Sébastien Kopp
Veja and
Centre commercial
— A sustainable vision of the world
This week, the podcast welcomes Sébastien Kopp, the co-founder of Veja and Centre Commercial. Veja is a sustainable and ethical sneaker brand that was established 16 years ago. In this episode, Sébastien reflects on the genesis of the brand and the various significant stages of its development.
Financing, growth, and advertising.
When asked about how the brand has grown smoothly, Sébastien simply responds. He then specifies that Veja has never done any advertising, preferring to focus on sustainable and transparent collaborations that avoid greenwashing.
« I am cautious of anyone who talks about urgency as if it were a plague. Urgency is a poor advisor. »
B-corps certifications
Veja has also obtained B-Corp certification, which ensures that the company meets high social and environmental standards. For Sébastien, this certification is a way to demonstrate that it is possible to do business while respecting social and environmental norms.
Upcycling, circularity and transparency
Veja also stands out for its commitment to upcycling, circularity, and transparency. For Sébastien, it's a way of doing things differently and creating a win-win situation for all stakeholders, from the raw materials to the store that sells them.
Growing projects steadily
Sébastien Kopp has a simple philosophy. For him, it is important to grow projects slowly, step by step, rather than trying to have a huge impact from the start. He rejects the concept of scalability, preferring to focus on quality rather than quantity.
In conclusion, Sébastien Kopp emphasizes that Veja's project is primarily about doing things right, without promoting unrealized projects.
« 10 to 15% of our customers are aware of Veja’s project, the rest buy because they like the product, and that’s fine with me! It means we have succeeded. »
If you want to learn more about Veja's history and the brand's ethical and ecological commitments, listen to the full episode. And if you want to hear from other inspiring individuals, feel free to suggest guests for upcoming episodes.
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