What is ArianeGroup doing to strengthen local socio-economic development?

August 27, 2022

ArianeGroup is keen to help stimulate the regions in which it is located and provide value for local communities. To do this, we implement a range of measures designed to create local economic value

Grass-roots commitments

ArianeGroup has industrial facilities in Germany, France, and French Guiana. In each of these areas, we have put in place a number of measures to foster talent and promote our business sectors. To make this ambition a reality, in France we are particularly involved in the Bordeaux Aquitaine Aéronautique & Spatial (BAAS) association and network, chaired by our General Secretary, Gilles Fonblanc. We have also signed partnership agreements with the Normandy and Nouvelle-Aquitaine regions to support innovative projects developed by ArianeGroup, building on the expertise of local companies.

In Germany, our annual ArianeGroup Booster Award supports and promotes the new generation of women engineers and scientists in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) disciplines. We have also set up cooperation with the Technical University of Munich for research, innovation, and student training.

In the same vein, we have also spearheaded two academic projects in French Guiana: the creation of a specialist professional baccalaureate in aeronautics and a “Campus of excellence for jobs and qualifications” in 2021, one area of which focused on aerospace, in collaboration with the local authorities and the local university.

In addition to these projects, we opened the doors of our Kourou site to accommodate the “Territoire industriel de Kourou” start-up campus. We help the campus to obtain funding and support it in its search for new projects. The goal of this initiative is to contribute to stimulating the local economy by encouraging innovation.

Creating local economic value

Our commitment to the regions also involves our procurement policy. In 2020, 76.8% of our purchases were from French companies, a figure which rises to 85.6% if Germany is also included.

These companies include SMEs (small and medium enterprises) which constitute an essential network for the regions. ArianeGroup works with more than 300 European SMEs. To help reinforce interactions with large companies, we are a member of the French “Pacte PME” association, and are active in regional competitiveness clusters.