: I grew up in Paris in a lively family where political discussions and environmental issues were part of everyday education. When I joined ESSEC in 2002, I enrolled in the newly launched Social Entrepreneurship Chair, which opened my eyes to the fact that companies are not just passive bystanders to societal challenges — they are key players. You can choose the company you work for and choose to work with purpose.

After ESSEC, I became interested in energy decarbonization (a frustrated engineer, perhaps?!). I worked in strategy consulting at Corporate Value Associates, then joined Alstom and General Electric.

Drawn to entrepreneurship, I launched a first tech platform in 2016. Then in 2019, I left everything to create NoWW, which develops technical solutions for reusable food packaging and deposit-return systems across France and Europe. Today, NoWW works with over 60 major clients and has helped avoid 1 million units of packaging waste.

E.S.B.: How do you define CSR?

L.P.: CSR is the voluntary integration of economic, environmental, and social impacts into the investment decisions of companies — or individuals.
It’s a mindset, one that requires learning, questioning, and self-reflection.

For me, it's a framework that enables the creation of more sustainable, competitive businesses aligned with the direction the world is heading.

E.S.B.: What does CSR look like in your daily life?

L.P.: My company, NoWW — which takes up a big part of my life — is fully part of the reuse economy, with a mission to accelerate the shift toward reusable, deposit-based packaging systems, replacing single-use packaging. Pretty CSR, don’t you think?

In my everyday life, I try to make choices — in what I buy, how I travel, eat, live, and commute — that reflect concerns around carbon impact, pollution, and social justice. It takes time to stay informed, but the return is a thousand times worth the effort.

E.S.B.: How can CSR be a business catalyst, and what kind of ROI does it bring?

L.P.: A CSR project must deliver ROI to be sustainable. What’s the timeline for financial return? Medium to long term. You have to look beyond the next quarter.

Employees who resign due to lack of purpose cost money. A supplier that shuts down costs money. A poor-quality product eventually costs you the client.

CSR is about building resilient, future-ready businesses.

E.S.B.: Any words for ESSEC alumni in the Club or beyond?

L.P.: Taking the time to get informed is essential. Whether you're in a large corporation or an SME, you have the power to shape tomorrow’s economy through your investment choices, purchasing decisions, and even how you vote.

Let’s collaborate more!