People & Profit

The coronavirus pandemic has been a double whammy for the motor industry: disrupting supplies, but also hitting demand as countries went into lockdown. Can it recover from the crisis? The Chief Executive of French carmaker Citroën, Vincent Cobée, has said the pandemic had a "substantial impact" on their business, and that the market "will not be what it was before" in the short or long-term. He told FRANCE 24 that while demand returned in June, it could be up to a year before sales "stabilise".

The decision of the US Supreme Court to ban discrimination against gay or transgender workers has shone a spotlight on the treatment of LGBT+ people in the workplace. Many members of these communities find it more difficult to get a job or be promoted, while others regularly face homophobic or transphobic comments where they work.

This will be the worst year in the history of aviation, with passenger numbers and revenues half of what they were last year, according to industry body the International Air Transport Association (IATA). With borders closed to limit the spread of the coronavirus, airlines have been forced to ground their fleets, costing them billions in lost revenue every month. "The worst is behind us," IATA's CEO Alexandre de Juniac told FRANCE 24 - providing that there is no second wave of Covid-19. He warned, however, that it will take until 2022 or 2023 before air travel returns to pre-pandemic levels.

The global protests following the death of George Floyd have put a spotlight on racial disparities in the United States and around the world. In this programme, we take a closer look at the economic inequalities faced by African Americans, and how the coronavirus pandemic has affected different communities in different ways. We also discuss the situation in France, a country where comparable data on race and wealth isn't collected, but where studies have found evidence of discrimination in hiring practices.

The global economy is facing its worst peacetime crisis in almost 100 years, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. In its latest forecast, the OECD warns the effects of the slump will be "dire and long-lasting" after a 6 percent plunge in global growth this year. In this programme, Chief Economist Laurence Boone explains how a second wave of the virus would mean an even deeper recession. She also discusses the prospects for a recovery from this crisis.

The Covid-19 pandemic has stalled business decisions in many parts of the world, including major investments. Some start-ups, however, continue to raise funding. In this programme, we speak to Pascal Cagni, founder of C4 Ventures, about his fund's investments and the landscape in general during the crisis. Also in the show, our correspondents report from Australia on how international students there are struggling because of the impact of the virus. Plus, as lockdown restrictions are lifted in France, nightclub owners still have no idea when they will be able to re-open.

Europe's football clubs suspended matches and training as the coronavirus spread across the continent – now, they are weighing the financial implications of their forced time out. Analysts say ending the season early could cost top clubs over €4 billion. Kieran Maguire, football finance lecturer at the University of Liverpool, tells us how the crisis could change the way the industry is run. Also on the show: Germany abandons its "black zero" budget rules to boost the economy, and Japanese sake producers turn spirits into hand sanitiser.

The coronavirus pandemic has forced businesses to take drastic steps to survive, but will that change the corporation of the future? In this programme, we discuss business philosophy with Irish entrepreneur Andrea Horan, and find out why she decided against expanding her successful nail bar. Plus, Professor Colin Mayer from the University of Oxford's Saïd Business School discusses the idea of companies having a purpose beyond profit. He believes the government support for firms during this crisis will accelerate this transformation.

The CEO of French aerospace giant Safran has warned of major job cuts in the coming months, and the need for a bailout of the aerospace industry because of the plunge in travel during the coronavirus crisis. Some 45 percent of the company's revenue is earned directly from airlines. Philippe Petitcolin told FRANCE 24: "This business… has totally disappeared over the last two months." He warned of significant job cuts to come at the company, which employs around 95,000 people globally.

Amazon is one of the big winners of the coronavirus pandemic with a surge in people shopping online during lockdown. But in France, a dispute with workers over safety conditions at their warehouses has seen the company shut down operations there for more than four weeks.