Cercle de Giverny

What Cercle de Giverny does

Cercle de Giverny is a French sustainability-focused think tank founded in 2019, operating a forum-and-policy model centered on four product lines: (1) the annual World Giverny Forum as the flagship convening event, currently planned for its 8th edition in September 2026 with a target of approximately 1,000 attendees; (2) a series of thematic events branded under the "Giverny de..." format covering specific sustainability verticals; (3) the recurring annual policy publication "30 propositions," produced through working groups composed of 500+ experts drawn from academia, civil society, and the public sector; and (4) the Palmarès Giverny x Le Point awards program, co-branded with French news weekly Le Point. The organization convenes approximately 100 corporate partners and a network of 500+ experts, and operates under the formal high patronage of the French Ministry of Economy, which provides institutional legitimacy in the French sustainability policy ecosystem.

The business model combines two revenue streams: corporate partnerships and event ticketing. Ticketing is structured in tiers, with Standard Forum passes priced at 750–1,250 EUR and Premium passes at 5,000 EUR. Corporate partners include large French-listed groups across financial services, energy, luxury, consulting, and consumer goods — notably Accenture, AXA, BNP Paribas, Kering, L'Oréal, TotalEnergies, and EDF. Cercle de Giverny is a lean operation of approximately 9 employees, consistent with a convening-and-content model rather than an in-house research lab. The product is fundamentally a high-trust platform: institutional credibility, brand prestige associated with the Giverny name, and dense expert-corporate networking.

In 2024, Cercle de Giverny joined the Forward Global group, a B Corp-certified advisory platform with offices in Paris, Washington, Brussels, and London focused on risk management and corporate advisory services, with a headcount of 400+. This integration provides Cercle de Giverny with international distribution, corporate advisory adjacencies, and operational scale beyond what its small standalone headcount would otherwise permit, while preserving its brand and mission focus on sustainability and ecological transition policy convening.

Name

Cercle de Giverny

Legal name

Le Cercle de Giverny

Website

https://cercle-giverny.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Cercle de Giverny is a French sustainability-focused think tank founded in 2019 that convenes ~100 corporate partners and 500+ experts through the annual World Giverny Forum, thematic "Giverny de..." events, annual "30 propositions" policy output, and the Palmarès Giverny x Le Point awards.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainability Think Tank / Policy Research Services

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

akta.pro primary industry

Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes (BPAGAFAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Technical Committees, Working Groups & Expert Panels (BPADANAB)

Keywords

• Sustainability think tank
• Corporate sustainability events
• Ecological transition policy
• Policy research publications
• Working group forums

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Corporate Partnerships & Membership: Companies join as partners to gain visibility, position themselves as climate and social leaders, and access a high-level network of institutional, economic, and political stakeholders. Partner benefits include increased visibility, expert positioning, and network development.
2. Forum & Event Attendance Fees: Revenue generated from paid attendance to the World Giverny Forum and thematic 'Giverny de' events. Ticket pricing ranges from 750 EUR (Super Early Bird) to 1,250 EUR (Standard) for the Forum, with Premium packages at 5,000 EUR. Volume discounts are offered for groups of 2+, 5+, and 10+ attendees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Cercle de Giverny operates as a think & do tank that convenes approximately 100 corporate partners, 500+ experts, government ministries, NGOs, academia, and trade unions through themed working groups, the annual World Giverny Forum, and specialized "Giverny de" events. Each year it publishes 30 policy proposals intended to inform French and European sustainability legislation, and runs the Palmarès Giverny x Le Point to recognize 50 emerging sustainability leaders under 40. Activities are placed under the high patronage of the French Ministry of Economy.

Product overview

Cercle de Giverny is a think tank and event organization that operates primarily through its flagship World Giverny Forum event and a portfolio of specialized thematic events (Giverny de l'Énergie, Giverny de l'Alimentation, Giverny de l'Inclusion, Giverny du Numérique, Giverny de la Santé, Giverny de la Gouvernance). The organization produces annual research outputs called '30 Propositions' and runs the Palmarès Giverny x Le Point awards program recognizing young sustainability leaders. The World Giverny Forum serves as the core platform, while the specialized Giverny events target specific sectors (energy, food, inclusion, digital, health, governance) and the Palmarès provides recognition for emerging leaders.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• World Giverny Forum Annual flagship conference positioned as the first European event for sustainable businesses. Brings together over 1,000 economic and institutional leaders, government ministers, CEOs, ambassadors, and academics at the Musée des impressionnismes Giverny to discuss sustainable development, ecological transition, and corporate responsibility. Unveils 30 policy proposals from working groups each year. Ticketed event (750–5,000 EUR HT) with volume discounts.
• 30 Propositions (Annual Policy Proposals) Annual set of 30 policy recommendations produced by the Cercle's cross-sector working groups. Addresses environmental and social challenges facing French and European enterprises and feeds into French and European legislative/regulatory processes. Distributed as downloadable PDFs on the Cercle website.
• Palmarès Giverny x Le Point Annual awards program ranking 50 young leaders under 40 contributing to ecological and social transformation in France. Published in partnership with Le Point magazine. Serves as a talent identification and networking tool for member enterprises.
• Giverny de l'Énergie Specialized conference focused on energy transition, held at Maison de la Chimie in Paris. Brings together energy sector stakeholders including utilities, regulators, and industrial players for working-group style sessions on electrification, renewable energy, and adaptation.
• Giverny de l'Alimentation Specialized conference on sustainable food systems and supply chain transformation, held at Maison de la Chimie in Paris. Brings together food sector companies (e.g., Carrefour, Groupe Bel, Ferrero France) and agricultural stakeholders.
• Giverny de l'Inclusion Event focused on inclusive economy and social inclusion, held at Medef in Paris. Organized in partnership with the Collectif des entreprises pour une économie plus inclusive, bringing together public authorities, business leaders, and stakeholders.
• Giverny du Numérique Conference addressing digital responsibility and sustainable digital transformation. Covers AI, cloud infrastructure, and corporate digital responsibility. Co-chaired by the Numérique/AI working group involving Inetum, Siemens Energy, Google France, and others.
• Giverny de la Santé Healthcare sector conference addressing mental health in the workplace, environmental impact on health, and sustainability in healthcare. Involves Sanofi France, Novartis/Novo Nordisk, Emeis, Groupe VYV.
• Giverny de la Gouvernance Conference on corporate governance reinvention within planetary boundaries, organized in partnership with Chapter Zero France. Brings together board-level executives and institutional investors to discuss governance transformation.

Quantifiable outcome

• The Cercle's proposals have contributed to legislative drafting and the creation of institutions such as the Observatoire de la communication à impact positif.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

59 partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Groupe BelcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGroupe Bel is listed as a supporting partner. Cécile Béliot participates in Forum programming.
• Ferrero FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFerrero France is listed as a supporting partner. Fausto Rotelli participates in Forum programming.
• TransdevcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTransdev is listed as a supporting partner. Edouard Hénaut, CEO France, participates in Forum programming.
• Forward GlobalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSince 2024, Cercle de Giverny has joined the international group Forward Global, headquartered in France with offices in Paris, Washington, Brussels, and London. Forward Global is a B Corp certified mission-driven company and a leading risk management firm with over 400 collaborators, providing Cercle with an international platform and institutional infrastructure.
• AccentureflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccenture serves as a strategic partner and co-develops research studies with the Cercle, including ESG studies published alongside the Forum. Accenture executives co-chair working groups and Accenture executives serve on the Palmarès jury.
• AXAflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerAXA is a strategic partner of the Cercle de Giverny. AXA executives co-chair working groups (e.g., Nature working group with Kering) and serve on the Palmarès jury.
• BDO FranceflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerBDO France is listed as a strategic partner. BDO executives participate in Palmarès jury and contribute to working groups on governance topics.
• BNP ParibasflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerBNP Paribas is a strategic partner. BNP Paribas executives co-chair working groups (e.g., Renewable Energies working group, Palmarès jury) and contribute to Forum programming.
• Bureau VeritasflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerBureau Veritas is listed as a strategic partner. Bureau Veritas executives co-chair working groups (e.g., Adaptation working group) and serve on the Palmarès jury.
• KeringflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerKering is a strategic partner. Kering's Marie-Claire Daveu has been a long-standing working group co-chair (Partage des valeurs, Nature, Biodiversity) and serves on the Palmarès jury.
• SUEZflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSUEZ is a strategic partner. SUEZ executives co-chair working groups and serve on the Palmarès jury, contributing expertise on water, circular economy, and resource management topics.
• Chapter Zero FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChapter Zero France co-organized the Giverny de la Gouvernance event in November 2024 on the theme of 'Réinvention' (Reinvention), bringing together board-level executives and institutional investors to discuss governance transformation within planetary boundaries.
• Musée des impressionnismes GivernycoreOthersThe annual World Giverny Forum is held at the Musée des impressionnismes Giverny. Sébastien Lecornu serves as both Minister and President of the museum, reinforcing the institutional positioning of the Forum.
• Collectif des entreprises pour une économie plus inclusivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with the Cercle for the Giverny de l'Inclusion event in June 2025, bringing together public authorities, business leaders, and stakeholders focused on building a more inclusive economy.
• Le Point MagazineflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerLe Point is the media partner for the annual Palmarès Giverny x Le Point, publishing the 50 young leaders ranking in the magazine and extending reach to a broad French readership.
• ENGIEflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerENGIE is listed as an official partner. ENGIE executives participate in Forum programming, working groups, and Giverny de events.
• Schneider ElectricflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchneider Electric is a strategic partner. Gilles Vermot Desroches serves on the Palmarès jury and participates in multiple working groups and Forum sessions.
• Groupe ADPflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerGroupe ADP (Aéroports de Paris) is a strategic partner. Edward Arkwright, CEO, co-chairs working groups and participates in Forum programming.
• L'OréalflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerL'Oréal is a strategic partner. L'Oréal executives co-chair working groups (e.g., Communication) and serve on the Palmarès jury.
• Groupe Caisse des DépôtsflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerGroupe Caisse des Dépôts is a strategic partner. Philippe Blanchot serves as Director of Institutional Relations and participates in Forum programming.
• Renault GroupflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerRenault Group is a strategic partner. Executives co-chair working groups (e.g., Energy/Électrification) and participate in Forum programming.
• AccorflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccor is a strategic partner. Brune Poirson co-chairs working groups and serves on the Palmarès jury.
• TotalEnergiesflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerTotalEnergies is a strategic partner. Executives participate in Forum programming and Palmarès jury activities.
• CarrefourflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCarrefour is a strategic partner. Carine Kraus serves on the Palmarès jury and participates in Forum programming.
• ESCP Business SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerESCP Business School is an ecosystem partner. Thomas Jeanjean, Director General, participates in Forum programming.
• ORSE (Observatoire de la Responsabilité Sociétale des Entreprises)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerORSE is listed as an ecosystem partner. Hélène Valade, Présidente of ORSE, serves on the Palmarès jury and has co-chaired Citizen Enterprise working groups.
• WWF FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWWF France is listed as an ecosystem partner. Véronique Andrieux serves on the Palmarès jury and participates in Forum programming.
• InetumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInetum is listed as a supporting partner. Jacques Pommeraud, PDG, co-chairs the Numérique working group and participates in Forum programming.
• Emeis (formerly Korian)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmeis is listed as a supporting partner. Laurent Guillot, CEO, participates in Forum programming.
• Groupe VYVcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGroupe VYV is listed as a partner. Delphine Maisonneuve participates in Forum programming on health topics.
• Groupe MatmutcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGroupe Matmut is listed as a partner. Nicolas Gomart, CEO, participates in Forum programming.
• Groupe BPCEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGroupe BPCE is listed as a supporting partner. Valérie Combes-Santonja participates in Forum programming.
• Movin'OncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMovin'On is listed as a supporting partner. Gaël Quéinnec, CEO, participates in Forum programming.
• ENGIE (additional)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJulia Maris, Secretary General of ENGIE, participates in Forum programming.
• VINCIcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVINCI is listed as a supporting partner. Nicolas Notebaert, CEO Concessions, participates in Forum programming.
• Banque des TerritoirescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBanque des Territoires is listed as a supporting partner. Antoine Saintoyant, Director, serves on the Palmarès jury and participates in Forum programming.
• ESSEC Business SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerESSEC Business School is listed as an ecosystem partner. Vincenzo Vinzi, Director General, participates in Forum programming.
• Les DéterminéscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMoussa Camara, President-Founder of Les Déterminés, serves on the Palmarès jury and represents the entrepreneurship/inclusion ecosystem.
• Groupe SOScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJean-Marc Borello, President of Groupe SOS, serves on the Palmarès jury.
• Paris EuroplacecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAugustin de Romanet, President of Paris Europlace and CEO of Groupe ADP, serves on the Palmarès jury.
• Diot-SiacicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMyriam El Khomri, Director of Advisory and CSR at Diot-Siaci, serves on the Palmarès jury.
• Google FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBenoit Tabaka of Google France serves on the Palmarès jury.
• Groupe OrangecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerElizabeth Tchoungui, Executive Director of CSR at Groupe Orange, serves on the Palmarès jury.
• AdemecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSylvain Waserman, CEO of Ademe, participates in Forum programming. Ademe experts contribute to working groups.
• Fédération Bancaire Française (FBF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaya Atig, CEO of FBF, participates in Forum programming and represents the banking sector in sustainability discussions.
• Novartis France / Novo NordiskcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRepresentatives of Novartis/Novo Nordisk participate in health-focused Forum programming and Palmarès jury.
• Sanofi FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSanofi France executives (Audrey Derveloy in 2023, Olivier Bogillot in 2020-2022) co-chaired working groups on health and resilience topics.
• EDFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEDF executives co-chair working groups and participate in Forum programming on energy transition topics.
• SNCFcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSNCF executives participate in Forum programming on mobility and sustainability topics.
• ArdiancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMathias Burghardt, CEO France of Ardian, co-chairs the Partage des valeurs working group.
• Ardian (SNCF Renouvelables)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmmanuel Mroz, CEO of SNCF Renouvelables, co-chairs the Énergie working group.
• Siemens EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorinne Resse, IT Director France at Siemens Energy, co-chairs the Numérique/AI working group.
• EquanscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAna Giros, CEO of Equans, participates in Forum programming and Giverny de l'Énergie.
• AltareacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEdward Arkwright, CEO of Altarea, participates in Forum programming on climate adaptation and real estate.
• EnediscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarianne Laigneau, CEO of Enedis, participates in Forum programming on energy infrastructure.
• Water WisercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEsther Crauser-Delbourg, President of Water Wiser, participates in Forum programming on water sustainability and is a Palmarès 2026 laureate.
• Chatham House (Centre for Environment and Society)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAna Yang, Director of the Centre for Environment and Society at Chatham House, participates in Forum 2026 programming.
• MasdarcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr Lamya Fawwaz, Executive Director of Brand & Strategic Initiatives at Masdar, delivers a keynote at Forum 2026.
• Fédération bancaire française (FBF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaya Atig, Directrice générale of FBF, participates in Forum 2026 programming.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• WBCSD (World Business Council for Sustainable Development): Global CEO-led business association for sustainable development, convening ~200 member companies around policy advocacy and working groups on sustainability topics. Closely comparable to Cercle de Giverny's cross-sector convening model and policy proposal output.
• BSR (Business for Social Responsibility): Global nonprofit network of ~300 member companies working on sustainability strategy and human rights. Comparable member-based business sustainability convening and advisory model, though with a more international footprint.
• Novethic: French research and media organization specializing in sustainable finance and ESG investment. Closely comparable French footprint and audience overlap with Cercle de Giverny's sustainability-focused enterprise members and policy work.
• Entreprises pour l'Environnement (EpE): French business association of ~50 large companies working on environmental and ecological transition. Direct comparable on the cross-sector convening of French corporations around environmental policy proposals and working groups.
• IDDRI (Institut du développement durable et des relations internationales): French independent think tank on sustainable development policy and international governance. Comparable think tank format producing policy proposals and bridging academia, government, and business on sustainability.
• Institut de l'entreprise: French think tank bringing together business leaders and academics to produce policy proposals on economic and social issues. Closely comparable French think tank structure with policy output and corporate membership model.

Broad incumbents

• World Economic Forum: Global multi-stakeholder convening platform (Davos) producing policy frameworks and convening government, business, and civil society leaders. Comparable convening format and policy influence ambition, though at vastly larger scale and broader scope.

Emerging players

• Convergences: French platform advocating for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and inclusive economy, convening public, private, and civil society stakeholders. Partial overlap on sustainability convening and policy advocacy, focused on inclusion themes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CercledeGiverny
• Facebookfacebook.com/cercledegiverny
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cercledegiverny
• Instagraminstagram.com/cercledegiverny

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Cercle de Giverny