Solidarity in uncertain times: now in its 2nd year, the Faurecia Foundation forges new external partnerships

Aware of the COVID-19 social challenges and impact on livelihoods, the Foundation’s Board of Directors felt there was a need to accelerate assistance to local communities in Faurecia’s operating countries. The Foundation firmly believes that being a responsible employer also involves having a positive contribution to society. 

Discover the causes and projects that will be boosted thanks to the donations, all falling in the focus areas of the Foundation – education, mobility, the environment, and solidarity.  

STUDENTS – France:  Assistance to students affected by the COVID-19 crisis, through the Fondation de France 

Universities closures, precarious living conditions, lack of social interactions … since 2020, the COVID-19 crisis has been hitting students on many fronts, impacting their well-being. In response to the health and social emergency crisis, the Fondation de France launched a call for solidarity. The objective was to identify and fund projects in support to vulnerable students, in partnership with corporate or private donors. The Faurecia Foundation decided to join the initiative and to focus both on emergency aid – food, essential products, psychological assistance – and longer-term support, helping the beneficiaries improve their autonomy and employability.  

More specifically, the Foundation is funding 6 existing projects with the aim to boost their impact: 

• Fondation de France scholarships for young adults:  Helping them both to pursue their studies and enter the labor market (registration fees, purchase of supplies, transport fees, access to housing…). Free consultations with psychologists by the Heuyer health clinic in the Seine Saint-Denis department, France: The goal being to double the number of consultations. 
• ‘Erasmus Expertise’ tutoring, a long-term educational tutoring program for students. 
• Université de Lorraine aid fund, an exceptional financial aid allocated to needy students 
• COP’1: Food & necessities distribution to students in the Paris area. 
• 8 Connect: Computer maintenance & upcycling project, run by IT students from the Paris 8 University. 

Photo credit: P.Morel/Fondation de France

YOUNG WORKERS - France

Inclusion through digital trainings with the Simplon Foundation The Faurecia Foundation is supporting the Simplon Foundation – a French organization – in its mission to improve the employability of people with few or no qualifications, wishing to embrace digital professions. The Faurecia Foundation also unlocked funds to help learners facing difficulties in their students’ journey. More specifically, we are sponsoring 2 existing programs: Bac(K) on track: intensive courses targeting school dropouts, migrants, people with disabilities and women in vulnerable situations, to bounce back and start digital studies in digital. Emergency scholarships: awarded to those among the Simplon digital learners who are facing difficult situations – housing, health, mobility, food support.

DISABLED PEOPLE – FRANCE:  Medical material refurbishment through a circular economy business model, with Envie Autonomie 

Envie Autonomie is a French non-profit association applying a circular economy business model to the medical equipment sector. Through a structured network of production and distributions sites in France, Envie Autonomie collects equipment that is no longer used – wheelchairs, medical beds, shower trolleys, stand-up stands… – to give it a second life. After sorting, part of the equipment is refurbished, checked, secured, and sanitized. The model promotes the social and solidarity economy in various ways: wastage reduction, financially accessible offer – the equipment’s price is 50-70% lower compared to new equipment –, extension of the product lifetime, creation of jobs  for people with disabilities or lacking qualifications, revitalization of the local economy. 

The Foundation is sponsoring the launch of 2 new operating sites in France, in the Gironde and Ile-et-Vilaine departments.

CHILDREN – Mexico & Romania:  Mobile School for street children in Mexico and Romania 

Mobile School is an NGO whose mission is to provide education and unconditional presence to street children. The Faurecia Foundation is bringing financial support to mobile schools in 2 countries: 

• Romania: the Faurecia’s Foundation support will help to conduct 96 additional education outreach sessions in 4 areas in Iasi city, potentially reaching 2,000 contacts with disadvantaged children. 
• Mexico: the Faurecia Foundation is helping conduct an additional 96 sessions and reach 1,000 contacts with children in Queretaro. We are also sponsoring the creation of a new mobile school in Guadalajara – equipment production, preparation of 266 education materials, local team training.   

FAMILIES – India:  COVID-19 relief & recovery efforts with Action Against Hunger in India 

The Faurecia Foundation joined forces with Action Against Hunger India, amid the 2nd wave. The NGO is supporting local authorities in sustaining health services and mitigating the health crisis collateral damages.  

Through this sponsorship, the Faurecia Foundation is contributing to relief efforts in the Pune and Palghar areas, where the Group has a strong footprint. 17,000 individuals will benefit from the donation on 3 fronts: access to health services, food assistance and increased vaccine and precautions awareness. 

"After the difficult times people went through, we felt there was a need for the Faurecia Foundation to bring its engagement to the next level. We are happy to act together with recognized partners, to step up the society contribution of Faurecia. We look forward to continue working hand-in-hand with our employees and external partners in all our host countries.” 
Isabelle Cornu, Group Sustainable Development Director and Faurecia Foundation General Delegate