The Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation at the World Forum on the Social and Solidarity Economy in Bordeaux

From October 29 to 31, 2025, the city of Bordeaux hosted for the first time in France the World Forum on the Social and Solidarity Economy (GSEF). This major international event brought together more than 10,000 participants came from five continents elected officials, leaders, experts, field actors, representatives of development agencies and international organizations, all mobilized to promote more sustainable, equitable and inclusive economic models.

The Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation was represented there by Veronique Faujour, General Delegate, and Philippe Guichandut, Secretary General. Their participation helped to highlight the Foundation's role in financing the social and solidarity economy and its commitment to inclusive finance in the service of sustainable development.

 

Two presentations particularly highlighted the Foundation's presence during this 7th edition of the Forum:

• During the plenary session dedicated to financing the social and solidarity economy, Véronique Faujour presented the Foundation's mission, strategic priorities, and action tools. She notably highlighted the launch of the fund Women Empowerment for Climate, An impact fund dedicated to women's economic empowerment and climate adaptation. This fund targets three key sectors in which women play a vital role: access to clean water, access to renewable energy, and the promotion of sustainable agricultural techniques. These initiatives aim to strengthen the resilience of local communities to climate change, while fostering greater economic inclusion for women.
• During a workshop on financial inclusion and women's leadership, Véronique Faujour emphasized that successful transitions are built from the ground up, closely aligned with community needs. She highlighted the importance of a leadership exercised by women, for women and with women, an essential condition according to her, for local solutions to inspire and guide global development policies.

 

 

This edition of the GSEF, placed under the sign of dialogue, of the cooperation and of the sharing experiences, This has enabled the creation of new bridges between public, private, and civil society actors. The fruitful discussions throughout the forum have given rise to concrete perspectives for strengthening the collective impact of the social and solidarity economy in the years to come.

The meeting concluded with a final declaration that will define a common roadmap for the next two years, confirming the global momentum towards a fairer, more inclusive and resilient economy.