France Active and the European Union: building a more inclusive and sustainable economy
The European Union celebrates Europe Day on May 9th. This occasion is an opportunity to recall the crucial role held by the European Union for the preservation of both employment and social cohesion, as well as its cooperation with France Active on these matters. In the particular context of the health and economic crisis linked to COVID-19, the continuity of this support is more than ever essential to give us the possibility to keep supporting socially committed entrepreneurs on their path to recovery and relaunch.
A long-standing support
France Active has been working with Europe for more than 20 years, to develop social cohesion in our territories, and ease the access to employment through entrepreneurship.
In order to do so, France Active has benefitted from European funding, through the mobilization of the European Social Fund, the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) but also the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD). It has also benefitted from the support of the European Investment Fund for its financial structures, France Active Investissement and France Active Garantie. The EIF supports their activity through guarantee and counter-guarantee agreements and even strengthened its support during the Covid19 crisis by adopting specific measures. These have enabled FAG and FAI to further strengthen their support to entrepreneurs facing difficulties. Furthermore, the European Commission granted financial support to France Active’s Seed Fund launched in February 2020, which has supported some thirty entrepreneurs in launching their projects with a strong social and environmental impact.
In addition, France Active contributes as much as possible to the prefiguration of the next European programming 21-27 in order to defend the inclusion of issues related to the development of the social and solidarity economy in Europe
Plan for Social Economy
Social economy organisations have demonstrated their capacity to contribute to the strengthening and building of resilient communities. This is more apparent today than ever, as they propose solutions that respond to the challenges and expectations raised by the Covid-19 crisis (local solidarity, social care, relocation of supply sustainable food chains…).
With the future action plan for Social Economy, Europe affirms its support to social economy and its ambition to create enabling conditions for social economy to fulfil its potential to contribute to sustainable and inclusive growth.
France Active will host two online sessions during the European Social Economy Summit the 27th may, jointly organized by the European Commission and the City of Mannheim. This summit will be an important milestone towards the European action plan for Social Economy. It is an opportunity to discuss how social economy can help reshape the economy post-COVID by promoting inclusive, sustainable economic models.
This long-standing trust between France Active and European Union takes on particular resonance in the current context. France Active is working alongside the European institutions to implement specific measures to respond to the crisis and to guarantee the access of social economy actors to the economic rescue measures planned by the European Union.
Encouraging post-crisis recovery
France Active mobilizes with its partners solutions to enable social entrepreneurs to resist the loss of activity they might encounter in the current period, and to prepare the relaunch of their activity in the aftermath of the crisis, as per its current motto: “Today we face, tomorrow we restart!”.
With the support of the French public financial institution Caisse des Dépôts, private partners, as well as some French Regions, France Active also created under its Turnaround Pact a new offer to provide dedicated support and funding to entrepreneurs with high social, environmental and job impact. It consists in a zero-rate loan which aims at helping those enterprises address their urgent liquidity needs and giving them time to work out a financial restructuring plan. This could enable them to mobilize later on France Active’s usual funding solutions.
Continuing this successful cooperation should enable us to pursue the following goals:
- To support all kinds of committed entrepreneurship, and more specifically the model of social and solidarity-based companies.
- To promote solidarity finance in Europe based upon the search of a strong and sustainable social and environmental impact.
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Accommodation: a third way is possible
Bernadette PAUL-CORNU and Jean RUCH
Co-Directors of Familles Solidaires
(Family Solidarity Association)
Shared Accommodation
For the last five years, Familles Solidaires has supported and encouraged the development of shared and assisted accommodation projects for people made vulnerable by age, illness or disability. In its search for unusual projects, the association is launching an ambitious call for projects in partnership with AG2R LA MONDIALE
Mulhouse 68100
Shared Accommodation
Familles Solidaires was created five years ago by a group of family caregivers of disabled people. The goal: to support and encourage the development of shared and assisted accommodation projects.
What if there were another way? That was the question behind the slightly crazy gamble taken in 2012 by eight family members and friends of people made vulnerable by age, illness or disability. Faced with a lack of appropriate daily support solutions for their loved ones, they decided to invest some of their savings – €180,000 – to set up a mutual investment fund. The objective was to create suitable accommodation and provide assistance with significant social added value.
A new type of solidarity
“The idea was to spare others from having to deal with the same difficulties as us”, explains Jean Ruch, Co-Director of Familles Solidaires. Ruch and his partner Bernadette Paul-Cornu, who has a medical-social background, are pushing back the boundaries in terms of accommodation. By adapting apartments to include home automation, facilitating the creation of social relationships, and providing low-rent options, they are offering innovative accommodation solutions for the vulnerable.
Ambitions on a national scale
Created to meet a specific need in the Alsace region of France, Familles Solidaires now has its sights set on a country-wide rollout. In December 2017, France Active invested €50,000 in the association to finance this change of scale. “We require a lot of financing as some of our projects cost more than €3 million. Having a prestigious partner like France Active amongst our shareholders enables us to fine-tune our strategy and build projects together”, says Bernadette Paul-Cornu. The association is now looking to promote its way of working to meet the needs of vulnerable people, their caregivers, managed associations, and local authorities.
All ideas welcome
In order to unearth more unusual projects, Familles Solidaires is launching an ambitious call for projects in partnership with AG2R LA MONDIALE. “From 1 June to 14 July, family caregivers can tell us what they want and share their ideas for accommodation development via a dedicated website. Familles Solidaires has pledged to support and provide training and advice for 10 projects, and to finance three,” explains Jean Ruch.
“AG2R is a partner that shares our convictions, and will help promote our initiative across the country, in particular amongst the caregivers it works with all year round. It will also help raise public awareness of the challenges caregivers face,” adds Bernadette Paul-Cornu. With the support of France Active and through this call for projects, Familles Solidaires intends to continue making a difference with its very inclusive accommodation solutions.
Have benefited
from a solidarity loan of
50 000€
Were supported by
France Active Alsace
In 2017
In 2019
It’s here !
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UrgencESS : a €30 million-fund for small non-profit organisations and social enterprises
Paris, le 22 janvier 2021
The French State Secretariat of social, solidarity-based and responsible economy launched a support fund to help small non-profit organisations and social enterprises with fewer than 10 employees cope with the crisis. The France Active network has been chosen to implement this fund.
The €30 million-fund called UrgencESS is available since January 2021. It provides small non-profit organisations and social enterprises with:
- an assessment of their economic situation, to help them receive the aid and support measures to which they are already entitled or new financing solutions;
- a grant of €5,000 or €8,000 according to their size and needs;
- non-financial support via a local capacity-building programme (Dispositif local d’accompagnement -DLA) for those who are eligible.
The UrgencESS support should enable social non-profit organisations and social enterprises with fewer than 10 employees to maintain their activity during the crisis, to cover their wage bill costs and to face cash flow problems.
UrgencESS aims at supporting 5,000 social organisations by spring 2021. To ensure a rapid roll-out, France Active will rely on its 40 regional associations all over France. Thanks to their knowledge of local challenges and stakeholders, each of them will help the fund’s beneficiaries beyond financial support. Furthermore, they can provide organisations that will benefit from the UrgencESS fund with access to a unique network of economic and social stakeholders to help prepare the relaunch of their activity in the aftermath of the crisis.
Olivia Grégoire
State secretary of social, solidarity-based and responsible economy
Social enterprises are fully eligible to the French government emergency measures since the beginning of the crisis. However, many of them are not aware and do not ask for this aid: the challenge is to give them the means to activate it. Beyond information, if access to aid remains difficult, it is necessary to complement those measures: this is the objective of the UrgencESS fund.
Pierre-René Lemas
President of France Active
France Active is working with socially committed entrepreneurs to tackle the economic challenges triggered by the crisis. We mobilise our partners at the national and local level, as well as the shareholders of our guarantee and investment companies. Socially committed entrepreneurs can count on us. The emergency is solidarity. It concerns us all.
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Promoting regional commitment
Amaya CALVO VALDERRAMA
Project Owner – Happy Plantes
Local and organic agriculture
Trade of local and organic Herbal teas
Volvic (63)
Local and organic agriculture
In 2016, Amaya Calvo Valderrama, who is passionate about wild plants, decided to create Happy Plantes, selling organic and customisable herbal teas made from the treasures of nature found in the Auvergne region. Located in Volvic, the company relies on its region and years of know-how for its development.
Wild plants, a true passion
A real passion for plants: that is what motivates Amaya. Throughout her training in agricultural engineering, specialising in medicinal plants, she completed a four-month internship in Nepal working with tea producers. She then spent six months in Cuba to study locally grown medicinal plants. After starting her career in Paris, she decided to move to the Auvergne region with her husband to live in a greener environment. When she arrived, she met a co-operative of professional harvesters who taught her the art of picking wild plants. It was a case of love at first pick! Local know-how, the region – she loved everything. All she had to do was find a link between her training, her passion, and these unique professions.
Keep off the flower beds, Happy Plantes is growing
Amaya’s experience in the tea trade along with her love of the Auvergne region led her produce herbal teas made with the wild plants picked by the harvesters. The idea is to “promote the Massif central region as well as the know-how of the harvesters and their impact on the environment”. However, it was not all plain sailing at the beginning. Amaya was hesitant and had concerns – she required support for the project. First off, she contacted regional bodies, then France Active Auvergne offered its support by helping to finalise her business plan and create her portfolio to apply for a first bank loan. France Active offered its 70% guarantee for a loan from Crédit Agricole (a major French bank), and made its own interest-free loan of €5,000. She also benefitted from a 2 000 € Cap-Jeunes bonus, as part of the Youth Employment Initiative of the European Social Fund. What was the most useful part of all that? Amaya immediately thinks of the project officer: “For me, the project officer was someone who really understood us, that we were not afraid to talk to, and who helped us take the project all the way”.
Brewing a methodology
After a year in development, Amaya opened a shop in Volvic, launched a website, and found two distributors. Her business grew little by little. In one year, she managed to convince 40 distributors to work with her. She enlarged her offer by creating a system of bespoke herbal teas via her website. She offers teas for everyone from sportspeople to entrepreneurs and “geeks”. Now, three years after its inception, the company has three employees and 150 distributors selling its products. To continue to reinvent, the young entrepreneur is now looking to create recipes for big-name chefs in order to move into the world of haute cuisine. She also wants to create new teas for other brands, drawing on her expertise in plants and her network of harvesters. Amaya is also starting to work with organisations involved in preserving the natural world and plant diversity.
Old-fashioned harvesting, offering real possibilities to overcome ecological challenges.
Have benefited
from a guarantee of
10 500€
from a solidarity loan of
5 000€
from a bonus of
2 000€
Were supported by
France Active Auvergne
In 2016
It’s here !
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Territories, digital, citizens : tomorrow altogether for the relaunch ?
What lessons have we learned from the crisis? What are the conditions for a recovery that does not deepen inequalities further? These questions reexamine the roles of territories and digital technologies to bring about new solutions for all. France Active’s President, Pierre-René Lemas and the economist Daniel Cohen, discuss these ideas.
According to you, what are the main lessons from this crisis ?
Daniel Cohen : First of all, by its scale, this crisis is unique. You have to go back to the 1930s to find a comparable intensity, and the shock is far more considerable than that of 2008. And while it is forcing us to rethink the way we work and function, we see that it has generated a lot of inequalities. One of the most glaring is the possibility of working from home, where 60% of higher education graduates have been able to work from home compared to only 3% of workers.
Pierre-René Lemas : Three aspects particularly struck me. Firstly, the concern of companies about their future. This is despite the responses provided by the public authorities, the regions, etc. in terms of financing. Secondly, we have seen very strong expressions of solidarity. But how can we ensure that all these local initiatives do not remain provisional? Finally, many responses – independently of national plans – have emerged at local level, within small and medium-sized towns, conurbations, groupings of solidarity-based companies, associations, etc. It seems to me that these are the main elements for getting out of the crisis: but if and only if these initiatives are supported, otherwise they risk remaining ephemeral.
This period, paved the way for a huge development of the use of digital technology, to work, communicate, have fun, live together… how is that meaningful for the future ?
D. C. : At the beginning of the crisis the lack of masks, medicines, tests, has highlighted the limits of globalization, which has accelerated since the 1990s. I would now see a transition between a globalized capitalism and a digital capitalism expressed, for instance, through teleworking or telemedicine. This is nothing new, but this crisis has unveiled the project what we could call « the economy of confinement » where we try to dematerialise everything which can be. It is an open door for both the best and the worst. The best, if it gives more autonomy and breathing space between the different strata of life (professional, personal, etc), or when digital technology supports this solidarity drive in the territories. The worst, when it comes to dehumanising relationships.
This crisis has also shed a new light on the role of territories. What opportunities do you see in that ?
P-R. L. : All those involved in economic and social life are now talking about « decentralization », « solidarity », « cooperative”… but be careful not to empty these words of their substance. The question is to find how to put some sense back into them. The answer is not simple, but I will give an example. With the confinement, everyone has rediscovered their home, their housing. But how is the housing adapted to 2020 or even 2030 ? Even more so in working-class neighborhoods, where the housing were designed in the 1960s and now turn out to be too small, poorly ventilated… And by extension : what is the neighborhood ? the town ? the city ? With the crisis, these elements of daily life are real opportunities for change. It will necessarily be a long-run mechanism, it will not change with one finance law. In order not to miss this opportunity, it is up to the national and territorial decision-makers to take them in hand by relying on the living forces of the territories – associations, groupings of municipalities, consular assemblies, chambers of agriculture, trade unions, etc.
What are the perspectives you see for the relaunch ?
P-R. L. : I believe that the addition of local initiatives – even small ones – in the field of solidarity-based economy, can contribute to a global response to end the crisis. So let us be very attentive to the concrete needs of the socially-committed entrepreneurs. When we meet with them, most of them tell us they managed to solve their cash-flow problems thanks to the financial aid from the government. But, in order to restart fully, they need capital and equity to consolidate their situation and thus be able to exit the emergency response to build a longer-term rebound.
D. C. : The crisis is not over. Therefore, it seems premature to talk about relaunch. First of all, we must draw all the lessons from this period and the way we could recreate social intelligence to rethink social life. There is a whole field to be invented, with the human link as a common thread. It is a formidable call to our imagination, to propose new solutions, which can be based on digital technology but not as an end, and rethink the organization of the State, local
authorities, and neighborhood relations. A relaunch led by the state will not be the answer. It will be a relaunch with the actors closest to the problems. Up to the public authorities to give them the means to act.
Bio
Daniel Cohen is an economist, specialist in sovereign debt, professor at the Ecole Normale Supérieure and at the University Paris | Panthéon Sorbonne, Vice President of the Paris School of Economics and director of the Center for Economic Research and Applications (CEPREMAP). He is the author of the book entitled « Il faut dire que les temps ont changé… » (Albin Michel, 2018) and « La prosperité du vice » (Albin Michel, 2009).
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Emergence Programme: From idea to realization
1/ An essential support at a critical stage
In order to stimulate social innovation and encourage the emergence of projects that will provide concrete solutions to the social and environmental problems we face, France Active has developed the Emergence programme. It is organised to support entrepreneurs who give priority to social utility and who wish to contribute to the development of a sustainable and inclusive economy.
As part of this programme, events are organised every month to put new entrepreneurs in touch with financial actors and experts on different themes. This unique networking opportunity is complemented by an advisory component and a financial bonus intended to finance the feasibility study and the modelling phase of the entrepreneurial project. Each month, France Active therefore pre-selects a certain number of projects, then presents them during this forum which brings together for half a day 6 new entrepreneurs who present their project, as well as the financial partners and experts of this programme. At the end of this session, the financial partners decide whether or not to grant a bonus to the different projects presented. The bonuses are awarded according to the financing needs of each project. These sessions are an opportunity for the experts and financial partners to challenge the entrepreneurs and their project, but also to help them assess their financial needs, build appropriate financial solutions and enhance the social impact of their project. This support will then continue throughout the experimentation and final validation phase of their entrepreneurial project.
This stage is intended for projects in the prototyping and maturing phase, before validation of the economic model.
At the end of the experimentation phase, once the project is secured and ready to be launched, France Active can redirect the entrepreneur towards its other support and financing tools such as guarantee, solidarity loan, investment, etc.
2/ Looking back on its 1st year of existence
This national programme was launched in September 2019 and is celebrating its first anniversary with 54 projects supported for a total of €1 million in premiums distributed. A real boost for the emergence of innovative projects throughout France! In total, 11 sessions were organised during its first year of existence, despite all the obstacles: national strikes, lockdown, etc. The entrepreneurs, France Active and the partners were able to adapt and pursue the development of this programme. The diversity of the social purposes of the selected projects should be noted:
* Access to housing : 13%
* Employment, training and support of vulnerable people : 33%
* Social action and struggle against social exclusion : 5%
* Sanitary action and access to medical care : 4%
* Sustainable food systems and development of the organic sector : 17%
* Circular economy and eco-activities : 17%
* Territorial cohesion and proximity economy : 11%
3/ A network of valuable partners
France Active was able to launch this new programme thanks to the financial support of a multitude of public and private actors, such as : Caisse des Dépôts, Banque de France, Fape EDF, BNP Paribas, Fondation Carrefour, Fondation MACIF, Groupe Malakoff Humanis, Klesia, MAIF. These partners are present on the day of each session, to discuss the projects with their owner, challenge them, give them advice and possibly grant them a prime.
Finally, this programme operates thanks to the essential participation of expert partners : Antropia, ARES, AVISE, CCAH, FAMAE, Food de rue, Groupe ID’EES, La Ruche and Make Sense. Also present during the sessions to advise and support the entrepreneurs, they answer the question and help them secure their project.
59%
of the projects are led by a woman
11%
of the projects are led by a team
76%
of the entities who benefitted from a grant are an association
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A single challenge : sustainable employment for a vulnerable population
Sylvie CHEYNEL
Chairperson of AlterEos
Disabled people work
When she arrived at AlterEos in 2012, Sylvie Cheynel had to face an economic crisis that was shaking up the structure of a company based on three activities: packaging, call centres, and the digitalisation of documents.
Tourcoing (59)
Disabled people work
The stakes were high for this adapted company created in 1991 and which employs 350 people, of whom 90% are made vulnerable by disability.
Sylvie Cheynel knows that “the life of a company is far from a walk in the park”. Throughout its winding journey, AlterEos has always been able to count on its partner, France Active – in development phases like that of 2000, and also in difficult times, such as the cyclical crises of 2006 and 2012. To bounce back, AlterEos adapted through a greater diversification of its activities and clients, at the same time rethinking its sales and communications strategies.
The company also decided to redesign its Tourcoing premises to bring together all its employees, abandoning its rented call centre in Marcq-en-Baroeul. These actions, supported by France
Active, paid off. Since 2013, the company has been financially stable, and about 20 people are now hired each year.
This new-found peace is enabling the company to prepare for more challenges. It is moving into two new areas of activity: fast-food and order preparation. “The past crises have taught us to be vigilant and to anticipate evolutions in our environment,” concludes Sylvie Cheynel.
The company continues its journey as it creates its future…
Have benefited since its creation
from many investments of
256 700 €
Have benefited in 2014
from an investment of
300 000€
from a guarantee of
322 000€
Were supported by
France Active Nord
France Active Investissement
By 2000
By 2007
By 2014
It’s here !
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France Active and the European Commission, joining forces to support the launch of the Seed Fund
France Active has been working with Europe for more than 20 years, to develop social cohesion, ease the access to employment through entrepreneurship and enhance social innovation.
To do so, France Active has benefitted from European funding and recently, the European Commission and France Active have strengthened their fruitful cooperation in the frame of the launch of the Seed fund. Indeed, as a result of a call for proposals under the EU program for employment and social innovation (EaSI), France Active has been awarded a grant to launch this program.
Over the next two years, France Active aims at financing and supporting 100 social business in metropolitan France as well as in its overseas territories, for a total investment of €10 million.
This Seed Fund was officially launched on February 4th, 2020, in presence of Ann Branch, Head of the « Job Creation » Unit, in the « Employment, social affairs and inclusion » Directorate at the European Commission.
https://vimeo.com/458169844
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Ecology and Insertion thanks to the reed
Vincent PARET
CEO of Oasure
Ecology and Insertion
Reconciling ecology and insertion ? Oasure proves this is possible by employing people in integration for innovative projects : water purification using reed wood.
Saint-Just-Saint-Rambert
Ecology and Insertion
Natural purification through innovation
The reed bends but never breaks, and purifies. Vincent Paret became aware of this in 2004, as he was working in his Oasis market gardening structure, based in Saint Just Saint Rambert in the Loire.
“We began to take an interest in the question of phyto-epuration. We were talking about that among ourselves. We decided to experiment a complementary activity to our baskets of vegetables : reed nursery. At the time, we happened to be in touch with SEMGARES/INRA, which later became IRTA. IRTA wanted to develop the sector to respond to the new water health standards. We realized there was a significant backlog on that subject in France, especially in rural areas; so we decided to position ourselves. We developed our own nursery, at first to establish ourselves in small towns.”
The concept starts to work. While the approach responds to an unmet need, innovates and suffers very little competition, the demand is doubling every year and has done so for the last 4 years. Then, Vincent Paret decided to separate his market gardening activity from his reed cultivation, to create OASURE in 2008. This new structure is entirely dedicated to purification. It is an insertion structure, under the status of SARL (limited liability company).
The reed grows
Oasure allies social and ecology issues, by becoming at the same time a job integration workshop (ACI in french) and an insertion structure. Affiliated with the integration network named “Jardins de Cocagne”, the structure is developing and diversifying its activities in the production and direct sale of plants, composting reeds, maintenance if water treatment plants, river banks, green spaces, … France Active started to get involved in the developmental stage of this structure, with a 70% guarantee on a bank loan of 35 000 €, 2 solidarity loans of respectively 25 000 € and 15 000 €. In 2019, to fund its investments in equipment (trucks, basins), the structure solicited one more time France Active Loire to guarantee a new loan. “We modernized the technical part, which required regular investments. Each time, we were able to collaborate with France Active, which enabled us to progress both with banks and with our development strategy”.
Face the crisis : the Solidarity Recovery Loan
If the ecological purification sector has not been harshly hit by the crisis, partners and clients of the structure have been. Several orders were postponed during the sanitary crisis, putting Oasure’s cash position under pressure. As such, Vincent Paret turned to France Active Loire, and was granted Solidarity Recovery loan to face its difficulties. “We have the biggest construction site project of our history, on a leisure basin of 4km of circumference, which is equivalent to 100 000 reeds. Covid19 has rescheduled our work. This completely destructured our cash flows, our stocks… we were facing a major financial risk, which the Solidarity Recovery Loan enabled us to mitigate. We can restart serenely”. The 30 000€ loan is spread over 36 months and Oasure is calling on another insertion structure to help on this big work project. A fine example of recovery through solidarity-based cooperation in territories !
Have a benefit of
from a solidarity recovery loan of
30 000€
from some guarantees of
95 250€
from a solidarity loan of
80 000€
Were supported by
France Active Loire
By 2008
It’s here
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