A VINCI Foundation mentor and ambassador, Edouard Mandin runs Citeos Bandol, a business unit located in Provence. He approached the foundation a few years ago in search of projects to support, driven by the ambition to get people in his company thinking. “We work to create value not just in economic terms but also at a social level, and to help promote our communities,” he says.

Edouard discovered the Association Familiale Laïque (AFL) Transition charity and decided to link it up with the foundation in order to fund a kitchen in a troubled neighbourhood in Toulon, southern France. “The purpose of the project with AFL Transition was to create a place for locals to meet up, and for younger and older generations to mix,” explains Edouard. During the covid-19 pandemic, he continued working for the community by setting up an initiative to fund computers for children without the resources to complete their schooling online.

A few years later when AFL founded Maison Françoise Giroud, a centre that assists women experiencing domestic abuse and their children, Edouard immediately submitted a funding application to the foundation. “Putting aside what you hear in the media, I had no idea of the scale of the problem. By talking to the project manager, I realised that there was an urgent need to take action to support the cause and so I filed an application.” The funding request was finally accepted by the foundation, which donated €20,000 to Maison Françoise Giroud. This support will help ensure the survival of a place where women can find protection and a listening ear, and where their children will be shielded from ongoing issues.

Keen to support those less well off, Citeos Bandol employees are involved in other charity projects: “We can help people simply by giving some of our time. The VINCI Foundation provides funds and asks us in exchange to give our time. It’s important to use this opportunity to show solidarity with those in need,” concludes Edouard.