The Centre-Val de Loire is committed to its companies
An entire regional support ecosystem is mobilised to deal with the Covid-19 epidemic and to support companies in the Centre-Val de Loire region in overcoming this unprecedented health crisis. To this end, several measures have been quickly implemented in the Centre-Val de Loire region to ensure the long-term survival of the region's businesses and encourage their recovery under the best possible conditions.
In the Centre-Val de Loire, economic developers working alongside companies
Since the government containment measures taken to fight Covid-19, the Centre-Val de Loire Economic Developers' Network, coordinated by DEV'UP, immediately set to work to inform and support regional companies challenged by this health crisis. A large-scale, unprecedented action was therefore carried out, consisting of " calling " a majority of companies to:
- Identify their difficulties (short-time working, sick leave, cash flow, supplies, etc.).
- List their different needs
- Evaluate their capacity to provide, produce or contribute to the production of protective and sanitary equipment (masks, hydroalcoholic gel, gowns, etc.).
- Provide support in terms of information and orientation towards the appropriate services according to the problems encountered.
More than 1,800 feedback from the field, a crucial aid to decision making
As of 13 May 2020, 1,828 regional companies had been contacted by the region's economic developers*. The field data collected in this way is consolidated daily by DEV'UP and transmitted to the State and regional services. A general mobilisation that provides essential information to assist decision-making, based on real-time feedback from local entrepreneurs and employees, with a view to implementing appropriate operational measures, as close as possible to the difficulties identified.
This approach will continue throughout the crisis.
Furthermore, in order to help economic developers understand the various measures to support companies in dealing with COVID19 , Dev'up publishes a daily updated and very complete memento for each department of the region: https://www.devup-centrevaldeloire.fr/actualites/mesures-covid19-entreprises-220.html.
A regional online platform dedicated to protective equipment
It was in response to the urgent need for protective equipment for healthcare professionals and, more generally, companies, that the Centre-Val de Loire Region and DEV'UP launched the regional networking platform, equipements-protection-centre-valdeloire.fr, on 20 April.
Indeed, equipping employees with personal protective equipment and respecting social distancing are the sine qua non conditions for companies to resume their activities.
The platform:
- identifies the offers of companies and regional players with stocks of individual equipment or the skills and tools to produce them
- connects companies and healthcare professionals, as well as any company needing to protect its staff
As of 13 May 2020, three weeks after its launch, the platform had 13,366 connections, more than 250 referenced companies and 10 different product categories on offer.
The emergence of various supports for regional companies
The Solidarity Fund
Operational since April, this fund, funded by the State and the Regions, supports companies in the sectors most affected by the crisis through aid. It is made up of two parts: the first consists of allocating aid up to a maximum of €1500, with no more than the loss of turnover in March 2020 compared to March 2019. The second strand is open to companies eligible for the first strand and facing a cash-flow impasse.
The creation of the Renaissance Fund
In addition to the aid for the most fragile businesses, the Centre-Val de Loire Region, the Banque des Territoires and the local inter-municipalities have agreed to set up a Renaissance Fund to support small businesses with fewer than 20 employees. A fund of 8 to 10 million euros, which should help craftsmen and tradesmen to restart their businesses.
This list of initiatives undertaken in the Centre-Val de Loire is far from being exhaustive, but it does illustrate the mobilisation of the entire regional ecosystem, which is joining forces to get through the Covid-19 crisis and to alleviate the difficult economic consequences. Support for regional businesses is thus at the heart of the measures implemented to facilitate their recovery and ensure their viability. This is a crucial challenge to be taken up to ensure the economic development of the region.
