The mission of the Platform

Moderated by the Foundation Rexel’s team, the platform has four core missions:

• identify social innovations in the energy sector
• accompany and support the initiatives of social entrepreneurs
• provide a place for members to share knowledge and resources
• evaluate performance and impact for a sustained investment

IDENTIFY SOCIAL INNOVATIONS IN FRANCE AND EUROPE
The Rexel Foundation, with help from its partners, identifies associations, cooperatives and social enterprises providing innovative models in the energy sector.
The first entrepreneurs to have joined the Rexel Foundation platform were the eight winners of the IMPACT Energy Efficiency program organized with Ashoka in 2013.
Other innovators have since joined us.
Seeking to expand its research in Europe and Asia, in 2015 the platform sent two partners to meet with energy industry actors: Advise for Change in Southeast Asia and Europe Tomorrow in Europe.
Find out more:

• social innovators in Southeast Asia
• social innovators in Europe

ACCOMPANY AND SUPPORT THE INITIATIVES OF SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS
At each step in implementing their project, then developing their activity, the needs of social entrepreneurs are both numerous and diverse: from the communication plan to financial expertise, from marketing strategy to recruitment, every department in a partner company has skills to share.
When an entrepreneur expresses a need, the Rexel Foundation clarifies it with the entrepreneur before identifying professionals from among the partners who wish to contribute their expertise.
Many forms of support exist and every partner can use its resources to help advance the projects of social entrepreneurs: donating equipment, providing logistical support, funding or expertise.
See a few examples of support

PROVIDE A PLACE FOR MEMBERS TO SHARE KNOWLEDGE AND RESSOURCE
The purpose of this platform is also to bring together various players in the Social and Solidarity Economy: social entrepreneurs/innovators, and in the traditional economy: partners (NGOs, companies, associations, etc.), all striving for a Better Energy Future.
Newsletters, webinars and annual meetings help keep members informed and active. Tools will be added to enhance the platform over time.

EVALUATE THE PERFORMANCE AND IMPACT OF THESE INNOVATIVE MODELS FOR A SUSTAINED INVESTMENT
A tool for assessing impact is available to platform members so that they can evaluate (1) their project’s performance and (2) the impact generated.
It includes:

• An illustrated guide with projects already supported by the platform
• Tools to encourage reflection
• A dictionary of energy sector impact and indicators

Once the social innovators have received support from platform partners, and their model has been evaluated according to their performance and the social and environmental impact generated, they can become eligible for a sustained investment.