Semeurs d'avenir
We devoted most of our spring newsletter to SME managers facing the effects of the health crisis. Six months later, our standalone edition appears at a time when the many announcements on new vaccines demonstrates the extraordinary capacity of scientific research, supported by an unprecedented mobilization of public and private funds, to accelerate, innovate and find solutions equal to the universally perceived threat. Compared to the major pandemics that have struck humankind, it is therefore likely that the Covid-19 crisis will have had a relatively short lifespan; it is already certain that the imbalances in our world – clearly more difficult to curb than a virus, even if they are the direct result of human actions – have not ceased to produce their devastating effects during this health crisis.
Sparring Capital opens its newsletter to those who make the fight against these imbalances their daily struggle and for whom fatalism and inaction are not an option. These women and men are fighting in their own way – determined and entrepreneurial – for a more inclusive and environmentally friendly world. Social and environmental emergencies are not mutually exclusive, but fought head-on to create new virtuous circles in which the protection of our planet contributes to the generation of new activities and jobs. These initiatives are not necessarily profitable, and therefore sustainable without external financial support, and they are all the more deserving of support. This is why Sparring Capital has decided to support them through the Sparring Capital Foundation. Each year, our Foundation will support a limited number of initiatives selected for their innovative approach, at the crossroads of environmental protection and the fight against exclusion. Hosted by the Fondation Agir Contre l’Exclusion, the Foundation will therefore extend, in another field, the responsible approach in which Sparring Capital firmly establishes its role as a professional shareholder.
Good reading !
The Sparring Capital Team
Interview Réseau Eco Habitat
Franck Billeau, Fondateur de Réseau Eco Habitat
Could you briefly describe your career and how you came up with the idea of creating Réseau Eco Habitat?
I have a diploma in electrical engineering, but when I finished my studies, I turned towards activities in the associative environment by joining an association for young people from working class backgrounds.
I then joined Secours Catholique, where I stayed for 15 years. In 2013, with my wife, we began building a so-called ecological house. I discovered a passion for building with eco-materials. At the same time, as regional manager of Secours Catholique, I noticed that 25% of the aids distributed are used to pay energy bills. I also noticed that the financial contributions provided by the State for housing renovations for people in difficulty were under-used.
The association was therefore created from this observation and from the desire to support those most in need.
What are the objectives of the association and its main achievements to date?
The network is present in 5 departments in France and includes more than 100 volunteers. We have been involved in 80 projects since the creation of the association and 20 projects are now carried out each year. The objective is to increase to 60 projects per year within 3 years.
On a social level, 50% of the households that have been supported by Réseau Eco Habitat find a job after the renovation. For retired people, the renovation enables them to save energy, gain in comfort and host their loved ones.
We launched a call for proposals so that we can expand to new regions. The 10 most convincing projects will be selected to extend the network’s influence. We wish to operate in this way because the strength of the association is based on knowledge of the specific aids for each region and on local relations.
What makes your approach original?
The upper limit for low-income households according to the criteria of the National Housing Agency (Anah) is €25,000 of revenue per year. Our core target is households with revenues of around €8,000 per year. We target the most modest, the so-called invisible ones.
Our second particularity is our network operation. We connect large construction companies such as Schneider and Saint Gobain with small local craftsmen within the network. The players in our network are dependent on each other to provide comprehensive support to households.
What motivates you on an everyday basis?
What is particularly important to me is to decompartmentalize the business community and the associations. Both operate together within Réseau Eco Habitat. And of course, I am highly motivated by the environmental and social impact of the network. As we go through these lockdowns, the most modest need our help all the more.
How do you view private initiatives such as the Sparring Capital Foundation?
I am very enthusiastic about this type of initiative. Not only because of the financial support and the impact it generates, but also because it validates Réseau Eco Habitat’s model: bringing together economic players and volunteers in a shared experience.