This year Caisses d’Epargne, a network of credit co-operatives, is celebrating 200 years of history.
The first Caisse d’Epargne was founded in Paris in 1818 to promote, collect and manage people’s savings. With others following, Caisse d’Epargne developed into a network of 16 mutual saving banks, which in 1999 became co-operative banks.
As part of the celebration, Caisses d’Epargne hosted a debate exploring the contribution of co-operatives to a sustainable future. Speaking at the event on 22 March, the president of the International Co-operative Alliance, Ariel Guarco, talked about the need for co-operatives to show their values and principles and use their influence across different regions to build a more sustainable world. Alliance board members Sebastien Chaillou and Florence Rainex along with former Alliance president, Monique Leroux also participated in the roundtable.
The convention also focused on issues such as the impact of digital technology on co-operative banks, the role of financing in driving gender equality, and how co-operative banks are driving social progress.
