First issue of SolidarCité – PPR’s "Social Entrepreneur" awards

One of SolidarCité’s projects in 2007 was to support and assist social entrepreneurs to encourage a gateway between the private sector and the social and solidarity worlds.

 

Four winners were selected according to three criteria: their own entrepreneurial qualities and the economic viability and social added value of their projects.
The grants awarded not only include financial support of €50,000, but also human and professional assistance given in person by a director of the Group, who will share his expertise and open up their network to enable the project to move onto the next development level.
The assistance will be monitored in collaboration with SolidarCité, for a period to be determined by the winners and their sponsors.

The 4 winners for 2007

 

Rachel Liu and Antoinette Giorgi, for Ideo, which offers an organic, fair trade clothes line created in partnership with suppliers from countries in the developing world. For Denis Olivennes, Chairman and CEO of Fnac, who is accompanying them: “Our social commitment is also to help 'different' entrepreneurs to take off, to serve sustainable development”.
www.ideo-wear.com

 

Olivier Desurmont, for Sineo, a company providing back-to-work opportunities. The company offers car cleaning services, without using water and with 100% biodegradable products. The company is based in Lille.
His sponsor, Thierry Falque-Pierrotin, Chairman and CEO of Redcats Group, emphasises: “Olivier has an entrepreneur's daring, perseverance and enthusiasm: qualities intrinsic to Redcats Group and PPR. We are particularly pleased to support him, both as a neighbour from the North of France, where our historical brands are based, and because his business carries a social and environmental dimension which is dear to us.”
www.sineo.fr
 
Thomas Granier and Séri Youlou for the La Voûte Nubienne association which spreads knowledge among Sahelien builders about an alternative building technique, called the “Nubian vault”. This technique uses no wooden formwork, only earth, and thus brings elements of sustainable solutions to several types of economic and ecological problems.
Alain Viry, Chairman and CEO of CFAO, is delighted with this sponsorship: “The organization La Voûte Nubienne is conducting an "adventure in African popular architecture" which creates value for the population of the Sahel (inhabitants, workmen, partners). With CFAO teams, I chose to support this project led by Thomas Granier and all the builders who have already been trained”.
 www.lavoutenubienne.org

Jean-Pierre Clair, for the organization AIL 46 – auto-insertion lotoise, which assists people in difficulty to find jobs by allowing them to hire vehicles at low cost and thus facilitates their mobility and their travel.
Alain Luchez, PPR Group’s Senior Vice President Human Resources expresses his enthusiasm for this project: “For me Jean-Pierre Clair is someone I enjoy meeting, who has a great project, commitment, results and job creation, in a word everything I like!" 
http://assoc.pagespro-orange.fr/AIL46/index.htm

In 2008, SolidarCité has made the commitment to support other social entrepreneurs: you will soon be able to find more information about the selection process and the timetable on the website www.solidarcite.org !