why the Métropole de Lyon takes a stake in two cooperative societies
Since December 20, the Métropole de Lyon has taken part in the capital of two local SCICs (cooperative society of collective interest). “The objective of this equity investment is to strengthen regional cooperation in sectors with environmental, social and economic issues.s “, announces the community in its press release.
La Métropole thus acquired a stake in OYE Distribution at a higheur of 600 pieces, i.e. 60.000 euros, out of a total capital of 600.00 euros and Rebooteille up to 300 parts, or 30.000 euros, on a capital of 103,000 euros.
Rebooteille offers a left-luggage service for glass bottles in the Lyon region. Greater Lyon, but also the Metropolis of Saint-Étienne will thus take shares in this SCIC. “That makes sense for us: not to remove the glass silos, but so that the production loops are backed by a recovery loop. It’s support for the circular economy“, says Emeline Beaume, vice-president of the Métropole de Lyon delegated to economy, employment, commerce, digital technology and public procurement.
OYE Distribution, for its part, was created “following the bankruptcy of the press distribution company Presstalis in April 2020 and the liquidation of all regional distribution branches such as SAD Vénissieux which employed 110 employees […]. And thanks to the mobilization and commitment of 40 former employees of SAD Vénissieux and the support of the Regional Union of Cooperative Societies (URSCOP), OYE Distribution helps to perpetuate the distribution of the press in the Lyon region to 624 newsagents and around 1,000 jobs», Explains the Metropolis in its press release.
“As a result, the distribution of the national press was interrupted from May 15 to June 30, 2020 in the Lyon region “, completes the deliberation. A weighty argument in the decision to commit to the price of capital by the Metropolis.
“Access to the regional press contributes to democracy, so we agree to support this initiative “, comments Emeline Beaume.
A financial and symbolic commitment
“Since the Economic Law social and ssolidarity with 2014, local authorities, their groups and territorial public establishments (TPE) can hold the set up to 50 % of the capital of a SCIC “, specifies the deliberation.
The entry into the capital is a form of commitment that the Metropolis had already carried out with the Iloé waste over-sorting platform, in 2019, under the former mandate.
The experiment was therefore repeated under the current ecological majority. The deliberation was taken at the end of September on the side of the Metropolis, which then announced it and set it to music on December 20, after the extraordinary general meetings of the two structures.
“We are very happy to have these two Metropolises, it is a strong signal: our solution meets a need strong enough for the communities to want to get involved. They also provide political support in these areas”, comments Stéphane Robert, Rebooteille co-founder. In the packaging reuse market, in particular, a community commitment to a local company also serves as support in the face of national competition.
Within a SCIC, “the mode of organization which is based on the principles of solidarity and democracy, and on the principle: a associate equals one voice, with the possibility of weighting across colleges», Also specifies the deliberation.
Financially, for the Metropolis the risk is lower: “getting into capital is very different from subsidizing. We support a cooperative entrepreneurial form “, defend Emeline Beaume. The Metropolis does not earn money by taking these parts, but it will recover them if it decides to leave the SCIC. Also, it does not receive any remuneration for its shares.
In the future, the Metropolis does not exclude the fact of getting involved in other SCICs, “as long as it falls within one of our fields of expertise or there is a marked general interest “, comments the vice-president.