L'Entreprise des Possibles
Created in 2019 at the initiative of Alain Mérieux, L'Entreprise des Possibles is a collective of more than 175 companies mobilized to support people in precarious situations or social exclusion.
OUR COMMITMENTS
Acting For the Most Vulnerable Populations, Worldwide
The Fondation Mérieux
This foundation conducts more than 100 projects per year in 25 resource-limited countries. Its priority focus areas include antimicrobial resistance, tuberculosis, acute respiratory infections and emerging pathogens.
Three goals
- Improving the diagnosis and surveillance of infectious diseases by strengthening local laboratory system capacities.
- Advancing public health through support for local research and innovation, and through knowledge sharing in connection with the Centre des Pensières conference center near Annecy.
- Promoting an integrated approach to health, with particular attention to maternal and child health.\”
A strengthened foundation to continue the fight against infectious diseases
The Mérieux family’s commitment to global public health has resulted in the creation of two foundations: the Fondation Mérieux, initiated by Charles Mérieux in 1967; and the Fondation Christophe et Rodolphe Mérieux, created in 2001 by Alain and Chantal Mérieux in memory of their sons.
“Health is a universal good that must be shared. The actions of our companies alone are not enough. Our responsibility is also to drive action, together with the Fondation Mérieux, in countries where health crises emerge and where populations are most vulnerable.”
Our Other Initiatives Supporting Organizations Fighting Exclusion and Precarity
La maison de Rodolphe
Center and shelter for homeless people and their dogs, this project epitomizes an approach which recognizes that animals provide critical support to vulnerable individuals.
The Dr. Christophe Mérieux Centre in Phnom Penh
This center supports young people from rural Cambodia and from families living in extreme poverty, empowering them to pursue their education and become responsible role models and future leaders in their country.
Bioforce: training humanitarian aid professionals
In 1983, Dr. Charles Mérieux founded a training center for the humanitarian professions in the Lyon region. Bioforce is now a leading player, recognized by the international humanitarian community.
For Childhood and Education
Because inequalities often take root in early childhood, Institut Mérieux and several of its companies are committed to supporting organizations that accompany the youngest generations.
The goal: to give every child the same opportunities to grow and thrive.
The bioMérieux Education endowment fund
The bioMérieux Education endowment fund is a non-profit organization of general interest created by bioMérieux in 2020. It works in countries where the company operates, with the ambition of reducing inequalities through and within education, so that everyone can find their place in the world.
Supporting children from the earliest stage of their lives is a crucial lever for promoting equal opportunities and combating inequalities from the outset. Early childhood education shapes children’s path into adulthood and their chances of finding their place in society. The stakes are therefore fundamental: it is about offering a better, more equitable and more promising future for all.
Key figures
62
projects supported in 25 countries
89
bioMérieux employees involved on a long-term basis with partner associations
+1,500
employees involved on an occasional basis
+43,000
beneficiaries (childrens, parents, educators)
Committed to the Development of Our Host Communities
Institut Mérieux and its companies participate in the economic life of the regions where they operate. But their commitment goes beyond this economic sphere and aims to support local initiatives that contribute to the vitality of these territories.
Lyonbiopôle
Through bioMérieux, Institut Mérieux is one of the founding members of Lyonbiopôle Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, a competitiveness cluster dedicated to health. Since 2005, this cluster has brought together industry players, small and medium-sized enterprises, academic institutions and hospital stakeholders to support the development of innovative healthcare solutions. It strengthens the attractiveness of the region and contributes to shaping the future of health industries in service of medical progress.
Les Entretiens Jacques Cartier
Every year since 1987, the Centre Jacques Cartier – co-founded by Charles Mérieux – alternately hosts its eponymous symposium in Québec and in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. These events bring together scientific, academic, cultural, economic and political stakeholders from both territories.
Lyon, the birthplace of the Institut Mérieux’s activities
An average of 2,000 participants each year at the Entretiens Jacques Cartier
Field visit during the Entretiens Jacques Cartier
For the development of the scientific culture
The Centre des Pensières, a Place Dedicated to Knowledge Sharing
A center of expertise in public health, the Centre des Pensières regularly hosts, near Annecy, major courses and meetings dedicated to advancing global health. Owned by the Fondation Mérieux, the center organizes scientific events focused on antimicrobial resistance, vaccinology, diagnostics and epidemiology.
The Prix Christophe Mérieux
Awarded annually since 2007, the Prix Christophe Mérieux supports research on infectious diseases in resource-limited countries and recognizes researchers working in the field on pathologies affecting their country’s population. Endowed with €500,000, the prize is awarded by the Institut de France with the support of Compagnie Mérieux Alliance, the family holding company and majority shareholder of Institut Mérieux.
The Dr Mérieux Biological Sciences Museum
Located in Marcy-l’Étoile, west of Lyon, the Dr Mérieux Biological Sciences Museum is dedicated to biology and the fight against infectious diseases. Its permanent exhibition reveals how, from Antiquity to the present day, scientists have gradually come to understand the mechanisms underlying the diseases that affect us. The museum is open to all, including young audiences – the public health actors of tomorrow.
A Fresco to Build Awareness of Antimicrobial Resistance
Created in 2023 by Mérieux Université based on the Climate Fresk model, the Antibiorésistance® Fresco raises awareness of antibiotic resistance (AMR), a major global public health issue. Workshops are deployed both within the group’s companies and externally, for healthcare professionals.