Laure Villepelet, Head of ESG at Weinberg Capital Partners: “ESG must be a catalyst for value creation, not a box-ticking exercise”

After starting her career in international financial analysis (New York, London, Singapore), Laure Villepelet felt the need to root herself in a field where she could feel useful to the collective. She then joined L’Oréal France’s sustainable development team, before being recruited by Tikehau Capital, where she spent seven years structuring ESG and impact fund strategies across all business lines. She joined Weinberg Capital Partners at the end of 2025, drawn by the challenge of returning to a hands-on role, closer to the portfolio companies.

An interview with a professional convinced that ESG should serve as a performance lever rather than simply respond to regulatory constraints.

What motivated you to join Weinberg Capital Partners?

I was looking for a company of a human scale, agile, where I could work hand in hand with the management teams of the portfolio companies, and I haven’t been disappointed. In six months, I’ve met with nearly all of our portfolio companies, had the opportunity to visit some sites directly, observe how teams work and operate, and discuss their vision. It’s fascinating. What I deeply enjoy about this role is the constant shift in registers: challenging a CEO on their ESG roadmap in the morning, then being in the workshop with a quality manager in the afternoon. This closeness with the companies is what gives meaning to my work every day. And honestly, when I joined the firm, the energy of the teams and the quality of the people I met multiplied my motivation within the first few weeks.

Concretely, how do you support portfolio companies in their ESG journey?

My role is to be an accelerator, not an inspector and that distinction matters. Each company has its own level of maturity and its own constraints: there’s no one-size-fits-all model. For a mission-driven company like Cosmogen, which is very advanced on eco-designed packaging issues, the challenge is more about showcasing its good practices and turning them into an inspiring model for the rest of the portfolio. For others, with fewer dedicated resources, I step in almost as an additional team member: I dedicate time and energy to help them move forward on priority topics based on the expectations of their customers and employees, in particular. My strategy relies on “quick wins”: quickly identifying what can be actioned to generate tangible short-term results. At the same time, I keep sight of long-term structural issues. Examples include sustainable and low-carbon product and service offerings (electric vehicles at SAPIAN, vegetarian meal options within the Bourdoncle group), talent attraction and retention, and cybersecurity. What I appreciate about my role is precisely the diversity of topics: every day is stimulating.

In a context where ESG is facing something of a backlash, how do you approach your role?

I actually believe this context forces us to get back to basics. What I refuse to do is take a declarative approach to ESG, one built just to tick boxes or satisfy reporting requirements. Behind non-financial indicators lie very concrete realities: employee safety, environmental footprint, the quality of social dialogue, operational robustness. A workplace accident, for example, is first and foremost a human tragedy, it’s also a sign of dysfunction and a hidden cost for the company.

My role is to help portfolio companies structure a credible approach, grounded in their reality, and then make it clear and legible. Solid CSR communication should neither embellish nor apply a generic narrative: it should bring out what already exists, clarify priorities, connect actions to the strategic plan, and show how they contribute to the value creation trajectory.

A well-managed CSR approach can reduce certain perceived risks, strengthen stakeholder trust, and contribute to the quality of the equity story at exit.

That’s also why it’s valuable to work within a team that takes these issues seriously. LPs also play a useful role: some challenge us rigorously.

Finally, the recent easing of certain regulatory constraints could have a positive effect if it allows companies to focus their efforts on the issues that are genuinely material to them.