Francis Bouygues Foundation
PATRONAGE
The Group contributes to the economic and social development of the countries in which it operates. Through its corporate foundations and dedicated departments, it backs a wide variety of projects, especially initiatives to support non-profits and underprivileged communities. And its own employees are sometimes involved in these projects too.
The patronage policy of Bouygues SA, the parent company of the Bouygues group, is focussed on four major areas: education, humanitarian, healthcare and environmental initiatives.
Education
The Bouygues group is committed to education through its support for eight non-profits in 2024 (such as Institut Louis Germain, Réseau Abibac, La Source Garouste-La Guéroulde), and through its support for equal opportunities projects.
ASSOCIATION RURA
Founded in 2016, “RURA” (formerly “Chemins d’Avenirs”) works to unlock the potential of young people living outside France’s major urban areas. It informs and supports them across the country, from school to university, through mentoring and the creation of an ecosystem of success around them (themed workshops, empowerment programmes for 100 young girls, public speaking competitions, etc.). Bouygues has provided financial support since 2022.
ASSOCIATION MA CHANCE MOI AUSSI
Founded in 2015, “Ma Chance Moi Aussi” is a non-profit whose aim is to support children from disadvantaged backgrounds in order to provide them, from the age of six, with educational and academic support aimed at preventing as many difficulties as possible later on in life. Bouygues has provided financial support since 2021.
ASSOCIATION ESSEC GROUP – EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAMME
ESSEC’s equal opportunities programme “Une grande école: pourquoi pas moi?” provides young high-potential students in France’s ZEPs (Priority Education Zones) with personalised tutoring that gives them a clearer understanding of the possibilities and functioning of higher education and enables them to pursue the course of study that best suits their potential. Bouygues has supported this programme financially since 2016.
ASSOCIATION LE ROCHER OASIS DES CITÉS
For 23 years now, members of “Le Rocher Oasis des Cités” have gone to live in so-called “priority” urban areas around France. They work with local residents to set up educational, social and cultural programmes designed to help the children and families living in these neighbourhoods.
Request for support to help continue rolling out the school support programme, aimed at 650 children, and to trial a support tool for 25 young NEETS (Not in Employment, Education or Training). Bouygues has provided financial support since 2018.
ASSOCIATION COUP DE POUCE
“Coup de Pouce” has received certification from the French Ministry of Education as an educational body for public learning. It aims to prevent young people from leaving school too early by taking action in the first years of their schooling.
Request for support in rolling out “Coup de Pouce” extra-curricular programmes (Language, Reading, Books and Mathematics), mainly in the disadvantaged inner-city areas of 30 partner towns in France and overseas, for 509 children from five to seven years old identified as having learning difficulties and needing to have confidence in their abilities. Bouygues has provided financial support since 2016.
Environment
The Bouygues group is also committed to the environment by supporting grassroots initiatives (e.g. mangrove restoration projects, plastic waste collection) and, elsewhere, actions to raise awareness of the challenges of the ecological transition. The organisations supported include Landestini, Centre des Monuments Nationaux, Des Enfants et des Arbres, Météo et Climat and Fondation des Bernardins.
ASSOCIATION PLANTEURS D’AVENIRS
“Planteurs d’Avenir” is a non-profit that aims to create a network of participative tree nurseries to support agroforestry. It is active in France through the development of tree nurseries (in Bordeaux and in central and northern France) to stimulate the tree production and the planting cycle. Bouygues has provided financial support since 2023.
ASSOCIATION PLASTIC ODYSSEY FOUNDATION
Created in 2016, the not-for-profit Plastic Odyssey Foundation is a network of partners engaged in the fight against plastic pollution of the oceans. Bouygues has been supporting its endeavours since January 2024, particularly the creation and implementation of a training programme for over 200 local businesses that addresses the issues involved in the recycling of plastic.
FONDATION DE LA MER
“Fondation de la Mer” supports those who campaign for oceans to receive sustainable protection and to be exploited with prudence and foresight. It currently supports hundreds of local campaigners and implements its own programmes to protect marine biodiversity, fight against the pollution of the sea, and support research. In 2024, Bouygues supported a project to protect and restore posidonia beds in Corsica.
PLANÈTE URGENCE
Created in 2000, “Planète Urgence” is a public-interest, non-profit body that promotes international cooperation and is a recognised player in the protection and preservation of the most endangered forests.
Request for support to help fund the mangrove restoration project in north-west Madagascar. Bouygues has provided financial support to Planète Urgence since 2023.
Humanitarian assistance
The Group is committed to humanitarian aid through its partnership with 11 non-profits in 2024 (such as La Mie de Pain, Ordre de Malte France, Fonds de dotation RH Sans Frontières, La Maison de Marthe et Marie), which provide support and/or emergency accommodation for people in difficulty or with disabilities.
ASSOCIATION LAZARE
Created in 2011, “Lazare” is a non-profit that creates living spaces where homeless or socially-isolated people can live side-by-side with young socially-integrated working people. It has 15 such spaces in France, including several abroad: (Belgium, Switzerland, Spain and Mexico). Bouygues has supported Lazare since 2015.
SIMON DE CYRÈNE
The non-profit “Simon de Cyrène”, founded by Laurent de Cherisey, sets up shared homes where people with disabilities as a result of a life shock (head injury, stroke, etc.) and able-bodied adults live together. The aim is to help them learn to live with a serious disability and become independent.
Request for support to help fund specific improvements to the three “Simon de Cyrène” shared homes near Lille. These three houses will be shared by around 18 disabled people and 15 able-bodied individuals. Bouygues has provided financial support since 2006.
AUX CAPTIFS, LA LIBÉRATION !
Created in 1981, “Aux Captifs la Libération” helps homeless people who are victims of sexual exploitation or in treatment for addiction. Based in Paris, this non-profit provides full-time services helping women victims of sexual exploitation to enjoy friendly and non-threatening spaces as well as to attend workshops on art, health and sewing or to go on cultural visits. Bouygues has provided financial support since 2019.
MAISON BAKHITA
“Maison Bakhita” is a non-profit resource centre dedicated to helping migrants and refugees to integrate into French society.
Request for support to help fund the continuation of the professional cookery course. This provides the possibility for those students who obtain a sufficiently high level at the end of the course to pass a professional chef’s exam. Bouygues has provided financial support since 2021.
ASSOCIATION ACAY
“ACAY” is a non-profit working in the Philippines since 1997 with the “School of Life”, which hosts girls aged between 15 and 23 who are victims of sexual abuse or homeless. It also offers, in the Marseilles region since 2024, an occupational integration programme for juvenile delinquents who have spent time in prison and a programme to help develop parenting skills. Bouygues has provided financial support since 2022.
ASSOCIATION LES ENFANTS DU VIETNAM
“Les Enfants du Vietnam” is a public-interest non-profit organisation. It provides material and humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable people in Vietnam, with priority going to children. With help from Bouygues in 2024, it was able to complete the construction of a new primary school in the village of Hon Thien in southern Vietnam.
Request for support to help finance the construction of a hostel in Muong Cat for 25 young girls and 25 young boys. Bouygues has provided financial support since 2016.
ASSOCIATION WAKE UP CAFÉ
Created in 2014, “Wake up Café” supports people leaving prison who are interested in long-term occupational integration and want to avoid re-offending. In 2024, Bouygues supported the opening of a Wake up Café site in Rennes for 2,865 people.
Healthcare
In 2024, the Bouygues group supported 10 non-profits working in the field of health (such as Fondation Coeur et Recherche and Fondation Adolphe de Rothschild).
FONDATION POUR LA RECHERCHE MÉDICALE
For over 75 years, “Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale” has been serving research and healthcare by selecting and supporting innovative research projects that are likely to lead to advances in medicine in a wide range of diseases, including cancer, neurological and cardiovascular diseases.
Request for support to help fund the research project of Prof. Éric Kremer (Montpellier Institute of Molecular Genetics), which aims to develop an alternative method of treating Alzheimer’s disease. Bouygues has provided financial support to Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale since 2019.
ASSOCIATION NAKED HEART FRANCE
Founded in 2004 by Natalia Vodianova, whose younger sister has autism, the non-profit “Naked Heart” aims to support efforts to eradicate societal neglect of children with disabilities and to provide play facilities that are accessible to all children, regardless of their abilities.
Request for support to help finance the project to renovate the building in Ermenonville used by Naked Heart for its activities. It needs to be converted into an early response centre for families raising autistic children. Bouygues has provided financial support since 2024.
IHU ICAN
“IHU ICAN” is a research centre within La Pitié Salpêtrière hospital in Paris. Its aim is to develop personalised treatments for patients suffering from cardio-metabolic diseases (heart disease, diabetes, etc).
Request for support to help fund the continuation of the ICAN IHU’s PEGASE study project. The aim is to increase the number of transplants by extending the period during which a heart can be used after removal from the donor, by using an ex-vivo perfusion device that preserves the heart until the transplant. Bouygues has provided financial support to IHU ICAN since 2023.
FONDATION POUR LA RECHERCHE SUR LES AVC
“Fondation pour la Recherche sur les AVC” works to support and boost research into neurovascular diseases, notably cerebrovascular accidents, more commonly known as strokes.
Request for support to help fund the research project of Dr Stéphane Germain , who is working on a new therapeutic approach to strokes. Bouygues has provided financial support to Fondation pour la Recherche sur les AVC since 2015.
FONDATION RETINA
“Fondation Retina” works to improve support for medical and ophthalmological research and to help people with visual impairment. Each year, this foundation supports between seven and eight research projects that are selected by a scientific committee.
Request for support to participate in the financing of the project of Dr Gaël Orieux (Institut de la Vision, Paris), who intends to spend two years studying a combined cell therapy and optogenetic approach as a treatment for pigmentary retinal degeneration affecting the photoreceptors. Bouygues has provided financial support to the Foundation since 2019.
FONDS DE DOTATION HANDILAB
“Fonds de dotation Handilab” is supporting the roll-out of the Handilab, located in Saint-Denis. As the first innovation incubator dedicated to disability in France, Handilab opened its doors at the end of December 2024. It will play host to players innovating in the field of disability, and in particular start-ups, who will follow themed training courses and conferences to develop their innovations. Bouygues has provided financial support to the Handilab since 2022.
FONDATION AMIPI – BERNARD VENDRE
“Fondation AMIPI – Bernard VENDRE” operates six disability-friendly companies who work to help mentally-disabled people develop their intellectual capacity and to take their place in society by gaining employment in ‘normal’ conditions. Bouygues has provided financial support to Fondation AMIPI – Bernard VENDRE since 2021.
ASSOCIATION ACTION PHILIPPE STREIT
Created in 2019, the non-profit “Action Philippe Streit” hosts structures in Anteuil, France, that specialise in recruiting people with disabilities, with the aim of creating 230 jobs by 2026. In 2024, Bouygues helped with the construction of its new health & sports centre.
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