Public interest initiatives underpinned by mutualist values
Reading and solidarity to promote cooperative values
The aim of the Crédit Mutuel Foundation, created in early 2009 under the aegis of Fondation de France, is to support projects and organisations in all areas of public interest, in France and around the world. It works to promote reading and the French language, with a focus on combating economic and social exclusion.
Its initiatives, carried out at the local, regional, national and international level, take many different forms, including support for associations, schools, events, institutions, etc., creating programmes and awards, advising associations, providing fundraising advice, and so on. Its work covers the following areas:
READING, PREVENTION AND MEDIATION:
- preventing illiteracy,
- raising awareness of reading and books from a very early age,
- teaching reading through Lire la Ville, its environmental literacy programme.
READING AND INCLUSIVITY:
- fostering the social inclusion of people in difficulty,
- providing routes into work for the long- or short-term unemployed through the learning of basic skills,
- combating illiteracy.
EVENTS AND PRIZES:
- supporting events on reading and literature,
- sponsoring reading prizes,
- developing the Crédit Mutuel Foundation award.
Note that at the request of Crédit Mutuel's bodies and under programmes decided by the regional federations, the group can take exceptional initiatives as part of its support of major causes - Haiti earthquake relief being an example. Within this framework and in response to emergency situations, the Foundation can provide support to countries affected by natural disasters and climate or health crises, etc.