France: French business foundations: new philantropic players

Created in May 2004, the Veolia Environment Business Foundation provides funding to exemplary initiatives of common interest, tackling issues dealing with sustainable development, whether in France or elsewhere. With a 5 millions of euros budget, the foundation is active in three areas: community, employment and preservation of the environment. It supports projects which bring improvements to daily life, facilitate integration of socially included, protect or create jobs in under-priviledged areas. As a business foundation, Veolia Environment promotes entrepreneurial values and gives incentives to all its staff for tutoring external projects. Its employees could work as volunteers, and reinforce their potential while achieving tangible results at the local level. By constructing a healthcare centre in a suburb of Libreville in Gabon, the association « Zero Sida/AIDS », with the support of Veolia Foundation, is enabling low-income HIV carriers to receive essential medical care. Many other projects are presented on the Veolia website, and can be downloaded. After years of mistrust between the social economy and the business sectors, new examples of co-operation are paving the way for a mutual benefit strategy using different types of expertise. www.foundation.groupve.com