EDHEC in support of healthcare workers

It is in times of crisis that the EDHEC network reveals the full extent of its solidarity and responsibility. Here’s a snapshot of the graduates using their business to actively support the efforts of healthcare workers in the fight against Covid-19. 

Other initiatives are being shared every day on our social networks. Join our official pages and discussion groups or follow the hashtag #EDHECalumniCare.

Gilles Normand (EDHEC Master 1986), Director of the electric vehicles division and mobility services at Renault, has rolled out several initiatives to support healthcare staff. In Paris for example, the electric car-sharing service ZITY took steps back in March to make available up to 300 Renault ZOE cars via Hoptisoins, the online services platform put in place by AP-HP to facilitate the daily lives of healthcare professionals working in the fight against Covid-19.

Alexis Jacquand (EDHEC Master 1994), MD of Petit Navire, decided in March to keep the Douarnenez plant open to maintain the country’s food supply chain and also decided to make a significant donation: 24,000 masks to hospitals in the area! 
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Michaël Massat (EDHEC International BBA 2001), who heads up the Noreve brand, a French firm based in Saint-Tropez which makes accessories for mobile devices, will be donating 20% of its revenue to the healthcare unit in Gassin. "I feel very attached to my local region and, since the business was set up in 2003, we have endeavoured to write our civic identity into our DNA. This has involved constant support for associations, but right now there are people who really need us: healthcare workers, whose working conditions are extremely challenging.” 
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Pierre Giuliano (EDHEC International BBA 1994), Director at Mesta Chimie Fine, a company that specialises in synthetic chemistry, has made available industrial machinery to produce a hydro-alcoholic solution to be supplied to city halls and health & safety institutions in the Alpes-Maritimes department.

Mathilde Couturié (MSc in Strategy Consulting & Digital Transformation, 2012), founder of RemplaFrance, which facilitates recruitment of healthcare workers in medical and paramedical establishments, has set up partnerships with C.O.Q Hôtel and Airbnb to house carers who volunteer to work outside their home region.

Patrick Amiel (EDHEC Master 1996), co-founder of 321founded, has teamed up with a group of entrepreneurs and specialists from the worlds of e-commerce and retailing to combine their strength, identify the right suppliers and coordinate their logistics workers internationally to combat Covid-19. They issued an appeal for donations to provide staff working on the front line with protective masks (FFP2 and surgical).
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Guillaume Girodanella (EDHEC International BBA 2007), co-founder of the agency Hypee Communication made an interesting choice. Unable to participate in the production of hydroalcoholic gel or mask, he preferred to allow all his employees to take half a day on their working time to help the poor in their own way. A gesture highly appreciated by the teams.

Sophie Hue (EDHEC Master 2007), co-founder of Labtoo, has launched a special COVID-19 platform to bring together businesses and research laboratories. The objective is to speed up medication, vaccine and diagnostic projects to combat SARS-CoV-2 by finding R&D partners who can move forward more quickly in response to the emergency.
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Olivier Poteaux (EDHEC Master 2000), Director of exports at Durand Production, responded to the government’s appeal to industrial firms. His production chain, which usually manufactures lubricants and engine oil, has been made available and is now producing up to 50,000 litres of hydro-alcoholic solution a day (with the capacity to multiply production fourfold if needed). These products are reserved for healthcare professionals as a priority, mainly in hospitals and retirement homes.

Yves Bottin (EDHEC Internationa BBA 2001), Director and founder of IZYFLEX has placed his digital solution at the disposal of pharmacists free of charge for a period of three months to limit the spread of the virus. Patients can now upload their prescriptions online, order products via Click & Collect, and make appointments for pharmaceutical consultations on the premises or remotely. 
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Franck Lefeuvre (EDHEC MSc 2018) has launched the #quarantAIME initiative to support restaurants, the tourism sector and healthcare workers. It allows you to offer the people you love a gift voucher for dinner, a massage or weekend getaway which can be used once the lockdown has been lifted. #quarantAIME also supports the “Tous unis contre le virus” initiative, based on the alliance between Fondation de France, AP-HP and the Institut Pasteur, who are fighting each day to protect us and find effective solutions to overcome this virus. 5% of all sales are being donated to the initiative! 
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Manon Latgé (EDHEC Master 2014), co-founder of Né à. has begun producing hydro-alcoholic gel for healthcare staff in various medical centres, whether partners or not. "Né à" is a B2B service that allows maternity wards to create their own brand of organic dermocosmetic baby products, certified and manufactured in France.

Martin Louvel (EDHEC Master 2009), CEO & founder of Care&Coach, has launched the "Solidarité Soignants COVID-19" initiative to support healthcare personnel during these challenging times by putting them in touch with certified coaches in less than 24 hours in a way that is simple, free of charge and secure!
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Matthieu Guégan (EDHEC International BBA 2019) founder of TAFANELLI, temporarily moves away from his usual production to support the French Red Cross in the context of health crisis. He launched a crowdfunding campaign (link here) associated with the sale of a unique model of 100% recycled cotton T-shirt on pre-order. All of the funds raised by this action will be directly donated to the Red Cross. Thus, he makes available his supplier expertise and his ideas in the fight against COVID-19.

This list is not exhaustive of course. If you would like to share an inspirational project put in place by an EDHEC graduate in the fight against Covid-19, get in touch with us.

More than 700 EDHEC graduates and students have joined us on LinkedIn in a single week to benefit from or offer advice and opportunities during the Covid-19 crisis. 
You too can join the movement of solidarity on our official EDHEC Alumni networks:

#EDHECalumniCare