Association pour le Droit à l'Initiative Économique

A.D.I.E. (Association for the Right to Economic Initiatives / Association pour le Droit à l'Initiative Économique) is a non-profit association that helps those who are excluded from the work force and from classical banking systems to create their own employment via an individual company, a limited liabilities company, work from home, etc.

A.D.I.E supplies those who wish to create a personal project with the financial means to start or develop an activity via a loan. The association closely follows the project development with advice and training in order to ensure success. A.D.I.E. provides constant support and encouragement once the project is launched as well as the possibility of multiple loans until the classical banking system can be used once again.

Since it was founded, A.D.I.E. has helped create over 11 000 jobs.

L'Association d'économie financière

The Association d'Économie Financière was created in 1987 at the initiative of Caisse des dépôts et consignations, in collaboration with the Ministry of the Economy and Finance, the Bank of France, the Commission of stock exchange operations, the French association of credit institutions, the French Stock Exchange and several large financial institutions of the Paris financial centre. The aim of the association is to establish a dialogue among researchers and professionals of finance, banking, insurance and economics.

Groupe Cercle d'Éthique

The origin of the Groupe Cercle d'Ethique: the Institute of Social Communication (l'Institut de la communication sociale – ICOS), presided over by Michel Le Net, promotes social values through communication. In 1989 he organised the first international symposium at the Palais de Luxembourg entitled: Ethics, Economics and Companies.

After this event, and in the midst of an “ethical wave” that was washing over Europe, ICOS created a department called “Cercle Ethique des Affaires”, which would serve as a meeting place to share ideas and initiatives about ethics and sales.

In 1993, the Cercle d'Éthique des Affaires became independent. In 1999, the increase in the number of this type of special interest centres led ICOS to create a different group with two main structures:

• The Cercle d'Éthique des Affaires (CEA), which included the Centre de recherche éthique (CRE) and the Cercle européen des déontologues (CED).
• The Group in charge of social and humanitarian actions meant to increase civil ethics.

Confédération Française Démocratique du Travail

The Confédération Française Démocratique du Travail (C.F.D.T.), first trade union for employees in France directed by Nicole Notat since 1992, is the result of initiatives from the Comité Intersyndical pour l'Épargne Salariale (C.I.E.S.), launched on February 11th, 2002. This committee, designed as a new tool for trade unions, not only regroups the C.F.D.T., but also the C.F.E.-C.G.C., the C.F.T.C. and the C.G.T.

It's activities are mainly centred around the selection and labelling of employee savings plans offered by government administrators, based on specifications and an open and transparent procedure, by making sure the offered funds are sufficient enough to respond to the employee's objectives and to meet the socially responsible management requirements set up by the signatory unions.

The CFDT trade union makes decisions about adaptations, negotiations, the fight against exclusion and for employment, as well as for an ordered globalisation showing solidarity.

Association Éthique et Investissement

The Ethical Investment association was created in 1983 and is presided over by one of the pioneers of ethical investment in France, Sister Nicole Reille. The idea to create this association came from a group of nuns. To ensure the future of the nuns, the congregation's savings had to be managed. Today, their financial investments represent large stakes in the current economic system.

How do you ensure the orientation of these investments will be decided by responsible individuals? How can you be sure that the economic strategy of companies chosen favour, or not, human development? These are the types of questions the association wishes to answer.

Fondact

Fondact, an association for participative management, employee savings, and responsible shareholders, has a mission to promote the participation of employees in every dimension possible: economical, financial, social and cultural.

The non-profit association, founded in 1980 by Rémy Schlumberger groups together companies of various size, investment management companies, consulting firms, trade unions and associations as well as qualified personnel, in particular academics. In 1996, Fondact merged with three other associations: Association Française pour la Participation dans l'Entreprise, Association pour l'Actionnariat de Responsabilité des Salariés and the Comité Hyacinthe Dubreuil.

Réseau Éthique et Argent

The Ethical Money Network, which is part of the Christian Movement of Business Executives and Managers, has four objectives: To make people sensitive towards a more ethical approach in daily life, to prove that there is room for manoeuvre and flexibility to combat forms of complacency, to convince people to adopt a more ethical behaviour in society, and to exchange ideas by organising meetings (evening debates, breakfasts, etc.) around the themes of ethics and money in places frequented by those interested in these subjects: universities, schools, companies, parishes, etc.

These main lines of reflection are centred around L'Homme dans l'entreprise, La Consommation and La Citoyenneté.

Oikos Paris

Oikos Paris, the student association for economic development and sustainable management was created in 2000 as the French branch of Oikos International. Hoping to reinforce the knowledge and spirit of companies oriented towards sustainable development, the association was created as a neutral platform for exchange and information whose mission is to accept the institutional, economic, social and ecological challenges that define our world today.

Planetecologie

The French portal on alternative ecology, offering in particular an encyclopaedia on ecology.

Réseau Financement Alternatif

The Alternative Financing Network originated at the time of boycotts against banking investments made in South Africa.

In 1987, seven associations - Solidarités des Alternatives Wallonnes, Crédal, les Écus Baladeurs, le Pivot, l'Université de Paix, le Mouvement International pour la Réconciliation, De Bouche à Oreille – got together to think about how to create a link between savings and solidarity. Inspired by the Dutch association, Netwerk Vlaanderen, they decided to develop the épargne Cigale in partnership with Fortis bank.

The Alternative Financing Network became the main promoter of this new savings account and in return, they receive a commission from the bank in order to finance other human development projects.

Réseau Action Climat France

The French Climate Action Network is a non-profit association recognized by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and specialised in the greenhouse effect and climate change. This association is the French representative in the global NGO network for climate change, the Climate Action Network, which counts over 300 members across the 5 continents.

The French Climate Action Network regroups about twenty associations who defend the environment, public transportation and alternative energy sources. Some of those who are a part of the French Climate Action Network are as follows: les Amis de la Terre, le Comité de Liaison des Énergies Renouvelables (CLER), la Fédération Nationale des Associations d'Usagers de Transports (FNAUT), France Nature Environnement (FNE), la FUBicy (fédération des cyclistes), Greenpeace-France, le Réseau Sortir du Nucléaire, WWF-France, etc.