At the invitation of EDHEC Alumni Christian Club and the Sustainable Development Club, about twenty people met up on EDHEC’s Parisian premises to debate the issues regarding business and social solidarity for the most vulnerable in today’s society. Two speakers, Christel Koehler, founder of the consultancy firm for ethical and social solidarity strategy, Koïnè Conseil, and Benjamin Cavalli, in charge of the Blédina-Croix Rouge partnership, shared their experience of introducing socially-oriented approaches to the everyday and profit-based running of a company.

Christel Koehler showed how organisations from the banking sector, public transport, energy and communications had tackled these issues, initially for operational reasons: long queues at the post office, avoiding payment on the Paris transport system, loitering in stations, debt prevention in banks, etc. They found that the better their service to the most vulnerable, the more self-sufficient these customers became and the more easily they were able to get back into society. This had a positive impact on the company and on customer relations, it increased turnover, reduced petty crime and litigation, motivated the staff, etc. For instance, enabling people excluded from the banking system to open an account is an excellent way to get them back into society. And the banking relationship generally improves over time, becoming a profitable source of income when the customers are adequately supported.

These solutions are certainly not miracles: they require adjustments to current supply and procedures, a real willingness on the part of the management and, in most cases, close collaboration with associations familiar with such publics. But the results are there for all to see.

Benjamin Cavalli illustrated this approach through the Blédina-Croix Rouge scheme, which involves Danone, the French Red Cross and other partners. The aim is to help children from poor families to get good nutrition during their earliest years (baby milk and food) and as they grow older. An ingenious set-up means that Danone can finance food coupons that families use to buy appropriate good quality products. In this way Danone increases its turnover and includes the scheme in its corporate patronage policy. The Red Cross helps to support the families and manages the operation.

The audience asked many questions about the economic viability of these initiatives and how they were received by the companies’ decision-makers. Others went further, considering more global structural solutions that could be introduced to help the most vulnerable. The discussions that followed during the traditional after-conference cocktail also highlighted the impact of the issues on each participant in their professional and civil commitment.

Text written par Christel Koehler,
Founder of the consultancy firm for ethical and social solidarity strategy, Koïnè Conseil
Chrétiens Edhec Alumni Club Ambassador