The Foundation

[titre1]Editorial[/titre1]
[titre2]In brief[/titre2]
[titre3]Areas of activity in 2014[/titre3]
[titre4]Budget 2014[/titre4]
[titre5]Skills-based philanthropy programme[/titre5]

[section_1_texte]It is more than 10 years since La Financière de l’Echiquier’s Foundation fervently committed itself to helping those with social and professional difficulties. Today around 4.5 million euros have been granted to more than 130 charitable projects thereby benefiting thousands of people in need of either education or employment.
The Foundation is now focused on the next 10 years! Its beliefs are unchanged: we will continue to aid those who despite their disadvantages, be they social, familial, cultural, health-related or otherwise, have a desire to change their lives. By lending them a helping hand, the Foundation gives them the opportunity to achieve their dreams just the same as anyone else.[/section_1_texte]
[section_1_president]Bénédicte Gueugnier
President, La Financière de l’Echiquier Foundation[/section_1_president]

[section_2_soustitre1]Key figures[/section_2_soustitre1]
[section_2_soustitre2]Two ways in which we help[/section_2_soustitre2]

[lancement]2005[/lancement]
[lancement_label]Created[/lancement_label]
[zone]France[/zone]
[zone_label]Country of operation[/zone_label]
[projets]132[/projets]
[projets_label]Projects supported so far[/projets_label]
[budget]400,000 euros[/budget]
[budget_label]Average annual budget[/budget_label]
[collaborateurs]47[/collaborateurs]
[collaborateurs_label]Participating employees[/collaborateurs_label]
[maisons]55 students enrolled[/maisons]
[maisons_label]Maisons de Jeunes Talents (Young Talent Centres)[/maisons_label]

[section_2_texte]

  • Distributive
    • Donations to charitable organisations in France
    • Voluntary employee skill-sharing
  • Operational
    • Young Talent Centres: equal opportunities programmes

[/section_2_texte]

[section_3_soustitre]Grants awarded by the Foundation[/section_3_soustitre]

[action_1_titre]Integration through employment[/action_1_titre]
[action_2_titre]Education[/action_2_titre]
[action_3_titre]Young Talent Centres[/action_3_titre]

[action_1_texte]Support for companies that help people enter the workplace, using financial resources to help the most disadvantaged members of society and give them back their enthusiasm for work, their dignity and their financial independence.

Example : Emmaüs Défi

Created: 2007
Activity: collection, sorting and reselling of second-hand items
People placed: 80
Volunteers: 200

Offering personalised solutions and a custom-made programme for those least likely to find a job.[/action_1_texte]
[action_2_texte] Education programmes were the first to be supported by the Foundation, as they are essential to preventing exclusion.

Example : Sport dans la Ville

Created: 1998
Activity: getting young people from deprived neighbourhoods back into society through sport
Youngsters aided: 3,300

Using sport as a way of integrating young people from deprived neighbourhoods.[/action_2_texte]
[action_3_texte]Les Maisons des Jeunes Talents (Young Talent Centres) give free accommodation and support to young female scholarship winners throughout their preparatory studies for the Grandes Ecoles (Universities).

Created: 2010
Activity: educational and personal support
Students supported: 25 students housed half-board free of charge during the educational year 2014-2015.

A programme with a proven track record: 85% success rate in entrance exams.[/action_3_texte]

[section_4_donation_externe]External donations[/section_4_donation_externe]

[section_4_bloc_1_titre]La Financière de l’Echiquier[/section_4_bloc_1_titre]
[section_4_bloc_1_texte]75% of the Foundation’s budget is provided through a fee-sharing arrangement on two mutual funds:

  • Echiquier Excelsior: our first fee-sharing fund set up in 2005.
  • Agressor Partage: our flagship fund has offered fee-sharing units since 2013.

[/section_4_bloc_1_texte]
[section_4_bloc_2_titre]External donations[/section_4_bloc_2_titre]
[section_4_bloc_2_texte]Donations to the Foundation make up 25% of the budget and are eligible for reductions in income tax, corporate tax and wealth tax. For example, a donation of 1,000 euros (equivalent to 3 days in a back-to-work company for a disadvantaged person or 1 month of accomodation and support for a student at a Young Talent Centre) effectively costs the donor:

  • 340 euros after income tax relief
  • 400 euros after corporate tax relief
  • 250 euros after a wealth tax relief

We were voted the most generous company of the year in 2014.

[/section_4_bloc_2_texte]

[section_5_soustitre]Enabling employees to help the disadvantaged during working hours.[/section_3_soustitre]

[section_5_bloc_1]The company provides the opportunity for employees to devote 5 working days per year to organisations that are financially supported by the Foundation.
Whether it is supervision of events, coaching young people looking for internships or painting premises, organisations can count on our employees when they need a helping hand.[/section_5_bloc_1]

[section_5_bloc_2_titre]In figures:[/section_5_bloc_2_titre]
[section_5_donnee_1_label]Programme created[/section_5_donnee_1_label]
[section_5_donnee_1_value]July 2012[/section_5_donnee_1_value]
[section_5_donnee_2_label]Participating employees[/section_5_donnee_2_label]
[section_5_donnee_2_value]47 (50% of the workforce)[/section_5_donnee_2_value]
[section_5_donnee_3_label]Time given[/section_5_donnee_3_label]
[section_5_donnee_3_value]Over 500 working hours donated[/section_5_donnee_3_value]

[section_5_bloc_3_texte_1]As an example, we worked with the Association Le Valdocco, one of whose objectives is to build ties with families in sensitive neighbourhoods. Les bibliothèques de rue (mobile libraries) are an excellent way of accomplishing this.[/section_5_bloc_3_texte_1]
[section_5_bloc_3_texte_2]The support of our employees was of particular help to Le Valdocco when the Wednesday mobile library in Argenteuil had to close due to a lack of volunteers.[/section_5_bloc_3_texte_2]