Arthur Vaillant, Key Accounts Advisor, Organic Sector Representative at La Nef
Can you introduce yourself and La Nef in a few words?
We are a citizen banking cooperative approved by the Bank of FranceWe aspire to build a more ecological and united society through our offer to professionals and individuals.
Quite simply. Without speculation, without financial markets, in complete transparency. A pioneer in financing the organic sector, we have been supporting production, processing, and distribution projects in the organic sector for 40 years. We offer credit, savings, and crowdfunding solutions focused exclusively on projects with ecological, social, and cultural added value. We return to the foundations of the banking profession to fully embody the role of financial partner. We cultivate support and the search for solutions and offer companies genuine sector expertise as well as fair and transparent pricing. And because we fully believe in the projects we finance, we are happy to highlight them in our communications.
More than just a bank, we cultivate the cooperative spirit. Join la Nef, is joining a cooperative with strong values and convictions:
- Total transparency: the only French financial institution to publish the complete list of its financing each year;
- One of the only ESUS-approved financial institutions (Socially Useful Solidarity Enterprise.)
As a committed entrepreneur, you too can now choose a banking partner that reflects you and shares your values!
How do you choose the projects to fund?
The projects or structures financed by Nef must meet overriding environmental, social, or cultural objectives. The societal impact of the projects must be at least as important as the economic or financial ambitions. Finally, more subjective elements such as the openness, transparency, and sincerity of the people who contact us are also key elements in our choice to support a particular project. Nef is not looking for “clients,” it wants to establish genuine partnerships and human relationships over the long term.
Can you tell us more about your recent financings? Did any of them particularly catch your attention?
We have financed numerous projects in the field of organic processing in recent years, in particular structures committed to the development of fair trade sectors, but also structures whose aim is to make organic products more accessible, in short circuits with minimal packaging.
Despite a complicated year for the sector, we remain confident in its ability to rebound, because this sector is made up of a solid network of pioneering, innovative and committed SMEs committed to defending the development of more sustainable food, healthy for consumers, fair for producers and respectful of the environment.
How do you become a member of La Nef?
Very simply by subscribing from the online space on the Nef website: https://www.lanef.com/particuliers/parts-sociales/
What advice would you give to a committed entrepreneur who wants to finance his project? la Nef ?
Don't hesitate to surround yourself as early as possible with financial partners who align with your values. They will be better able to understand your choices and the direction you want to take for your project, beyond simple economic and financial objectives. Ethical and solidarity-based financiers place people at the heart of their concerns and also know how to work for the long term with the companies they support, because they are above all convinced and guided by the societal added value and the positive impacts (social, environmental, cultural) generated by the activity.
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