Twenty years of building a stronger environmental culture: meet Alexandra Tissot, Soitec's environmental engineer and ESG expert for pollution
When Alexandra Tissot joined Soitec nearly 21 years ago, environmental concerns did not hold the strategic importance they do today. At the time, the Sustainability department was part of Facilities and focused primarily on the site's regulatory compliance. Although issues such as climate, water management and energy efficiency were already on the agenda, they did not yet involve all areas of the business.
“At the beginning of my career, I remember having to juggle a lot of different missions because I was on my own managing the environmental side of things,” Alexandra recalls. “But little by little, we recruited more people.”
Today, the picture has completely changed. Sustainability is no longer the responsibility of a single department: it has become a collective effort involving teams across the company.
“Many departments now include environmental objectives in their work, even though that isn't their core business,” Alexandra affirms. “It's rewarding to see environmental topics becoming part of everyone's day-to-day work.”
Bringing people together
As an Environmental Engineer, Alexandra oversees site environmental regulatory compliance and manages relations with the relevant authorities, notably DREAL*. She ensures compliance with applicable requirements concerning pollution and environmental impacts, whether regarding air emissions, water discharges, or waste management. As the expert responsible for the ESRS* E2 (Pollution) standard, she also contributes to preparing Soitec’s Sustainability Report.
But she is quick to point out that her role is mainly one of coordination:
“I gather the information, but the real work happens on the ground. The Facilities teams, for example, manage the installations, monitor environmental performance every day and continuously look for ways to improve it.”
Working alongside Industrial Risk and Safety Engineer Benjamin Dié, she also helps prepare the documentation required by authorities to evaluate the environmental and safety risks of new projects on site.
From local regulations to a global approach with the CSRD
For many years, Alexandra's work was driven primarily by French environmental regulations. As the Bernin site operates under Seveso regulations, she has long monitored emissions, waste management and environmental compliance in close collaboration with local authorities.
The arrival of the CSRD* did not fundamentally change her day-to-day responsibilities. Instead, it expanded their scope. Today, the regulation provides a common framework for comparing practices across sites, particularly between Bernin and Pasir Ris, encouraging teams to share experience, learn from one another and build a more consistent approach across the Group.
Turning data into action
For Alexandra, collecting environmental data is only valuable if it helps improve the way the company operates. In the microelectronics industry, transforming wafers requires a careful blend of water, energy, and chemicals. Once used, managing these resources responsibly is vital.
To manage the 7,900 tons of annual waste generated, Alexandra highlighted Soitec’s investment in "evapo-concentrators." By separating water from chemical waste tanks, this process reduces the volume of transported waste by 5 to 10 times, which directly lowers both the final treatment tonnage and logistical emissions.
It is a concrete illustration of how environmental data can support operational improvements.
Looking ahead
Alexandra's next challenge is to deepen her understanding of environmental data from the Pasir Ris site and continue building a more consistent global approach.
“Now that we have a corporate database, I'd like to go further and better understand where the data comes from and how we can use it even more effectively.”
Her next major objective is to conduct a detailed audit of chemical consumption across Soitec's global manufacturing line in order to build a long-term strategic roadmap. “It’s pretty ambitious,” Alexandra admits with a smile. But with the collaboration of internal teams, it’s a challenge she is eager to face.
