Introduced in 2021, our Orange Engagement Makers Awards celebrate and reward the actions of our teams – wherever they are in the Group – in combining economic performance and a sustainable approach. Discover more about their projects.
Whether you’re an employee, student, customer, shareholder, or partner, you may have cast your vote for your favorite action among our nine final teams, divided into three categories:
- Committed to Net 0 Carbon
- Committed to Solidarity
- Committed to Digital Equality
Winners were selected on 21 September 2022: the Executive Committee allocated an award in each of these three categories. Your votes counted towards two more prizes: the Employee Award and Audience Award.
Consult the team projects. They are a source of inspiration for us all.
2022 Prize awarded for commitment to Solidarity and Audience award
Orange France
Reuse
Orange France
3 key figures:
€1 million worth of furniture given to charities in 2021
250 beneficiary organizations, of which 90 associations, 50 professional clients, 10 Orange redevelopment projects, 100 internal employees + 1 special furniture offering for people with disabilities
50 volunteer employees engaged in reuse campaigns for donations to associations
What is it?
A classified ads website for B2B and bargains for charities: Reuse is a website that gives Orange furniture collected when Orange offices relocate to charities, nurseries, schools, etc. Reemploi.orange.com (french website) showcases a catalogue of products and puts people offering furniture in touch with those looking for it.
Who is it for?
The lucky beneficiaries of the Reuse website are currently charities, schools, nurseries, small professional clients, Orange redevelopment projects and Orange employees. But also people with disabilities with adapted pieces of furniture.
When did you launch it?
An initial version of the website was launched at the end of 2019 and was used in November 2020 when relocating Orange teams to the new workplace in Marseille (south of France). That enabled us to make an initial equipment donation and demonstrate the whole value of the Reuse approach.
What were the key steps?
- The idea submitted by Naoual Hrache, winner of the 2018 Orange France Hackathon sponsored by Pierre Clément, Director of France Companies.
- Launch of an initial version of the site, developed alongside Creative Valley and co-founded by several big companies in France (EDF, the ADEME, Valdelia, Emmaus, Co-recyclage) and Orange Business Services at the end of 2019.
- Launch of the new website in 2021, opening it for the reuse of equipment for people with disabilities.
What was the most difficult challenge for implementing your action?
The most difficult aspect was incorporating the reuse phase into existing relocation processes. This required a great deal of effort for driving the change. In order to embrace the circular economy right from the outset by reusing everything that can be reused and refusing to discard anything.
What was the greatest reward for your team when the action was deployed?
We are very pleased to have been able to involve so many enthusiastic stakeholders in an environmentally friendly and inclusive project. We have succeeded in taking concrete action to help organizations and people in need. We have also been rewarded with the thanks of the beneficiaries, together with the commitment of more than 50 employees and their managers – people who compiled lists of more than 15,000 objects.
For you, employee committment is about…
Employee committment is taking the time needed to think and take concrete action. It means not giving up and seeing things through – for those who are really in need.
Why should we vote for your action?
To help promote Reuse and ensure that it is used for way more than what it is currently used for: there are still way too many relocations causing furniture being thrown away.
So we need your votes to ensure the longevity of this project, so we can roll it out at Group level and go on to help as many people as possible.
2022 Prize awarded for commitment to Net Zero Carbon
Orange Polska
Solar Farms
Orange Jordan
3 key figures
30,000 Tons yearly savings of the CO2 emissions which represents a 100% drop in Orange Jordan CO2 emissions level in 2015
65% The RER (Renewable Energy Ratio) in Orange Jordan thanks to its solar farms
11M € Annual savings in company’s energy Operating Expenditures
What’s it about?
Orange Jordan is committed to preserving the environment by adopting clean, renewable energy. Orange Jordan established its Solar Farms, the largest private sector initiative in the country and the largest project based on wheeling regime, benefiting from the country’s location within the world’s solar belt.
Who’s it for?
Orange Solar Farms impact the environment and play a positive role in dealing with the global climate change.
When did you launch it?
Orange Solar Farms was launched in 2019 considered to be the first and largest mega-scale project of its kind in the region.
What were the key steps?
1. Securing the needed approvals, connection agreements, generation licenses from the grid operators and the concerned governmental bodies in the country. 2. Securing the lands to install three solar farms on 670,000 m². 3. Operation and Maintenance stage; as the project lifetime is 20 years and we are using the last updated technologies in the site to secure the highest performance possible.
What was the most difficult challenge for implementing your action?
Securing the needed approvals was the most difficult challenge since our project was the largest Wheeling project in the country and we were the first telecom operator who proceeded with this idea, however with our experienced team and the management’s support, we did it!
What was the greatest reward for your team when the action was deployed?
The greatest reward was when we saw the solar farms started producing energy, only a few believed that this project will see the light, but after the successful commissioning, the feedback we received was amazing and the team efforts were recognized.
For you, employee commitment is about…
Believe, care and feel; To believe in what we do, to care about our work, and to feel that our efforts make a difference.
Why should we vote for your action?
To support the Green Energy and our mission toward the environment and saving the planet.
2022 Prize awarded for commitment to digital equality
Orange Jordan
Girl Supercoders
Orange Botswana
3 keys figures:
8 – is the number of primary schools impacted by the initiative in one district in 2022
50 – Average number of students per session. Over 200 students trained in the program, and were equipped to train their peers in various schools across the country
11 – the average age of our trainees. It is important to gain their attention at a young age to gain interest in Information Communication and Technology
What’s it about?
Enhancing girls’ and women’s skills in the field of Information Communication and Technology (ICT) by teaching them computer and coding skills.
Who’s it for?
Primary school girls, on average 11 years old, and their schoolteachers.
When did you launch it?
First launched in 2017.
What were the key steps?
The first step was identifying key schools to help through partnership with the Ministry of Basic Education and Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority. Then to identify women trainers in the organization and to take them through the online training. The training is then done in the remote area for 3-5 days. The teachers are given the training manuals as well as the software links to replicate in the schools.
What was the most difficult challenge for implementing your action?
The training itself, while there is no language barrier, revealed that some students trained had never even seen a computer before. So teaching coding, in a short time, can become tricky when someone is still trying to understand what to double click means.
What was the greatest reward for your team when the action was deployed?
It was a delight to see students successfully run their own programs and be able to explain them. It was a joy to introduce girls to a world of opportunity. The children were excited and promised to go back, keep using the tools, teach others and consider a future in engineering or computer science.
For you, employee commitment is about…
Making work time an opportunity to provide a positive, replicable impact in a person’s life, and giving people a bright future.
Why should we vote for your action?
This model can change lives and is replicable all over the Orange Group at very little cost. It also brings Orange employees awareness to digital inclusion and brand pride.
By voting for us, you can directly support the coding program in Botswana, empower young girls in Sub-Saharan Africa and create new employment opportunities!
2022 Employee Award
Central Functions and Orange Romania
Ogreen
Central Functions and Orange Romania
3 key figures:
12 millions: parcels transported in Europe, in 2021, from our warehouses to our Orange Shops and to our customers
9,800 tons: CO2equivalent emissions related to our supply chain activities in Europe, in 2021.
-10%: reduction in CO2equivalent emissions in 2021 vs 2019
What’s it about?
To reach our net zero carbon goal, supply chain can only be green. The Group Supply Chain department has launched an innovative project to measure and reduce the carbon footprint of the group's Supply Chain activities. Therefore, the Ogreen project was born - which stands for Orange Gas Reduction Emissions & Energy Indicators.
Who’s it for?
- Supply chain and sourcing teams who are key actors towards net zero and want to identify levers of carbon reduction
- Marketing and sales department to raise customers' awareness on the environmental impact of the delivery option they choose
- Customers who want to compare delivery options based on their carbon footprint
When did you launch it and what were the key steps?
- o End of 2019 and early 2020: we tested the BEC tool on France & Romania flows (a tool from the Bearing Point Emission Calculator Company to mesure carbon emissions from transport and energy in warehouses)
- Beginning of 2022: the Ogreen program successfully achieved the measurement of the carbon footprint of all customer equipment distribution flows and warehouse logistics operations, in Europe
- 2022: we have started to onboard in this program Middle-East and Africa Countries, the first one is Orange Morocco and the next one is Egypt
What was the most difficult challenge for implementing your action?
The most difficult step was to collect data from the logistics companies. In fact, the collected data is not harmonized between logistics companies in the same country and cross countries. It is therefore very challenging to achieve such a transversal project.
What was the greatest reward for your team when the action was deployed?
Ogreen is one of the first Orange programs to measure its carbon emissions while uniting Supply-Chain teams around a unique group environmental objective.
Ogreen allows a strong cooperation between the Orange Group countries by encouraging their adhesion. We became aware of the impact that we have in the carbon footprint reduction.
For you, employee commitment is about…
Our employee engagement to Ogreen is reflected in our strong commitment to develop projects aimed at making the Group better through a sustainable and innovative approach.
Why should we vote for your action?
Because we are part of the transformation of the Group for the net zero carbon goal. Ogreen is a program that provides concrete evidence of carbon reduction through reliable and factual calculations of carbon measurement. Ogreen provides stimulation and essential measures to take action.
2022 Finalist teams
Solidarity Category
Net zero carbon category
Digital Equality category
Carbonbusters
Orange Polska
3 key figures:
57% refurbished CPE in distribution (+ 23% in volume vs. previous year)
100 tons equivalent CO2 saved
4 tons less of plastic and other raw materials per year <-> weight of one adult elephant
What’s it about?
Transformation of our more circular approach toward home devices:
- Effective use of refurbished devices thanks to better planning,
- Set up post-guarantee repairs,
- New disassembling model in central warehouse,
- xDSL on diet (resignation of one accessory in the installation kit),
- Eco boxes - review packaging
Who’s it for?
These initiatives could be replied by other Supply Chain and Marketing teams.
When did you launch it?
We started in 2020, then we kept going through 2021.
What were the key steps ?
1. Measure the rate of refurbished home devices in our distribution
2. Looking for opportunities to optimize this process and for the benefits of the environment and the company's budget
3. Development and implementation of changes in our internal processes
4. Implement new partnership and research of new more ecological solutions
What was the most difficult challenge for implementing your action?
The most difficult were technical implementation, IT systems limitations and procedures.
What was the greatest reward for your team when the action was deployed?
We improved relationship between Supply Chain and Marketing and made a contribution to protect the planet.
For you, employee commitment is about…
Doing what has to be done and what is close to your heart.
Why should we vote for your action?
We won't get neutrality without circularity!
We introduced not only one idea, but whole range of initiatives that significantly reduced carbon footprint of Orange.
Coders Enablers
Orange Jordan
3 key figures:
150 people benefit from the Coders Enablers Program, aka our Orange Jordan Coding Academy
96% of our graduates successfully complete the graduation requirements with an 83% employability rate
55% of people who graduated from the Academy had no experience in coding before
What’s it about?
The Coding Academy was established to cater to the following growing need: to equip youth with skills required for the future and prepare them for the digital economy. We aim to contribute to digital inclusion by making coding courses accessible and affordable to youth across the Kingdom.
Who’s it for?
The Academy provides an inclusive program for all youth aged in Jordan, regardless of gender, ethnicity, nationality, and educational background. The program is for those who have not had any prior exposure or experience in coding but have a strong passion to learn.
When did you launch it?
In 2019, we launched our program at the first-ever Academy in Amman which quickly became a highly recognized facility for digital inclusion and coding education in Jordan.
Today, we have over four academies across the country and more than half of the students in the program are women.
What were the key steps ?
Start-up stage: We started with an idea to help the youth in Jordan in acquiring technical skills and work experience in coding.
Expansion process: We now aim to expand in more areas across Jordan for more diversity and to offer better opportunities to everyone.
Impact: Our trainees now have the skills they need to make a living, get jobs, and contribute to the national digital economy.
What was the most difficult challenge in implementing your action?
The most difficult challenge in implementing action was our online training during the Covid pandemic’s restrictive measures. However, we overcame this challenge, by preparing a full online training module.
What was the greatest reward for your team when the action was deployed?
The greatest reward for our team was the excellent feedback we received from both the trainees and the employers.
We are following up with trainees after they had finished their training and they said that it really helped them and changed their lives which is a very heartwarming feeling.
For you, employee commitment is about…
For us, it is about making employees feel part of the success journey and getting them to give their best, especially when they see the impact they have on our trainees' lives.
Why should we vote for your action?
We strongly believe in digital inclusion and equality; therefore, our mission is to enable youth by providing them with the skills needed to be successful in the digital workplace while promoting a culture of inclusion and diversity.
Coders Enablers is a living example of how we can empower youth and grant them a great beginning to success.
Consulting For Good
Orange Consulting
3 keys figures:
14: charities supported since 2019, ensuring greater impact (thousands of beneficiaries are now getting even better support)
more than 300: days of consultancy provided as part of the sponsorship scheme
30: Orange Consulting employees involved and delighted to have been part of the initiative
What is it?
Making our “tech” digital transformation consultancy expertise available to charities operating in the Social and Solidarity Economy which does not have any! Our aim: increase their societal impact.
Who is it for?
Charities operating in the Social and Solidarity Economy reaching maturity, which don't have the resources and / or expertise they need to guide the digital aspects of their transformation… and do not know how to go about it!
When did you launch it?
In 2019
What has the project involved?
1. In 2018, we met Share It, the Tech for Good accelerator that had just been created.
2. In 2019, some volunteers supported 4 first charities in order to test the scheme
3. In 2020, we shared their positive feedback with our Executive Committee, which gave the go-ahead to offer the initiative to all our employees. Four new charities supported!
4. Since 2021, we have been supporting three charities every year.
What was the most difficult aspect of the initiative?
Successfully embracing the challenge of providing charity entrepreneurs with our disruptive consultant approaches with our methodology: a constant effort to listen and mutually adapt.
At the same time, persuading Orange Consulting's Management Committee to ensure the long-term existence of the skills sponsorship initiative.
What did the team find most rewarding when the initiative was implemented?
The testimonies and warm thanks of the charities when our support ended, the immediate and concrete impact of our initiatives, and the smiles on our employees' faces, delighted to have been able to give meaning to their work as consultants.
For you, employee committment is about…
A fantastic opportunity to combine work with pleasure: make our consultants' expertise available for meaningful projects, while learning a great deal from committed and enthusiastic stakeholders in the charity sector.
Why should people vote for your initiative?
To support charities operating in the Social and Solidarity Economy (SSE) which strive every day to create a more responsible and digital inclusive world.
SSE is a key component of the world economy: it is vital if we are to tackle the social and environmental challenges facing the world today and in the future.
Taking action for Priority Education
Orange Innovation
3 key figures:
200 pupils from secondary schools welcomed at Orange
70 Orange employees involved, introducing their jobs and running workshops
25 types of activity on offer: robots, fiber optics, cybersecurity, software, video, sales, networks, data analysis, client relations, fablab, etc
What is it?
It is our commitment to help young people across the Priority Education Networks in France, thanks to internship that usually go to Orange children employees. So they can find out about the different types of jobs available at Orange – everything from technicians and researchers to vendors and team managers.
Who is it for?
We want to create possibilities for pupils in secondary schools who do not easily have access to the jobs that a big Group such as Orange offers. That way, we can help them become more confident about their own future.
When did you launch it?
At the end of lock down, we were ready to move mountains! We started the initiative in September 2021, in the Greater West and Greater East regions of France and in the Paris region. And now with your help, we want to scale it up and ensure that it lasts.
What exactly did you do?
Our strategic plan Engage 2025 and its major focus on digital equality have enabled us to get involved in Orange Innovation for equal opportunities and to get colleagues from other Orange entities on board with us.
And through the foundation "Agir Contre l’Exclusion" and schools, we have established links with the pupils who we have welcomed.
What was the most difficult aspect of the initiative?
Many Orange colleagues are keen to be part of this fine initiative, but they often have difficulties finding time to devote to it.
What did the team find most rewarding when the initiative was implemented?
All of the exclamations of “Fantastic”, “It was excellent” that we heard, particularly after they had entered the workshop sure that they weren’t going to understand anything.
And also the “Thanks” that we got from pupils with sparkling eyes during the head-to-head debriefs at the end of the whole experience.
What does employee commitment mean for you?
Employee commitment is when my engagement as a citizen meets with the company's values, and my professional environment gives me the autonomy I need to take action.
Why should people vote for your initiative?
Because by voting for us, you will be helping us to step up this initiative so we can help colleagues and young people experiencing difficulties. Because digital technologies are everywhere, and it facilitates access to the professions of the future.
Because welcoming these young people helps them to discover new opportunities for their future.
Girl Supercoders
Orange Botswana
3 keys figures:
8 – is the number of primary schools impacted by the initiative in one district in 2022
50 – Average number of students per session. Over 200 students trained in the program, and were equipped to train their peers in various schools across the country
11 – the average age of our trainees. It is important to gain their attention at a young age to gain interest in Information Communication and Technology
What’s it about?
Enhancing girls’ and women’s skills in the field of Information Communication and Technology (ICT) by teaching them computer and coding skills.
Who’s it for?
Primary school girls, on average 11 years old, and their schoolteachers.
When did you launch it?
First launched in 2017.
What were the key steps?
The first step was identifying key schools to help through partnership with the Ministry of Basic Education and Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority. Then to identify women trainers in the organization and to take them through the online training. The training is then done in the remote area for 3-5 days. The teachers are given the training manuals as well as the software links to replicate in the schools.
What was the most difficult challenge for implementing your action?
The training itself, while there is no language barrier, revealed that some students trained had never even seen a computer before. So teaching coding, in a short time, can become tricky when someone is still trying to understand what to double click means.
What was the greatest reward for your team when the action was deployed?
It was a delight to see students successfully run their own programs and be able to explain them. It was a joy to introduce girls to a world of opportunity. The children were excited and promised to go back, keep using the tools, teach others and consider a future in engineering or computer science.
For you, employee commitment is about…
Making work time an opportunity to provide a positive, replicable impact in a person’s life, and giving people a bright future.
Why should we vote for your action?
This model can change lives and is replicable all over the Orange Group at very little cost. It also brings Orange employees awareness to digital inclusion and brand pride.
By voting for us, you can directly support the coding program in Botswana, empower young girls in Sub-Saharan Africa and create new employment opportunities!
Solar Farms
Orange Jordan
3 key figures
30,000 Tons yearly savings of the CO2 emissions which represents a 100% drop in Orange Jordan CO2 emissions level in 2015
65% The RER (Renewable Energy Ratio) in Orange Jordan thanks to its solar farms
11M € Annual savings in company’s energy Operating Expenditures
What’s it about?
Orange Jordan is committed to preserving the environment by adopting clean, renewable energy. Orange Jordan established its Solar Farms, the largest private sector initiative in the country and the largest project based on wheeling regime, benefiting from the country’s location within the world’s solar belt.
Who’s it for?
Orange Solar Farms impact the environment and play a positive role in dealing with the global climate change.
When did you launch it?
Orange Solar Farms was launched in 2019 considered to be the first and largest mega-scale project of its kind in the region.
What were the key steps?
1. Securing the needed approvals, connection agreements, generation licenses from the grid operators and the concerned governmental bodies in the country. 2. Securing the lands to install three solar farms on 670,000 m². 3. Operation and Maintenance stage; as the project lifetime is 20 years and we are using the last updated technologies in the site to secure the highest performance possible.
What was the most difficult challenge for implementing your action?
Securing the needed approvals was the most difficult challenge since our project was the largest Wheeling project in the country and we were the first telecom operator who proceeded with this idea, however with our experienced team and the management’s support, we did it!
What was the greatest reward for your team when the action was deployed?
The greatest reward was when we saw the solar farms started producing energy, only a few believed that this project will see the light, but after the successful commissioning, the feedback we received was amazing and the team efforts were recognized.
For you, employee commitment is about…
Believe, care and feel; To believe in what we do, to care about our work, and to feel that our efforts make a difference.
Why should we vote for your action?
To support the Green Energy and our mission toward the environment and saving the planet.
Ogreen
Central Functions and Orange Romania
3 key figures:
12 millions: parcels transported in Europe, in 2021, from our warehouses to our Orange Shops and to our customers
9,800 tons: CO2equivalent emissions related to our supply chain activities in Europe, in 2021.
-10%: reduction in CO2equivalent emissions in 2021 vs 2019
What’s it about?
To reach our net zero carbon goal, supply chain can only be green. The Group Supply Chain department has launched an innovative project to measure and reduce the carbon footprint of the group's Supply Chain activities. Therefore, the Ogreen project was born - which stands for Orange Gas Reduction Emissions & Energy Indicators.
Who’s it for?
- Supply chain and sourcing teams who are key actors towards net zero and want to identify levers of carbon reduction
- Marketing and sales department to raise customers' awareness on the environmental impact of the delivery option they choose
- Customers who want to compare delivery options based on their carbon footprint
When did you launch it and what were the key steps?
- o End of 2019 and early 2020: we tested the BEC tool on France & Romania flows (a tool from the Bearing Point Emission Calculator Company to mesure carbon emissions from transport and energy in warehouses)
- Beginning of 2022: the Ogreen program successfully achieved the measurement of the carbon footprint of all customer equipment distribution flows and warehouse logistics operations, in Europe
- 2022: we have started to onboard in this program Middle-East and Africa Countries, the first one is Orange Morocco and the next one is Egypt
What was the most difficult challenge for implementing your action?
The most difficult step was to collect data from the logistics companies. In fact, the collected data is not harmonized between logistics companies in the same country and cross countries. It is therefore very challenging to achieve such a transversal project.
What was the greatest reward for your team when the action was deployed?
Ogreen is one of the first Orange programs to measure its carbon emissions while uniting Supply-Chain teams around a unique group environmental objective.
Ogreen allows a strong cooperation between the Orange Group countries by encouraging their adhesion. We became aware of the impact that we have in the carbon footprint reduction.
For you, employee commitment is about…
Our employee engagement to Ogreen is reflected in our strong commitment to develop projects aimed at making the Group better through a sustainable and innovative approach.
Why should we vote for your action?
Because we are part of the transformation of the Group for the net zero carbon goal. Ogreen is a program that provides concrete evidence of carbon reduction through reliable and factual calculations of carbon measurement. Ogreen provides stimulation and essential measures to take action.
Reuse
Orange France
3 key figures:
€1 million worth of furniture given to charities in 2021
250 beneficiary organizations, of which 90 associations, 50 professional clients, 10 Orange redevelopment projects, 100 internal employees + 1 special furniture offering for people with disabilities
50 volunteer employees engaged in reuse campaigns for donations to associations
What is it?
A classified ads website for B2B and bargains for charities: Reuse is a website that gives Orange furniture collected when Orange offices relocate to charities, nurseries, schools, etc. Reemploi.orange.com (french website) showcases a catalogue of products and puts people offering furniture in touch with those looking for it.
Who is it for?
The lucky beneficiaries of the Reuse website are currently charities, schools, nurseries, small professional clients, Orange redevelopment projects and Orange employees. But also people with disabilities with adapted pieces of furniture.
When did you launch it?
An initial version of the website was launched at the end of 2019 and was used in November 2020 when relocating Orange teams to the new workplace in Marseille (south of France). That enabled us to make an initial equipment donation and demonstrate the whole value of the Reuse approach.
What were the key steps?
- The idea submitted by Naoual Hrache, winner of the 2018 Orange France Hackathon sponsored by Pierre Clément, Director of France Companies.
- Launch of an initial version of the site, developed alongside Creative Valley and co-founded by several big companies in France (EDF, the ADEME, Valdelia, Emmaus, Co-recyclage) and Orange Business Services at the end of 2019.
- Launch of the new website in 2021, opening it for the reuse of equipment for people with disabilities.
What was the most difficult challenge for implementing your action?
The most difficult aspect was incorporating the reuse phase into existing relocation processes. This required a great deal of effort for driving the change. In order to embrace the circular economy right from the outset by reusing everything that can be reused and refusing to discard anything.
What was the greatest reward for your team when the action was deployed?
We are very pleased to have been able to involve so many enthusiastic stakeholders in an environmentally friendly and inclusive project. We have succeeded in taking concrete action to help organizations and people in need. We have also been rewarded with the thanks of the beneficiaries, together with the commitment of more than 50 employees and their managers – people who compiled lists of more than 15,000 objects.
For you, employee committment is about…
Employee committment is taking the time needed to think and take concrete action. It means not giving up and seeing things through – for those who are really in need.
Why should we vote for your action?
To help promote Reuse and ensure that it is used for way more than what it is currently used for: there are still way too many relocations causing furniture being thrown away.
So we need your votes to ensure the longevity of this project, so we can roll it out at Group level and go on to help as many people as possible.
Don’Actors
Orange Bank
3 key figures:
150 Orange Bank employees voluntaries
300kg of food goods and hygiene products
100 beneficiary students get to eat for one month
What’s it about?
Don’Actors is a group of Orange Bank employees who have pooled their efforts in order to organize a food and hygiene products donation campaign for students experiencing financial difficulties, in partnership with the students’ co-op grocery in Amiens (a city in the North of France). It is a group initiative spearheaded by committed men and women from the Orange Bank customer relation center in Amiens, generously focusing their efforts around commitment and solidarity.
It's an opportunity to place society-focused and general-interest actions at the heart of our professional lives and for us to be involved in them. An employee is a citizen who is alive to the challenges facing society, and we want to play our part in supporting general-interest causes.
Who is it for?
We have decided to help students who have been badly affected by financial and social difficulties, via the AGORAE charity. It is a cooperative student grocery store and a place where students can get information about their social and academic right.
When did you launch it?
Our first initiative was launched in 2019 and quickly gained ground between October and December 2021, during the pandemic.
What were the key steps?
Interested by the work of AGORAE charity one Orange Bank employee involved his colleagues into this initiative. So the employees joined this charity initiative, collecting food products and then transporting them. This initiative gave birth to a fully-fledged collective within the Orange Bank Customer Service Center in Amiens: “Don'Actors” – because we are not just donors: we are also actors for change and operate in solidarity.
What was the most difficult challenge for implementing your action?
The operational constraints at the Customer Relation Center. Customer advisors have to be available full time to reply to customers contacting them by phone or via the chat service. So it was difficult to dedicate time for this initiative – both for the advisors and for their managers, who are also heavily involved in this initiative.
What was the greatest reward for your team when the action was deployed?
The concrete and immediate results: collecting donations, which grow from week to week. Mountains of pasta, rice and other non-perishable foodstuffs accumulated at the call center.
Also, from a human point of view, getting all together and taking action for a good cause – that brought us closer as colleagues.
For you, employee commitment is about…
These are authentic women and men, who are driven by human values and who act as though they were building a cathedral, working on meaningful projects to serve the wider community.
Why should people vote for your initiative?
“It's not easy being 20 years old in 2020”, as our politicians have said. Choosing our initiative means choosing to bring to life a simple and effective employee experience that is in line with a sustainable future. Who better than a Responsible Bank to help people in financial difficulties?
