In the name of meaning, we forget ourselves: when burnout strikes young professionals in impact-driven careers.

When and why did you decide to start Les Pépites Vertes?

I initially worked in several companies in the sustainability sector before launching my own ventures, including in agriculture and food (La Ruche Qui Dit Oui), waste management, and events (changeNOW). In 2020, I founded Les Pépites Vertes, with the mission of catapulting young talents in ecological transition through both a media platform and a talent development program.

Today, we are still training young individuals for jobs that will no longer exist tomorrow, and I find that very alarming. I don't understand why we continue to portray success and achievement through the conventional career path of strategy consulting followed by M&A. I felt that we were not telling the right stories. Being passionate about communication and media, and enjoying storytelling, I decided to create a media platform guiding individuals toward green careers.

How do the two activities you lead at Les Pépites Vertes complement each other?

We have two target audiences. There are talents actively seeking impactful employment: we assist them in envisioning careers in this field by featuring relevant job listings on our platform.

The second target group comprises talents currently employed in NGOs, large corporations, startups, or associations. We support them in becoming more impactful and influential within their organizations through the Pépite Academy.

The idea behind this program is to help young professionals sustain their commitment over time and avoid burnout and demotivation. Because, in the pursuit of meaning, we often forget ourselves.

I believe we are a generation full of potential, eager to work and make an impact, but often underutilized in our roles. Even without holding decision-making positions, young professionals should be impactful in their work. We provide guidance in that regard. It's essential for them to cultivate their leadership skills early, even at 25. Creating spaces for discussions with managers and CEOs is crucial to gaining more responsibilities and fostering a culture of listening. 

Shifting from a position of frustration to one of collaboration.

How?

Firstly, there's ones position. Then comes the strategy, emotion management, and trust. Listening is crucial to being heard, and refining one's "intentions" is key when addressing the boss.

The challenge is to shift from a stance of frustration towards those who aren't moving fast enough to a cooperative posture. While our convictions are deeply felt, if we don't articulate them effectively, they won't resonate.

Creating shared spaces is essential. At the Pépite Academy, there are 50 other individuals with the same passion and energy. This provides a platform to express frustration within the group because, if taken directly to the boss, it might not work!

We explore who can help whom and how, collaboratively taking responsibility for environmental and social urgencies.

When facing a CEO, the approach involves understanding their challenges and figuring out how we can contribute to the solution.

You often say that having a meaningful job doesn't necessarily equate to happiness at work...

Absolutely. There are a lot of emotions behind the generation I represent that wants to engage in their work. Faced with climate change, it begins with a profound fear, followed by immense sadness - "how could we let this happen?" Anger comes next, in a Greta Thunberg style - who, by the way, is not just about anger, I admire her!

These emotional stages are often compared to grief. Personally, I try to go all the way to joy and excitement: we have a new role to play in this multidimensional crisis.

When working in an impactful job, there's a sense of urgency that says, "we need to act now, we have three years to make a change." Consequently, some people stop counting their hours, feeling like they're saving the world. At that moment, they forget that they are... just human! I always tell people: if you stop, the Earth will keep turning.

A year ago, I was exhausted; it was my first year as an entrepreneur, managing my team from my bed. I vowed "never again." No job in the world is worth not being able to get out of bed.

You have to create conditions to be resilient in your commitment because we're only at the beginning. We're in it for the long haul, trying to maintain solidarity and social justice in the face of the climate catastrophe.

What is eco-anxiety?

Anxiety manifests in relation to an uncertain future, something over which we have no control. Anxiety affects the body; it's different from fear, which is linked to knowledge of something. Anxiety is more associated with a lack of information and, therefore, a lack of initiative. Sometimes, there's a warning about the term "eco-anxiety" because it's crucial not to remain trapped in it. To rise above it, an alternative future must be proposed.

You often mention the need to destigmatize mental health. How do you work towards that within your organization?

My therapy appointments are displayed in my professional calendar. Back when I worked in a corporate setting, if I had access to my boss's calendar and saw a slot for therapy, I would have considered it a normal practice. It took me ages to allow myself to make an appointment with a psychologist. By displaying it in my calendar, I am instilling in the minds of my collaborators that it's normal, it's okay, it's possible, and I believe it gives them the permission to seek counseling if they feel the need.