[Interview] CA Centre-est strengthens its support for the Solidarity Centimes operation

Interview with Aurélie Bellemin, Director, Solidarités Foundation by CA Centre-Est

©FGCA

Within the Crédit Agricole group, Centimes solidaires is taking off. After a successful first edition in 2018 on the Montrouge and Saint-Quentin campuses, the new edition took place from November 18 to 22, 2019. Organized by the Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation, Crédit Agricole SA, and CA Centre-est, the operation changed scale and extended to the three company restaurants of CA Centre-est (Lyon-Champagne-au-Mont-d'Or, Bourg-en-Bresse, and Mâcon).

With more than €8,600 raised across all sites, the funds will finance Entrepreneurs du Monde's ICI program, which supports entrepreneurship projects led by refugees, single parents, and homeless people.

— What is the Solidarity Cents operation?

Aurélie Bellemin, General Delegate: This is a wonderful collective adventure within Crédit Agricole to finance projects with a social impact. At five of the Group's sites, employees can, if they wish, make a donation of 0.50 cents (or more!) when they pay for their meals in the collective restaurants. The warm welcome the initiative received in 2018 in Montrouge and Saint-Quentin encouraged CA Centre-est to join the operation and organize it at our three sites in 2019.

— What is your assessment of this edition?

The generosity of our employees, our service provider, and the Regional Fund raised €1,360, supplemented by a matching contribution from the Regional Fund. Solidarity Centimes is an initiative that promotes Crédit Agricole's mutualist spirit. Employees participate and feel involved in the concrete results of the initiative.

— Exactly, what are the funds collected used for?

For the second year, we are donating the funds raised to the NGO Entrepreneurs du Monde to fund its Incubation, Création, Inclusion (ICI) project, a program that aims to help vulnerable people integrate into society through the creation of microenterprises. Beneficiaries are trained and supported by volunteers and experts to bring their professional projects to fruition, with a focus on digital technology and sustainable catering. Thanks to 2018 donations, some forty training courses have already been funded.

— Do you have any examples of beneficiaries?

Yes, during the launch of the operation in November, Crédit Agricole employees from Montrouge and Lyon met with Rania, supported by Centimes Solidaires, who came to present to us the entrepreneurial project she created. Rania is a Syrian refugee who, thanks to the support of Entrepreneurs du Monde, successfully launched her catering business based on Syrian specialties. This type of meeting helps to change the way we look at refugees and to understand that, beyond preconceived ideas, these are inspiring human destinies.

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Source : 2019 Integrated Report, Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation. Download here

Watch the Solidarity Cents Video