“Jasmin d’Orient is one of our largest partners. The association regularly sends us candidates, who we connect to the full range of job placement offers for possible interviews,” says Frédéric Spanneut, director of GESS, “Groupement d’Entreprises Sociales et Solidaires” (Social and Solidarity Business Group). Created in Montpellier almost 20 years ago, this group seeks to facilitate access for people, particularly those residing in the city’s prioritized neighborhoods, to jobs offered by the twenty integration companies that it unites.
With support from the French government, France Travail, and the Occitanie Region, GESS works with Jasmin d’Orient to help the women supported by the association in the Saint-Martin district find sustainable employment. Since September 2024, the group has met with six candidates referred by the association, and will meet with them again this year. Even though there are no direct job opportunities right now, the two associations continue to cooperate closely.
“While GESS facilitates meetings between the people we assist and potential employers, it also contributes to our Solidarity and Well-being program,” observes Samia Khouaja, director of Jasmin d’Orient. Considering the interest shown by the business community, the association decided to develop a network with professionals promoting integration. “We are going to recruit an inclusive employment advisor, who will be in charge of directly contacting companies likely to employ the women we assist and we will also strengthen our ties with France Travail,” adds Samia Khouaja.
This is an iconic example of the type of action that Montpellier Métropole wants to encourage in its territory. This is why, in November 2023, it launched an innovative online portal called Montpellier Impact, designed to help companies quickly find a solution that will improve the territorial aspect of their CSR program. Managed by Montpellier Métropole and co-financed by the French government, the portal showcases inspiring initiatives taking place in the greater Montpellier area.
Montpellier Impact currently presents approximately forty actions, compared to twenty at the start, and its catalog continues to grow every month. The goal is to increase exposure for associations that work with residents of high-priority neighborhoods and offer companies a wide range of actions. As with Jasmin d’Orient, the portal has already helped to bring associations and companies into contact with each other and has even led to actions such as the donation of computers by the company Kaliop to the association Rebonds. In addition, Montpellier Impact publishes a monthly newsletter on the LinkedIn professional network. So far, eight newsletters have been published. Each one highlights an initiative, the association implementing it, and how companies can contribute at their own level. The newsletters also include general CSR news from around the area. These newsletters are proving very popular, with more than 6,000 subscribers at this time.
What’s more, Montpellier Métropole and the French government signed a “city contract” in September 2024, “Engagements quartiers 2030” (Neighborhood Commitments 2030), which is designed to reduce the development gaps affecting neighborhoods and to improve the living conditions of their residents. It is also a priority to mobilize businesses. The Montpellier Impact portal is more relevant than ever in this context.
Discover the portal: Montpellier Impact
