What does this collaboration bring you (in terms of the company, your employees, your strategy, your values, your expertise, your knowledge of the sector, the country, etc.)?

Louis-Victor Duval : The partnership is beneficial on a number of levels. The IECD’s expertise and in-depth knowledge of the African continent ensures that vocational training is tailored to local conditions, by strengthening our links with public authorities and stakeholders.

As a result, we are able to organise training courses approved by the Ivory Coast’s Ministry of Technical Education and Vocational Training and Apprenticeship, ranging from diplomas such as the CAP to three-month certifications that comply with established standards.

In just 3 years of existence, our partnership programme has supported more than 480 young people in their training in sanitary plumbing, with a 100% success rate for the CAP. What’s more, together we have delivered 1,200 hours of short skills training to young people in the workforce, helping them to consolidate their professional skills – a great joint achievement!

This partnership strengthens our impact and effectiveness locally, while consolidating our values of social responsibility.

Have you had the opportunity to visit the Don Orione technical centre in Bonoua, Côte d’Ivoire? If so, did any of the young people you accompanied stand out?
Do you have any anecdotes or memories to share?

Louis-Victor Duval : I frequently travel to Africa, and I’m currently there at the moment of this interview. In addition, several French delegations from our Group are regularly organised in Africa, and our Executive Committee had the opportunity to go there at the end of last year.

A recent anecdote is the visit by our Group’s female employees to the Centre on 8 March, to mark Women’s Rights Day, where they shared their experiences with students to inspire them and give them a broader vision of the career opportunities available to them.

Do you feel that, as CEO of an international group, you have a role to play in raising awareness of international solidarity among your employees?

Pauline Duval : Solidarity is part of our DNA. In fact, it is at the root of our presence in Africa, since our international activities began primarily as a result of our humanitarian actions.

Our employees are involved in this on a daily basis, as we undertake impact projects in Africa that reinforce this spirit of solidarity. For example, Finafrica, our microfinance network, promotes financial inclusion locally and in rural areas, specifically supporting young people and entrepreneurs in virtuous projects such as education, agriculture and health.

In addition, our employees regularly offer skills sponsorship and we support virtuous international projects such as those carried out with Planète Urgence, which is involved in agroforestry and tree planting in northern Cameroon.

And in the private sector, to meet the growing challenges facing society?

Pauline Duval : It is clear that no one can tackle the immense challenges posed by climate change and social issues alone, each in their own lane. This is as true for businesses as it is for governments, local authorities and NGOs.

That’s why it’s essential to adopt a collaborative, partnership-based approach, working with all the local players in the private, public and voluntary sectors – which is what our Group does in everything it undertakes, both in France and internationally.

In your opinion, how can partnerships between civil society organisations and businesses help to support the development of the construction sector in Africa?

Pauline Duval : This collective intelligence, to which we are committed, enables us to create synergies between the various stakeholders, and to share our experience, expertise and best practices. In short, it enables us to combine all our energies to achieve a common goal of positive impact.

A concrete example of this is our partnership with the World Bank as part of our large-scale property projects, such as the one we are currently developing on 28,000 m2 in Kigali, Rwanda.

As part of this operation, which we launched only 4 months ago, our partners and local contractors are committed to respecting high social, societal and environmental standards, which is leading to a transformation at all levels of the value chain and accelerating the profound changes taking place on the African continent.

Anything else to add ?

Pauline Duval : As a family-owned group, we remain committed to creating sustainable value locally.

To achieve this, it is essential to recruit from local talent pools, both urban and rural, and to support vocational training where necessary, particularly for the younger generation.

These new generations have a formidable determination to have a major impact on society and the environment, to move faster and harder to transform the economy, and it’s an energy that should inspire us all as entrepreneurs!