At the end of 2020, Veolia took over 29.9% of its competitor Suez with the aim of creating a world leader in ecological transformation, a merger whose terms were signed in May 2021.

[7] On 14 December 1853, a water company named Compagnie Générale des Eaux (CGE) was created by an Imperial decree of Napoleon III.

Beginning in 1980, CGE began diversifying its operations from water into waste management, energy, transport services, and construction and property.

The change has been part of a huge politico-financial scandal in France[15][16] as Proglio kept executive positions – and subsequent salary – in both companies until public criticism forced him to give up his Veolia revenues.

[10][13] At the time of merger, Veolia Transport recorded revenues of €7.863 billion in 2011 (For 2010: Europe 83%, included France 37.1%, North America 13.2%, Asia-Pacific 3.7%).

After this announcement, the Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations, for its part, officially reiterated its commitment to Veolia Transdev and its continued support as a shareholder to the group's development.

[20] In early 2012, it was reported that Cube Infrastructure, a fund controlled by the French bank Natixis (Groupe BPCE), was likely to acquire about half of Veolia's stake in Transdev.

[24] The company's activity is refocused on markets with large volumes and greater added value (difficult-to-treat pollution, the circular economy, more industrial groups as customers, etc.).

[25] In February 2016, Veolia acquired the American Kurion, which specializes in low-level radioactive residue remediation techniques, for 350 million dollars.

[28] The following month, Veolia continued its acquisitions and acquired the Szakoly power plant, the fifth largest electricity production facility in Hungary from biomass and contributed to the development of renewable energies in the country.

[29] It was the largest operator and developer of efficient district energy (heating, cooling, and cogeneration) systems in North America, located in ten major U.S. cities.

In July 2019, Veolia sold its heating and cooling networks in the United States for $1.25 billion to the French investment fund[30] Antin Infrastructure Partners, which renamed the business Vicinity Energy.

In December 2021, the takeover bid was validated by the European competition authority,[36] then Veolia announced in early 2022 its intention to acquire 100% of Suez.

On 31 December 2023, shares in Veolia Environnement were held as follows: 11.1% Individual shareholders, 7.5% Employees, 5.7% BlackRock, 5.2% Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations CNP, 5.1% Amundi, 3.4% Vanguard, 2.8% Impax, 2.7% Natixis, 2.3% Deutsche Bank, 2.1% Norges, 1.4% Self detention, 50.7% Other institutional shareholders [40] Veolia issued two profit warnings in 2011 and announced plans to quit half of the 77 countries where it does business.

The company and its top executives were facing the prospect of a U.S. class-action lawsuit in January 2012 over allegations that they made "misleading" statements between 2007 and 2011 about its financial well-being.

[vague] Because it operates in three sectors with a huge potential impact on the environment, both the risks and opportunities presented by sustainable development activities are substantial.[relevant?]

[48] Following the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Veolia Foundation dispatched 30 tons of emergency supplies (mainly water treatment units) via French Red Cross air transportation.

[citation needed] In 2016, after Hurricane Matthew hit Haiti, the Veolia Foundation intervened to restore drinking water with the NGO Acted.

[50] The Institut Veolia was created in 2001 to provide insights[peacock prose] into major global challenges such as climate change, urbanisation and various economic, social and cultural issues related to the environment.

[citation needed] The Research and Innovation division includes 850 experts and supports around 200 scientific partnerships with private and public organisations.

[58] The Justice and Peace Commission, part of the Catholic Church in England, urged London municipalities to stop doing business with Veolia because of its involvement with illegal settlements.

[60] Palestinian human-rights organization Al-Haq instructed lawyers in the Netherlands to submit a formal objection against the decision of Stadsregio Arnhem Nijmegen, a municipality, to award a public transport concession to Hermes, the Dutch subsidiary of Veolia Transdev.

This scheme was opposed by left-wing political groups, who claim it amounts to free labour and can cause a claimant who refuses many such offers to fall foul of a provision in the Irish Social Welfare that allows benefits to be withdrawn from unemployed who were fired.

Veolia called the accusations "baseless, entirely unfounded and appears to be intended to distract from the troubling and disturbing realities that have emerged as a result of this tragedy".

While the company stated it has ceased all new investments, financial flows, and funding for its Russian subsidiary, it continues to operate in the country, raising concerns about its ethical commitments.