The Rexel Foundation supports social entrepreneurs
This news is related to the project :
01 April 2014
From February to October 2013, the Rexel Foundation teamed up with Ashoka – the largest network of social entrepreneurs worldwide – to develop the IMPACT Energy Efficiency program with the goal of encouraging and professionalizing energy efficiency initiatives that would have viable economic future as well as a significant social impact.
Following a call for projects, nine organizations were selected to receive training sessions and seminars led by experts notably from Rexel’s French subsidiary. The aim: build their business plan, establish a lasting economic model and strengthen their impact. A panel of industry experts awarded prizes to the two best projects.
True to its mission, the Rexel Foundation decided to go one step further in its support of social entrepreneurs by creating a specific joint skills platform. The platform respects the Foundation’s objectives:
- connect energy efficiency industry stakeholders (and thus foster the sharing of skills, resources and knowledge),
- provide material and/or financial support for projects involved in fighting fuel poverty,
- create synergies of thought and action among these stakeholders.
The platform allows social entrepreneurs to benefit from the Group’s resources and those of its partners (clients, suppliers, NGOs, universities). After reviewing the applicants’ requests, and before offering support in the first quarter of 2014, an assessment was carried out of the resources available (skills sponsorship, donation of equipment, financial support, transportation and logistics, and knowledge sharing tools).
