La Conciergerie Solidaire
Founded in 2010, La Conciergerie Solidaire is a French social enterprise, which offers local, inclusive and responsible services to companies, property owners and managers of shared spaces, as well as local authorities and social housing providers. This includes concierge, hospitality, reception and event management services.
Photo Credit: I. Mathie
The organisation aims to foster professional and social inclusion for those distanced from the labour market, such as women reentering work after long periods or individuals with disabilities or health challenges La Conciergerie Solidaire provides employment and livelihoods to those groups, and accompanies them in their professional reintegration. Employees receive support from a “technical integration supervisor”, who provides emotional support, guidance on their career development as well as ad-hoc assistance on any problems they are facing in their personal life (i.e. housing, administrative, etc.).
The enterprise objective is to ultimately prepare and help employees find a full-time job in which they can stay long-term. Employment contracts are limited to a maximum of two years, allowing the social enterprise to support a greater number of individuals in their reintegration journey.. To date, La Conciergerie Solidaire counts approximately 100 employees, of which 60 are employees in integration. On average, 65% of them find a full-time position after this employment contract.
Photo Credit: I. Mathie
Social Procurement Partnerships
La Conciergerie Solidaire offers concierge services to corporations, including catering, event management, reception, mail, travel management but also services to make employees’ life easier: dry cleaning, shoe repair, mail, ironing, childcare and tutoring, etc. All these services are provided by local suppliers committed to the social economy. La Conciergerie Solidaire already works with 82 corporate clients across France, including large groups such as Thalès, Orange, Danone, La Poste and Crédit Agricole. They built these strong B2B trade partnerships, either by responding to a bidding offer or by a direct sales process with clients.
The social enterprise wants each partnership to answer their five key pillars:
- Attentiveness to the needs and challenges of the sites where they operate.
- Close communication throughout the contract with the client to adapt and improve the service provided.
- A positive dynamic fostering the creation of social connections and the engagement of employees and users.
- High-quality service, comparable or superior to traditional suppliers
- Strong presence and integration within the local communities
Photo Credit: I. Mathie
La Conciergerie Solidaire also managed to supply the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games 2024. During the Games, laundry facilities in the athletes' village were managed by a consortium of nine social enterprises, led by La Conciergerie Solidaire. This contract involved setting up twelve laundries operating seven days a week, with the capacity to process eight tons of laundry daily. To provide this service, around 350 people in integration pathways or with disabilities were employed. It was the first time in Olympic history that laundry services were provided by people with disabilities or those on social integration pathways. To learn more about how the Olympic Games integrated social enterprises in its supply chain, read this article.
Impact
The organisation generates a direct social impact by creating jobs and integrating individuals distant from the job market. Indirectly, it supports local, socially responsible partners and suppliers who also prioritise inclusive employment practices. Finally, La Conciergerie Solidaire also creates a positive environmental impact by the use of responsible means of transport (electric vehicles, bikes, etc.).
- 105 concierge sites (service delivery locations) throughout France
- 69 employees in integration
- €610K in business contributions directed towards local partners
“We are the living proof that commitment and impact go hand in hand with quality and customer satisfaction.”
Sylvain Lepainteur, President and Founder of La Conciergerie Solidaire