In this spring heckled by the pandemic, the manifestos are blossoming to demand a world more respectful of men and the planet. Many citizens and humanitarian associations demand that lessons be learned from the health crisis without delay. Calling for a public hospital endowed with additional resources, a less polluting and relocated economy, increased attention to common goods (water, air and land), food sovereignty, less crazy consumption, and more social justice.
In this straight line, WWF France, the French Red Cross, Make.org and the SOS Group, in partnership with Unis-Cités and the UP Movement, launched, from April 10 to May 25, an online citizen consultation around from this one question: "How can we all invent the next world together?" Halfway through, the survey had already gathered 80,000 people, generated 19,000 proposals and collected 750,000 votes. A massive participation which shows how much this subject worries the French.
Among the themes cited, the environment comes first (22% of proposals), followed by agriculture and food (17%), transport and mobility (10%), employment and wages (9 %) and finally health (6%). We find, pell-mell, ideas to develop telework, short circuits or non-polluting means of transport, create more natural spaces in the city, relocate certain activities, convert to sustainable agriculture, introduce green taxation ...
One thing is certain, the containment will have given us to rethink our economic and social model. During these two months spent between four walls, we experimented with new practices, some of which could be kept to build this "world after". This is what we tell you about this file.
People at the heart of the company
Faced with the crisis, some family companies seem more resilient. A solidity which they owe to an economic model centered on the common good. This is the case of Gautier, a furniture manufacturer based in Vendée since 1960. An example to follow?
Damage, furniture manufacturer Gautier has suffered several in sixty years of existence. "So, from this new cataclysm caused by the Covid-19, I hope that we will only get good out of it," explains David Soulard, 49, general manager of this mid-size company that employs 850 people. Even if the announcement on March 14 of the closure of all non-essential stores was a shock! "
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Founded in 1960 by a cabinetmaker in Vendée, this company, which has become famous thanks to its children's beds in the shape of racing cars, is a survivor. It owes its exceptional longevity - in an ultra-competitive market - to its very marked commitments: collaborative management, priority to people, visceral love of its territory and of made in France ... These values enabled it to resist two deposits of results, in 1983 and 1985, following the oil shock of 1979, and the arrival of international competitors, such as Ikea. Then a disastrous takeover by a Parisian group. If the brand is doing very well then, the holding company draws on the accounts and, in a few years, precipitates Gautier in the crisis.
In 1999, to save their business, the 800 employees launched a general strike. Deeply attached to the managerial culture of the founding family, all are calling for the return of Dominique Soulard, their incorruptible boss, dismissed ten days earlier by the shareholders. "And they get it!" says his son David. My father had six months to find 130 million euros and buy the family business. »Vendéen solidarity is taking shape, and funds are raised from local executives and businesses. Since then everything has been better. Gautier generates 120 million euros in turnover per year and 8,000 pieces of furniture leave its three factories in Vendée every day.
But that was before the Covid-19 pandemic. To get through this new ordeal, managers and employees alike know that they can count on collective intelligence and the links that unite them with their partners. "So, of course, this is quite a hurdle to overcome, but we know that resilience is possible", explains Fabien Bironneau, production manager. As soon as the confinement is announced, the management sets the course. "Putting people first," says David Soulard. We stopped the factories, closed our 120 stores and lost more than 70% of our turnover, but we made a commitment on wages (Editor's note: thanks to the partial unemployment scheme) . And to pay our invoices to our 70 suppliers, most of whom are small Vendée companies, in order to preserve the regional economic fabric. "
It is out of the question to lose the confidence of the teams and partners, or to precipitate them a little more in the crisis. The company, very attached to its territory, is also one of the very first to offer 1,000 masks to nursing homes in the department. "Where each of our employees necessarily has a loved one," adds the director. At Gautier, everything is based on people and it is not an empty formula.
"Some companies, often family SMEs that are relatively unknown to the general public, reveal themselves during periods of crisis thanks to their remarkable behavior, explains Laurent Marbacher, co-author of L'Entreprise altruiste (Albin Michel). And it is not the fruit of an opportunity. This is because they have always had a relationship of trust with all those with whom they work. They put their activity not at the service of profit and commercial performance, but at the service of the common good, without any conditions. "These are altruistic companies , which never hesitate to take decisions against the grain of those advocated by the business world," added the specialist.
"From the 1980s, to preserve employment, we bet on 100% made in France, when our competitors were betting on imports of furniture at low prices," notes David Soulard. Then, out of respect for the environment, we took the turn of the circular economy and designed high-end products. And we have made the choice of collaborative management, where everyone can evolve, challenge a manager and freely propose their ideas. These strong decisions have made us the laughing stock of the sector for many years. Success is nevertheless there. Gautier opens franchise stores and exports 25% of its production. The company recruits, invests in new machines, obtains the Origine France Garantie label and becomes one of the spearheads of "made in France". In January 2020, Gautier furniture is even exhibited at the Elysée!
A paying strategy. When giants like But, Ikea and Conforama experience cash or supply difficulties with the coronavirus, the small Vendean company resists. "Since May 11, we can reopen our stores, because none are located in commercial areas of more than 40,000 square meters, closed to the public in certain regions," explains Fabien Bironneau. Our wood comes either from the Eco-Furniture sector, or from forests located less than 300 kilometers from our factories. This allows us to source without worry. "
And consumers are following. "In France and abroad, during the confinement, our customers continued to order dressing rooms, closets, offices ...", is almost surprised David Soulard. Surprising? Not really. "Altruistic companies are often the most profitable in their sector," explains author Laurent Marbacher. They do not seek this performance, but achieve it by offering impeccable customer service and almost tailor-made products. »By making consumers aware of the environment and the impact of their purchases on employment. "After this Covid-19 crisis, we can hope that the French will remember the solidarity displayed by these altruistic companies and will privilege them," concludes Laurent Marbacher. Even paying a little more for their “committed” products!
The revenge of the very local product
During this long period of confinement, many of our compatriots preferred to consume French, fresh and seasonal, even going to get the goods directly from the farm. A way to eat healthier while supporting the rural world.
With confinement and limitation of movement, more and more French people have skipped intermediaries to buy their fresh products directly from farmers. “Customers no longer want to be dependent on supermarkets. It reassures them to know the person who sells the eggs, the meat, the flour, it is as if it preserved them from a stock shortage, "analyzes Guillaume Douaud, 49, breeder and butcher at La Chapelle-Launay ( Loire Atlantique). A trend he has observed in his order book: his client base has grown by 25% and his sales have increased by 70%.
In this moment of reunion between producers and consumers, platforms ensuring the relationship between them, like La Ruche qui dit oui!, Were acclaimed. With 37,000 new customers since mid-March, orders multiplied by three and average expenses up 42%, the producers of this network were over-solicited. Chloé Roset, 27, who had just plans to open a delivery point in Bagnolet (Seine-Saint-Denis) in March, thought she was waiting for better days but the future members never ceased knocking on her virtual door . She therefore rolled up her sleeves, contacted the suppliers with whom she had started to establish links and adopted the health rules necessary to organize her first distribution.
“We feel that confinement has given people the opportunity to reflect on their eating practices. For some, it was the trigger. The pace slowed down, it was the right time to try new things, change their habits, "she analyzes. Thus, Marie Cortyl, 35, communication manager in Plaisir (Yvelines), used to big box stores, now favors short circuits. "I had already tested La Ferme de Grignon, 2 kilometers from my home, but now I go there every week," says this mother of two little girls. The fruits and vegetables are of excellent quality and the farmer is adorable. The supermarket is good for everyday food, but fresh products benefit from being bought directly. "
The closure of the markets on March 23 stunned the producers, and the industry had to be reorganized to avoid suffocation. Encouraged by the Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire to show patriotism, the large distribution responded to the call. Carrefour, Intermarché, Leclerc, Système U and Lidl have devoted entire departments to regional products. Local authorities have also activated themselves, by creating or promoting producer geolocation platforms. Welcome to the farm, a network initiated by the chambers of agriculture in 1988, has never been so aptly named, and its "drives" have experienced a peak in attendance since mid-March, with 18 new collection points - there are now more than 100 in France - and orders multiplied by four.
But going to the farm, rather than to the supermarket, is also to privilege human relationships - crucial in periods of confinement - and a good excuse to go out for some fresh air, by checking the appropriate box on the certificate of derogatory displacement . “Customers meet to pick up their packages. It allows them to chat in the queue, respecting the physical distance. The last time, there are even some who came with a bottle to share a drink with friends! Enthuses the breeder Guillaume Douaud, who notes the same friendliness when he organizes distributions in his annex to Bagnolet.
In mid-April, he came with hay bales to mark the ground. The regulars talk about nature and politics, the new ones ask a thousand questions. “There is an attachment to the rural world but also a lack of knowledge of our profession that customers want to fill today. They are grateful. Almost activists. This is what emerges from an investigation carried out in April by La Ruche who says yes! with its new members: 57.5% of them want to support producers first, before consuming healthier products (38.3%). And these novices are even more assiduous than the old when it comes to ordering regularly!
Will the awareness of the French be sustainable? “There will inevitably be something left, wants to believe Guillaume Douaud. It is up to us to be innovative, not to miss this opportunity. "
Zoom links
Unknown before March 16, this videoconferencing meeting service has multiplied by 30 the number of its users, who connect to it to work, of course, but also to toast.
"Before confinement, I had never heard of Zoom", recognizes Magali, HR manager within a large building group. “My company implemented the tool very quickly after March 17 to allow the teams to exchange despite the distance. Quickly, I had at least one professional Zoom meeting per day, but also informal Zoom coffees with colleagues in the morning, Zoom aperitifs with friends in the evening, meetings with my family on Zoom at weekends ” , lists this 40-year-old commuter.
Like Magali, millions of us have spent a good part of the last two months on the videoconferencing application created in 2011. A global success, undeniably linked to the measures that have confined half of humanity at home. At the end of December 2019, a maximum of 10 million people participated in Zoom meetings every day, whether free or paid. In March, the Silicon Valley platform claimed 200 million daily users and, in April, 300 million!
In France alone, downloads of the application increased by 80% in the first two weeks of March compared to the average of the previous weeks. Businesses, schools and universities are the first to organize teleworking and distance learning. Individuals have taken over to keep in touch with their loved ones, take part in collective yoga lessons on video, or even find themselves in virtual nightclubs, such as the aptly named Quarantee (a pun on quarantine, "quarantine ", in English).
If Zoom has imposed itself against its competitors Slack, Skype or WhatsApp, it is mainly thanks to its ease of use. Accessible on computer as on smartphone, free for forty minutes, intuitive, the service does not require special skills to organize meetings that can gather up to 100 participants. “Even my father, who is not very comfortable with new technologies, manages to send invitations! "Laughs Magali. The possibility of installing funny wallpapers and filters, or even inviting a llama or a goat to your meeting for less than 100 euros (if, if, via the Goat 2 Meeting initiative) also contributed to make the Zoom mosaic our new horizon during confinement.
Listed on Nasdaq, the American stock exchange for new technologies, the Californian start-up has seen its price skyrocket. On May 4, it was valued at $ 40 billion, almost double the amount of Twitter ($ 22 billion)! On the flip side, this dazzling success has shone the spotlight on the platform's security flaws (a priori repaired since), to the point that the French interdepartmental management of Digital "strongly advises" against its use by civil servants. The videoconference service card also whetted the appetites of its rivals. Google recently released its Meet tool for free, and Facebook has launched a new feature for making video calls to 50 people. For Zoom too, deconfinement promises to be full of uncertainties.
The light on the essential trades
"Now we have the right to a hello, cheers, a"
Cashiers, cleaning ladies, security guards ... Applauded at 8 p.m. like the nursing staff, these employees forced to work during confinement are enjoying new recognition. But will it last?
How to estimate the usefulness of a trade? “A simple way to get an idea is to ask yourself: what would happen if this or that category of workers disappeared? Proposes the American anthropologist David Graeber, author of a pamphlet noticed on the Bullshit Jobs (The Links which liberate, 2018), or "jobs with the idiot". "Whatever one may think of nurses, garbage collectors or mechanics, it is obvious that, if they all passed out in a cloud of smoke, the consequences would be immediately catastrophic. "
Containment has suddenly emerged from the shadows of the professions vital to the functioning of society which - pandemic or not - cannot be interrupted. Cashiers, firefighters, farmers have shown themselves to be essential, as have agents responsible for telecommunications networks, water, energy, etc. Skilled workers who are often overlooked. But, after two months of health crisis, the invisible have become essential.
Reda Ayad, 44, security team leader at the Leclerc hypermarket in Vitry-sur-Seine (Val-de-Marne) for ten years, has noticed the change in outlook on her profession. “Usually, customers walk past us without greeting us. They only notice us if they have a problem. Now we have the right to a hello, cheers, thank you for being there ! We are looked at. One woman even said to me: You too have the right to be applauded at 8 p.m. "
Daniel Lo Giudice, 51, a garbage collector in Saint-Etienne (Loire) for twenty-five years, meanwhile collected hundreds of thank you messages, often stuck in the trash. “We also received chocolates, croissants. People would run after us to give it to us. The ovations at the windows replaced the annoyed horns. A change of perception which is verified even with those around him. “I often avoided saying that I was a garbage collector. Today, I am much less embarrassed. "
One of the words of encouragement received by Daniel Lo Giudice, posted by his daughter on social networks, was taken up by Emmanuel Macron. "Your father does an essential job and is one of those we thank too little," said the head of state on April 29 on Twitter.
Your father does an essential job and yet he is one who is thanked too little. On behalf of the whole Nation: thank you to him and to all of his colleagues. We owe them a lot. #FranceUnie https://t.co/GXCF1UDqrh
- Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) April 29, 2020Remarks which recall those which he had made, during his address on April 13: “We must also remember that our country, today, is entirely dependent on women and men whom our economies recognize and remunerate if wrong. "
To set an example, the government announced the tax exemption of a bonus of up to 2,000 euros that an employer can pay. Almost all retail chains have promised one, but it should be adjusted according to the actual working time during confinement. And after? "At the end of this crisis, we will need a major plan to upgrade these professions, including in terms of compensation," said Yves Veyrier, secretary general of Force Ouvrière on April 1.
Philippe Jouanny, president of the Federation of cleaning companies and associated services, says he is open to salary increases. "We still have to have the means!" For this, he is counting on the change of image from which the sector benefits. “Our customers realize the importance of cleaning and disinfection. Are they willing to spend more? If this is the case, we will obviously be inclined to better pay our employees. "
But, in a context of sharp deterioration of the economy and foreseeable rise in unemployment, this equation seems complex. "We are going to tell the low-skilled workers that the state coffers are empty and the companies, bloodless, and that they should already be very happy to keep their jobs", notes Dominique Méda, professor of sociology at the University of Paris -Dauphine. A missed opportunity, regrets the researcher, while confinement should have brought us to a deep reflection on the decorrelation that exists today between the usefulness of a profession, its social recognition and the corresponding salary.
“Part of the low-skilled jobs are low paid because we explain that we don't need a diploma to exercise them. But, in reality, all the qualities required to exercise a profession come from a balance of power, from a social construction ”, she specifies. While recalling that France has around 5 million “low-skilled” workers, the majority of whom are women, young people and people of immigrant origin.
So, for these employees, will the world of tomorrow be so different? Security guard Reda Ayad remains pragmatic. “I remember the period after the terrorist attacks in 2015. The way we looked had changed, too. When we checked the bags, people supported us, thanked us. In a few months, they forgot everything. "