Press release - 13 November 2007

140 leaders from the social economy (cooperatives, mutuals, associations…) from 27 countries on all continents signed the Mont Blanc Declaration prepared by The Mont Blanc Meetings Association, at its bi-annual meeting.

At the time when the IPCC was holding its own meeting, the Chamonix summit on 9 and 10 November 2007 had the theme of “Sustainable consumption, production and distribution of energy: responses from the social economy”.

In the face of increasing inequality, the social economy wanted to reply, on an international scale, to those “who believe that it is no longer possible to act otherwise”. In this declaration, leaders in the sector have stated “that the resources necessary for future success can be mobilised when people organise themselves collectively”.

In this statement, players in the social economy representing organisations of all sizes from all around the world, laid out an agenda in the form of the declaration including “commitments for action”.

The Mont Blanc Declaration was presented by Thierry Jeantet, President of the Mont Blanc Meetings Association, Clément Guimond, General Coordinator of the Caisse d'Economie Solidaire Desjardins (Quebec), Abdou Salam Fall, President of RIPESS/INPSSE (Senegal), Kemly Camacho, Director of Sula Batsu (Costa Rica), Lumin Shresta, Director of CRT (Nepal).

The signatories committed to “apply social values to international commercial transactions. By establishing sustainable relations among economic partners, our companies commit themselves also to protect the environment and support local relations in a context of renewed globalisation”.

They also committed “to develop the ability to measure and communicate the economic and environmental impact of our companies, as well as their social utility. We are aware that, by integrating the sustainable development perspective in corporate business plans, we are acting in a responsible manner”.

They went on to propose investing heavily in areas where the social economy is not evenly represented in the world, such as in collective transport, socially responsible financial services, cultural activities or renewable energy.

With this declaration, they aim to provide support “with all our might that through collective and courageous action a new way of organising the economy can make a powerful contribution to the development of a better world, a fairer world, a world in which man and nature live together in harmony and respect”.

This Declaration will now go round the world to gather new support.

Press Contact:

Isabelle LARDON: +33 1 41 85 49 50.

Thierry JEANTET, President of the Mont Blanc Meetings Association: +33 6 07 28 12 72. thierry.jeantet@euresa.org