People & Profit

Dec 06 2024 20 ep. 12 mins 874
People & Profit Podcast artwork

The business show that goes beyond the numbers and the corporate jargon! We break down major business stories and look at how they affect our lives. Thursday at 4:45pm Paris time.

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Plastic Planet: UN talks fail to curb production

Dec 06 2024 11 mins  
The world produces some 400 million tonnes of plastic waste every year. About half of all plastic is designed to be single use, that is, thrown away after being used just once. Hopes for a global treaty to tackle plastic production and waste faded at the start of December, when UN-backed talks failed to reach an agreement on curbing plastic pollution. A lot of global efforts to tac

Bittersweet business: How the global cocoa industry is changing

Nov 28 2024 12 mins  
The cocoa industry in Haiti is one of the few bright spots in an economy that's suffocating amid gang violence and political instability. Exports of fermented cocoa to Europe are having a significant impact for small Haitian producers, and helping to create jobs. Carys Garland reports from the Paris Chocolate Show. Also in the show: we speak to Tony's Chocolonely, a chocolate compa

One year of Milei's Argentina: Is 'shock therapy' working?

Nov 21 2024 12 mins  
It's been just over a year since Argentina elected Javier Milei as president. The political outsider had brandished a chainsaw as a symbol of his plans to cut government spending. So is Milei's "shock therapy" working? FRANCE 24's Kate Moody speaks to Juan Ignacio Carranza of Aurora Macro Strategies in Buenos Aires.

What role do unions play in the US presidential election?

Oct 31 2024 13 mins  
Ahead of the November 5 US presidential election, both Vice President Kamala Harris and former president Donald Trump have been courting union support. Some 14 million American voters are union members, and they could prove to be a deciding force in several battleground states. We take a closer look in this edition of People & Profit.

As World Bank turns 80, how to tackle 21st-century problems?

Oct 24 2024 12 mins  
As the International Monetary Fund and World Bank mark 80 years since their founding, how can they stay relevant and effective? During the annual fall meeting in Washington, World Bank Senior Managing Director Axel van Trotsenburg told FRANCE 24 that reforms are underway, but need to happen more quickly.

Sustainable sipping: How the drinks industry can reduce its carbon footprint

Oct 17 2024 11 mins  
Just how sustainable is your happy hour? The beverage industry is among those facing pressure to mitigate its impact on the environment. In 2021, it accounted for 3.8 percent of global carbon emissions. We take a closer look in this edition of People & Profit.

Can Europe get its industrial groove back?

Oct 10 2024 11 mins  
Can European industry regain its competitive edge on the global stage? A new EU report penned by former ECB chief Mario Draghi highlights a growing gap in both productivity and innovation, and warns that businesses will face an "existential challenge" without drastic change and significant investment. Tim Figures, a partner and associate director at the Boston Consulting Group, bel

Budget squeeze: Digging France out of its fiscal hole

Oct 04 2024 12 mins  
The French government plans to subject the budget to a €60 billion belt-tightening drive next year in the hope of bringing the deficit down to 5 percent of GDP from an estimated more than 6 percent this year. Two-thirds of that sum are to come from spending cuts, and the rest from new taxes. Why does the country find itself in this fiscal hole? How will this new budget impact the

Ethical shopping in the age of ultra-fast fashion: Time to slow down?

Sep 27 2024 12 mins  
This week we look at ethical fashion in the age of "direct-to-consumer" giants like China's Shein and Temu. Thanks to their business model based on ultra-fast design and production, consumers can purchase a new look at incredibly low prices. But at what cost for the environment and worker wellbeing? Charles Pellegrin talks to Kamila Boudova, a Paris-based slow fashion coach who hel

The view from the Olympic finish line: Assessing the impact of the Paris Games

Sep 13 2024 12 mins  
The athletes have crossed the finish line of the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games. Now economists are trying their best to accurately assess the economic impact of this global event on the city and on France. Our guest, Wladimir Andreff, is one of them. He is a specialist of sports economics and a professor emeritus at the university of Paris Panthéon-Sorbonne.