www.finansol.org is a unique French portal allowing everyone to discover the French Social and Solidarity Finance systems. It provides in-depth and up-to-date information on the sector and can answer many of your questions.

This webpage enables our non French speaking partners to find out more about Social and Solidarity Financial systems and their French specificities through the presentation of the Finansol network. Links to similar European and international institutions will allow you to obtain more information on all the actions occurring within this field in your country.

Created in 1995, Finansol is a non-profit organization that provides a unique French network. Representing the French Social and Solidarity Finance sector, Finansol helps bring together the majority of the sector’s associates.

Finansol has 4 objectives :

- to develop public knowledge of solidarity finance systems and the practice of socially and solidarity orientated savings 

→ it stimulates citizens' interest by providing educational and informative tools about solidarity finance systems.

→ it incites and encourages savers to subscribe to social and solidarity funds by offering reliable and up-to-date information about the products and management.

→ the label Finansol is a reference tool which allows savers to distinguish social and solidarity funds from traditional financial products. The label assures the savers of transparency, ethics and the solidarity aspects of all the savings products. Moreover, it ensures the savers of the destination of their investments into social and solidarity products.

- to increase authority and governmental recognition, and to negotiate a higher legislative incentive frame for the sector

- to play an active role in the research and education of  social solidarity, as well as to strengthen the sector by reinforcing its place among the economy 

- to bring service to its members 

Finansol also aims to strengthen the European and international scale of Social and Solidarity Finance systems as a whole by strengthening the sector and reinforcing its recognition. For example, Finansol and a few of its European and international partners invented the construction of a "Global Solidarity Finance System" (GSFS).

Every year Finansol publishes an annual report on the sector of Solidarity Finance : LE BAROMETRE. This bulletin highlights the purpose of Solidarity Finance, discusses the data from the previous year, presents the profiles of various investors, presents their choice for solidarity savings, and includes a complete list of their endorsed investment opportunities.

From this report, a professional version and various regional versions are formed.

For the last three years, Finansol has also organized a "Solidarity Finance Week" in which focuses on educating the public on all aspects of Solidarity Finance. The week includes :

- public events in Paris and in numerous outside cities. Events include forums, shows, video presentations, and more.

- educational conferences which focus on explaining what solidarity investment entails, and its practicality in today’s society.

- meetings and discussions with notable figures of the industry, as well as with other solidarity entrepreneurs.

To mark the “Week of Solidarity Savings”, investors are invited to contact their bankers to explore under what conditions they are able to invest in solidarity savings.

Throughout the “Week of Solidarity Savings”, the campaign aims to mobilize other networks and banks and to encourage these organizations to offer their customers more Solidarity Savings options.

In order to respond to all of the questions and concerns of the banks, Finansol has created various tools to help inform banks on all aspects of Solidarity Finance, especially regarding the tax benefits for investors.

There are many ways in which individuals can benefit from tax reductions due to their solidarity savings :

- the "Madelin benefit" allows a 25 % income tax reduction for all unlisted shares. Solidarity savings invested in unlisted shares are entitled to a tax equivalent up to 25% of the investment made, with the annual limit of € 20,000  for a single person and € 40,000 for a couple, and who retain the titles for at least 5 years. Thus, individual investors can deduct from their taxes up to 25% of the savings they have invested in Finansol endorsed unlisted shares.

- the TEPA law allows for up to a 75% tax deduction of the Solidarity Tax on Wealth (ISF) for capital subscriptions of unlisted small businesses. A taxpayer of the ISF, who signs a joint investment in the form of shared capital of an unlisted small businesses (or under a cooperative), can deduct the capital gains tax by up to 75% of the amount of its subscription to a yearly limit € 50,000,  subject to the contracted securities that are blocked for at least 5 years. All securities purchased between June 16th of the previous year and June 15th of the current year fall within the statement of the current ISF year. It is important to note that deductions under TEPA cannot be combined with any deductions made under the "Madelin benefit".

- taxation on donations : 66% tax reduction for donations generated by investments in solidarity and sharing. Such donations qualify for a deduction of income tax up to 66% of income generated by solidarity savings, given to the limit of 20% of taxable income for individuals and up to 60% for corporations who are taxed to the limit of 5% of their sales figures. The tax deduction is up to 75% for all donations which aid organizations who provide food, shelter and care to the poor.

- the "Finansol Amendment" allows for a rate reduction on withholding taxes. The rate can be reduced by 5% for donations generated by the product of shared solidarity. Solidarity investments sharing the entitlement will be permitted a withholding tax rate reduction by 5% (instead of 18%) off Social Security taxes (CSG) on the amount of interest given to a non-governmental organization.

- employee savings plan : tax exemption on savings in a joint employee savings plan. The employee savings invested in mutual funds for social enterprises is exempt from income taxes on possible revenue gains. To benefit from this scheme, the savings should remain untouched at least 5 years for a Company Sponsored Savings Plan (PEE) and until retirement for a Corporate Collective Retirement Savings Plan (PERCO).