The boldness of thought

New forms of solidarity: a palliative of injustices created by liberal economy or a taste of greater solidarity across societies? Indeed, the vivacity of the 40 realities represented in the 84th edition of the Social Weeks of France (Paris, November 19-22) brings to the fore what sociologist Julien Damon has defined as “the boldness of thought” leading to a better world. Solidarity economy is not only for the poor, for market outcast, for the homeless, the unemployed, or for those with no access to credit. Rather, it enables to conceive a bond between economy and the social realm, and as French economist Elena Lasida said, it constitutes the place and tool for societal transformation. The new forms of solidarity enter the heart of productive economy with unlimited fields of action by means of true corporate social responsibility implemented with managerial regulations, namely, a response to the ongoing crisis. Follows a snapshot of the various proposals conveyed by SIR Europe, that attended the Social Weeks of France. Home-delivered eyeglasses. The Konnexion Foundation set an example with eye-glass delivery. On the wake of the great French optics tradition, whose factories are mostly located in the Jura region, the Foundation proposes door-to-door spectacles to clients. “Clients are given the possibility to be designers and creators by personalizing their own glasses with the help of an expert”, Konnexion sales assistant Eveline told SIR Europe. “But there is more to this. Since there are neither advertising nor shipping costs the price is competitive and fair both the manufacturer and the vendor are appropriately remunerated. In addition to this – added Eveline, who displayed eyeglasses and brochures in her stall – the Foundation appropriates part of the profits from each pair of glasses for a solidarity association proposed by the client himself. Konnexion also funds a rehabilitation centre for non self-sufficient people. This system also benefits the Foundation’s dependent workers who thus manage to balance their work and family life”.A leader in the catering industry. “Le Table di Cana”, a non-profit volunteer-based organization founded in 1985 by Jesuit priest and IT engineer, Franck Chaigneau, also performs its activity in the job environment. The initiative was triggered by the experience with the homeless who sought employment with non-continual working hours, and non-demanding assignments. These group of people became so involved by catering that today the association has developed into a company, Cana traiteur, that gained a primary role in the field of job placement with contracts to people in difficulty or to those who are distant from the job market. Six branch offices are located in 5 cities, Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Montpellier and Grasse, with sixty workers and 200 people trained annually. Cana Traiteur provided the catering to four thousand participants in the Social Weeks in Paris. A responsible economy. It’s called Les Cigales. The movement, established in 1901 for education to economy and citizenship, gives its members the possibility to invest and be committed in non-profit and job-creating enterprises. Finance is also a part of the new forms of solidarity. Les Cigales encourages people to give a meaning to their savings by investing in environmental protection, fair trade, job placement and in the promotion of a culture based on the centrality of the human person. Accordingly, a part of individual savings are invested in the creation and start-up of small firms. Investors support local entrepreneurs by providing the appropriate skills for the implementation of new projects, thus ensuring their duration in time. In this way they participate in the creation of another economy aimed at reconciling the economic and social realms. Combining saving and solidarity is also the goal of Crédit mutuel whose initiatives include a “savings account for others”. It consists in investing part or all the interests of one’s account in various humanitarian associations, including Secours Catholique. The invested amount is put on a savings account remunerated according to the current bank rates while interests are divided in 25% segments per each association (four at the most) chosen by the depositary. Offering 100% of tax-deductible interests to one association only is equally provided for.