Crédit Agricole supports entrepreneurship projects for refugees

The Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation and Crédit Agricole SA are launching "Centimes Solidaires," an initiative aimed at financing entrepreneurial projects by mobilizing Crédit Agricole employees.

Promoting the commitment of Crédit Agricole employees

Many Crédit Agricole Group employees volunteer for solidarity projects. To support this dynamic, the Group has created "CA Solidaires," a program that promotes employee engagement in projects with a positive societal impact. It is within this framework that the "Centimes Solidaires" operation will be launched at the initiative of the Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation and Crédit Agricole SA to finance entrepreneurship projects. This operation, the first of its kind between Crédit Agricole and the Foundation, will be repeated annually to support various projects with a strong social impact.

For one week each month in October and November, employees at the Crédit Agricole campuses in Montrouge and Saint-Quentin will be invited to make a donation of 50 cents when paying for their meals in the collective restaurants. Crédit Agricole SA, Crédit Agricole Centre-Est, and the Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation will contribute to the operation. The total amount collected will support the "Programme France" program, run by the French NGO Entrepreneurs du Monde.

Supporting an inclusion program through entrepreneurship

Piloted since the beginning of 2018 in the Lyon region with the support of the Solidarités Foundation by Crédit Agricole Centre-est and Crédit Agricole Solidarité et Développement, Entrepreneurs du Monde's "France Program" aims to restore hope to people in situations of financial vulnerability and proven social exclusion in France. Through group training and personalized support for business creation, the program aims to support refugees, homeless people, and single parents in the creation and development of their entrepreneurial projects.

The proposed support takes place in three stages: listening and guidance to assess the feasibility and relevance of the project, pre-creation support, and post-creation monitoring. Grocery stores, restaurants, computer repairs, and fashion design are a variety of businesses that will be supported under the program, which has already supported 13 project leaders to date. For the coming years, the goal is to reach a larger number of beneficiaries, with a total of 40 project leaders by the end of 2019 and 50 in 2020.

The "Centimes Solidaires" initiative is being launched to mark the 10th anniversary of the Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation. The funds raised will be presented at an event bringing together Group employees on November 19 in Montrouge.