fonds-solidarite-entreprises-bordeaux-business

A solidarity fund between entrepreneurs in Gironde

A solidarity fund between entrepreneurs could be set up in Gironde. In any case, this is the proposal made by cpME Gironde. Thus, the employers’ union of the managers of TPE and SMEs of the department wants to set up an interprofessional solidarity fund (1). Endowed by companies that do not suffer from the health and economic crisis, this fund would aim to financially support companies and prevent them from bankruptcy. A mechanism based on solidarity between business leaders developed at the local level.

An Interprofessional Solidarity Fund in Gironde for companies in difficulty

If we knew the inevitable bankruptcies, the recent figures of the CCI Bordeaux Gironde show the extent of the damage already present (2). Thus, although the June rebound would have been life-saving for some companies, the reconfination sounds the death knell for many. The Commercial Court therefore registers 422 judgments since 31 March, including 199 judicial liquidations with a peak in July (127 judgments and 55 liquidations).

Listening to the terrain and facing the precariousness of many of our small businesses, we have now decided to take an important step and manage our future ourselves.

Philippe Loiseau, President of CPME Gironde

Thus, through the creation of an inter-professional Solidarity Fund, CPME Gironde wishes to provide a concrete and rapid response to companies in difficulty to prevent them from suffering the same fate.

Our ambition: To make an entrepreneurial response for entrepreneurs. […] We want pragmatism, speed, efficiency, being light and hard-hitting. We must act today, tomorrow it will be too late.

A call for donations to companies benefiting from the crisis

This solidarity fund will be created on the model of a territorial foundation. Accreditation should be obtained in less than a month to launch the initiative by following. To abound the fund, the CPME and its institutional partners will first and foremost appeal for donations to companies with little or no impact from the economic crisis. Open to all impulses of generosity,the fund will be able to receive money from companies but also from individuals. The CPME also announces that “institutional funds not yet distributed may also be used” (1).

interprofessional solidarity fund companies CPME Gironde
Trade activities (37%) services (39%) 76% of judgments (2).

We rely particularly on the support of retail, insurers or agri-food. Their gift would represent a threefold interest: solidarity, first; Decriminalisation of course; and especially the economic interest, because a tsunami of failures will be detrimental to everyone. A company that goes bankrupt is one less supplier or customer; and the additional unemployed are consumers with less purchasing power.

Stéphane Loniewski, Vice-President of CPME Gironde in charge of trade

On the e-commerce side, while we are hunting for Amazon,it may be worth remembering that France also has its national champion. Which is precisely in Gironde. Thus, Cdiscount is also benefiting from the growth of e-commerce. Following the announcement of the reconfinement, the platform announced the free of charge of its marketplace and a reduction or even the abolition of its commissions (3). The opportunity for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to continue to sell; and get an e-commerce and click and collect solution quickly.

Funding and risk prevention, a credible Solidarity Fund

Let the donors of the solidarity fund be reassured, the money is not intended to be distributed to all SMEs – SMEs unconditionally. Also, it will be allocated on objective criteria starting with the analysis of accounting balance sheets. In addition, each file will have to pass into the hands of the Committee of Wise Men. The aim is to allocate funds to the companies that are best able to leave, to ensure smart investments. To ensure the proper management of the inter-professional solidarity fund, an independent third party will be responsible for assessing the fund’s performance.

We will allocate specific, balanced, tailored and justified budgets to each company, independent or association that needs it. Our ambition is to raise, and therefore distribute, 100 million euros in 6 months with the help of all and if really everyone is aware of his responsibilities …

Frédéric Petit, VICE-President of CPME Gironde in charge of industry

The creation of this inter-professional solidarity fund provides for an alert cell and a treatment cell. The first will manage the implementation of an information system to capture and manage emergencies. The second will provide access to 3 platforms dedicated to psychological, technical and trainingassistance.

On this point, the scheme is already relying on the solutions proposed by the department. Thus, gironde has a “support cell” for business leaders. Since the reconfinement, the number of calls received is up 30% compared to normal, or 420 calls per day (4). Between 30% and 40% of calls are related to re-confinement. An activity that allows us to know the main concerns of the leaders. Setting up click and collect, state aid, maintaining activity,carrying over expenses…

Sources

  1. “AnInterprofessional Solidarity Fund to help businesses in difficulty”,CPME, press release issued on 10 November 2020
  2. “Reconciling economic and health objectives!” CCI Bordeaux Gironde, press release published on 17 November 2020
  3. Accompanying device for TPEs – French SMEs, Cdiscount, 2 November 2020
  4. “Re-confinement: Surviving the Covid for the entrepreneurs of girona!”,CCI Bordeaux Gironde, press release published on November 9, 2020
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