Translations

Ecology and insertion as a driver for development with SCIERIE ET PALETTES DU LITTORAL

2. Human Rights

Diversity, equal opportunity, and fighting discrimination

Sector Construction / Estate Agency

Year 2009

Country France

Transmitter

Context

Created in 1986, the Scierie et Palettes du Littoral (SPL) (Sawmill and Pallets of the Coast) and the Chênelet organisation offer various activities around their core mission; manufacturing of pallets. Milling, transport, construction of houses and more are all civic opportunities that generate integration and fights against exclusion.

Objectives

To combine economics, ecology and integration in the development of activities that use natural resources all while respecting them, SPL offers a life reconstruction project focused on work.

APPROACH

Several structures have been setup to serve this objective:

A company that develops various businesses: Sawmill manufacturing of non-standard pallets, transport, logistics, and the construction of green homes.

The Chênelet, a work integration construction site, which from organic gardening to the fabrication of dirt bricks to logging, undergoes "early career" activities.

Chênelet Habitat is a contract authority for social housing in eco-construction.

Chênelet Development is responsible for new career forecasting, feasibility, and especially the transmission of knowledge through training.

The sawmill site is very environmentally friendly: use of local wood, sawdust recovery, biomass boiler that uses cutting waste, a factory controlled by Wifi, machines ergonomically designed to reduce the ecological footprint in manufacturing on top of that a learning tool for employees.

The houses built by Chênelet Habitat aim to fight environmental, economic and social issues: use of natural materials (wood, clay, cellulose), no overpriced construction, low living costs, education of occupants with an appropriate behavior for responsible consumption of energy.

Member of the Cocagne Network with its organic garden, Le Chênelet workshop offers responsible consumer education on food diversity. This allows people to acquire a taste for learning rather than only working.

Scierie et Palettes du Littoral has two year training programs for a number of trades: fork-life operators, truck drivers, machine operators.

CONTRIBUTION TO COMPANY PERFORMANCE

Volume of sawn timber multiplied by 2.5 in 2 years. The mill works exclusively for the Group.
Turnover increased from € 4.9 million in 2005 to € 7 million in 2008.

Benefits

Since 1986, 2,000 people integrated.
64% job placement at the end of two years spent at SPL.
In the eco-houses, consumption decreased by 40% for electricity and 60% for water. Cost of heating