Business Opportunities
Right from the start of the project, Paris 2024 and its partners channelled all their energy into designing an event that is both economically and socially responsible to ensure the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games set a new benchmark for all international sporting events going forward.
Working with two key allies, the Yunus Centre and les Canaux, Paris 2024 developed a tailored system to guarantee access to Games-related contracts for businesses from the social and solidarity economy (SSE), which represents 10% of jobs in France. In practice, the system ensures these businesses can play a full and active role in the Olympic journey, as their value creation model is, by definition, virtuous.
The world is looking for a new kind of governance to emerge. The Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games can act as the voice for optimism and change. The event will be very exciting. We have a great responsibility. Paris has set out its stall and the eyes of the whole world will be on France in 2024. The Games will go down in history as inclusive and sustainable.
The ESS 2024 platform really helped us. It enabled us to identify the Games contracts out there, it gave us advice about how to respond, and encouraged us to form a consortium to bolster our proposal. Without the platform, we’d never have dared to answer a public tender. We would have said it wasn’t for us, that we were far too small a structure. We had a kind of complex when faced with contracts of this scale. Now, we’re just delighted to be part of the team helping to organise these Games, especially because they champion the same values of environmental responsibility and solidarity that motivated us to set up Dream Act.
Benefiting all business large and small
The teams at Paris 2024 and their partners strive day in, day out to make public contracts more accessible, enable businesses to form long-standing partnerships with the Games and support businesses of all sizes.
Currently, only 28% of SMEs can bid for public tenders. The Games represent nearly €5 billion of public contracts and countless opportunities for economic growth, and everyone should have a chance to enjoy a piece of the pie. To ensure businesses of all sizes can play their part in the Games while also benefiting from different points of view and different approaches, Paris 2024 has voluntarily developed a range of tools specifically tailored to SMEs. This collective effort is starting to pay off, as two-thirds of the contracts to organise the Games have been entrusted to SMEs – a major victory!
Solideo, the company tasked with delivering the Olympic facilities, also voluntarily decided to draft a charter to promote local employment and community development, which stipulated that 25% of its contracts should be awarded to SMEs and businesses from the SSE.
Entreprises 2024 and the procurement map are two powerful tools made available to the 16,000 contractors already working with Paris 2024
All Paris 2024 economic news, such as the publication of calls for tender, practical workshops and testimonials, are listed on Entreprises 2024, a single platform opening Games-related opportunities to all businesses! Supported by all French employer organisations (MEDEF, CPME, U2P), it already has access to a vast network of businesses. The needs map enables businesses from a wide range of sectors to play a part in the project, in particular by being able to anticipate and prepare calls for tender. Whether businesses operate in security, real estate or medical equipment, everyone can contribute in one way or another to hosting the world’s greatest sporting event!
The Ellipse programme to turbo charge SMEs from Est Ensemble
The Ellipse programme is designed to make it easier for the smaller businesses that form the lifeblood of our local economies to bid for and win public contracts. Championed by the Est Ensemble conurbation committee in the Greater Paris region, the programme is designed to offer comprehensive support to local SMEs looking to access Games-related contracts. Among these companies, those based in priority neighbourhoods in Paris that operate in the circular economy and are engaged in protecting the environment benefit from unique support.
The Paris Games, which strive to do things in a sustainable manner, immediately stood out for us as a unique opportunity we should seize to develop our business. Right now, we sort and collect waste from the Games HQ (Pulse) in Seine-Saint-Denis, where our business is based. The contract has offered a real boost to our business, because as the Games draw closer, the more people there are working at their HQ, so the larger we’ll be able to grow.
Paris 2024 HQ setting the tone for the Games’ social aspirations
- 15 contracts awarded
- Of the 31 contractors: 35% are SMEs, 55% are from the SSE, and 20% are based in Seine-Saint-Denis
- 25% of technical maintenance staff are registered as disabled
- Two or more members of each facilities management staff teams at HQ were hired through reintegration programmes
- 60% of people working in the restaurant live in Seine-Saint-Denis
- HQ operates within a circular economy (targeting zero food waste, zero plastic, eco-friendly furniture)
Engaging in constant dialogue with our stakeholders all throughout France
To fulfil the shared social and environmental targets it has set itself, Paris 2024 is engaged in constant dialogue with its stakeholders. Exceeding all expectations, this conversation is serving to build relationships all throughout France as Paris 2024 and its partners get out to meet non-profits, businesses and communities to build long-term relationships.
Paris 2024 is on a national tour to meet SMEs all over France
Entreprendre 2024 is a programme initiated by Banque Populaire and Caisse d’Epargne in each region to enable SMEs to take full advantage of the opportunities arising from the Games. Since 2020, the BPCE, Solideo, and Paris 2024 are travelling throughout France to meet SMEs and businesses operating in the SSE. To date, Paris 2024 has met with over 4,000 businesses! BPCE, the leading bank financing the social and solidarity economy, is a premium partner of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Businesses, come and meet us on one of our tour dates!
