Leaving a well-trodden path and the bosom of a French flagship. Listening to her heart and fulfilling a need for usefulness to change the game. This is the inspiring story of Caroline Dulauroy, whom we interviewed 6 months after she took the plunge into the SSE, a new step she had carefully prepared for.

1. What is your professional background?

I followed a fairly traditional career path and spent most of my time working for EDF in marketing and sales. The advantage of large groups is that they offer fairly varied career development opportunities. You can live several lives within the same company, but all within the same reassuring framework.

When I made the decision to change direction, I felt that I had accomplished some exciting things, in a world that I really enjoyed, with a satisfactory level of responsibility. Yet I couldn't quite see what the next step would be.

"Do I stay in this ready-made groove, or do I move towards something else, towards a different part of my career in a different environment?"

2. Were your professional contacts surprised by your choice?

My choice came as a surprise, yes and no. Admittedly, it's not often that an EDF executive leaves the Group. On the other hand, the people around me, including those in my professional life, knew about my aspirations and the issues that are close to my heart, such as the ecological transition.

In fact, I took things one step at a time, with an initial interlude in 2018, when I made my first contact with the SSE, which I really enjoyed, as well as a foray into the field of equal opportunities with a high school mentoring association. From then on, I knew I could do something else.

I came back to EDF because I was offered an exciting job. Perhaps it wasn't yet the right time for me... For 4 years, I matured my project. So when I announced that I was leaving EDF to look for an impact project to which I could make a contribution, it didn't come as too much of a surprise to those around me. For my part, I approached this period calmly because I was aware of the great need for skills in the SSE sector. Then I was lucky enough to meet Luc Meuret from YourVoice and, of course, Benjamin Blavier and Boris Walbaum, the founding chairmen of Article 1.

3. What is your astonishment report after 6 months?

I had in mind the gap between a large group and an SSE organization in terms of work context, atmosphere and methods. This proved to be true. That said, I'm delighted to have joined Article 1, which has been going through a phase of very strong growth for the past 3 years. On a day-to-day basis, I've noticed a collective commitment and a desire to move things forward that are very promising. What's more, although the subjects are different, the issues are similar, notably the marketing thinking that needs to be done and the need for structuring.

"In effect, I'm mobilizing my past experience and skills
to a new theme.

Obviously, it's a life change and I have to get rid of certain ways of operating. Sometimes, the work environment calls me to order! On the other hand, these reflexes can help to structure things. I'm also learning a lot about the associative world, starting with funding issues. And I'm still learning!

4. What advice do you have for making a successful transition?

I had prepared things in advance. For 9 months before I left EDF, I met with a number of SSE players to test my project and identify the subjects I was most interested in, both in terms of profile and interests. I had in mind that I might not get it right the first time. In the end, everything came together very quickly.

An important point to anticipate so as not to fall into a form of impasse concerns the financial aspect. I was able to make the switch because I'm in a comfortable situation and I'm at a stage in my life where my children are grown up, with fewer things to pay for... The change is not insignificant, so much so that it's usually the 2nd question I'm asked.

5. At Article 1, you're contributing to the United Nations' MDG 4 for equal access to quality education and lifelong learning. Do you feel your impact on a daily basis?

Fundamentally, this new direction responds to a profound need for social and societal utility. My aim was to achieve a position with as little dissonance as possible between my convictions and my day-to-day life. At EDF, I was already working for a company committed to the environment.

"I feel like I'm taking back control of the impact I can have and what I can contribute.
and what I can contribute. My action is less diluted in an imposing structure, less dependent on a political and regulatory context."

When we start thinking about how to make our world a better place, we quickly come to the subjects of education and equality of opportunity. In concrete terms, we can work with a precious reservoir of young people, to help them find and succeed in the educational path that suits them best. And perhaps tomorrow, we can contribute to the ecological transition, to make the link with this subject which is dear to me. Even if my action is indirect - because I'm in a management position, so I'm not the one who rubs shoulders with these young people on a daily basis - I'm helping to improve their chances and, potentially, their future impact. That's exactly what I was looking for.