President : Mr Michel Genet |
 |
Last update : February 2007
Background
Réseau Financement Alternatif was launched to react to the investment
policy of banks at the time of apartheid in South Africa. It was created In 1987, by 7
associations which had a long experience in terms of social economy or loans without
interest in the French speaking part of Belgium: Solidarité des Alternatives Wallonnes,
Crédal, les Ecus Baladeurs, le Pivot, l'Université de Paix, le Mouvement International
pour la Réconciliation, De Bouche à Oreille. They wanted to create a link between saving
and solidarity. Inspired by the experience of Netwerk Vlaanderen,
they decided to create the cricket savings account in partnership with the Fortis bank
(former CGER).
RFA is promoting this special account of the Fortis Bank and receives a fee from the bank
which allows RFA to finance projects.
Since the end of 1998, RFA has developed in collaboration with Netwerk
Vlaanderen, Alterfin, Fortis and HBK, an investment fund (Unit Trust) called AlterVision
Balance Europe. This Unit Trust is an ethical and socially oriented financial
product. It is certified by Ethibel, an independent organisation which selects firms and
institutions on ethical, ecological or social criteria. AlterVision has the Ethibel
certification.
RFA, Netwerk Vlaanderen and Alterfin get 60% of the entrance fee in the Unit Trust and use
it to finance their own social object.
In 2001, Réseau Financement Alternatif and Triodos Bank have developed a range of savings products to finance social and environmental projects. Triodos bank has also launched the Triodos Value Fund International Equities in partnership with Réseau Fa and other associations. Part of the entrance fee is released back to RFA and other partners.
RFA has other partnerships to develop ethical and solidarity finance products, in particular with Ethias and Van Moer Santerre. It wants to be the intermediary body reinvesting funds in the social economy sector. For five years now, RFA has diversified its activities and is developing its own projects.
Structure
RFA has more than 70 member associations active in the field of Social Economy, North-South relations, struggle against social exclusion, environment, peace, education and training, and the respect of Human Rights. RFA regroups small as well as larger associations in order to allow all of them to access alternative finance.
Activities
Réseau FA aims at increasing public awareness, solidarity and co-operation in the sector of ethical and social finance. RFA wants to promote ethics and solidarity in money approach. Their main areas of activity are:
- Communication: in order to inform and raise public awareness on socially responsible investment, RFA develops communication tools for adults and young people, organises conferences/seminars/discussions
- Action: RFA collaborates with banks to create alternative financial tools allowing savers to give a social return and an ethical added value to their saving. RFA is also involved in research and opens new tracks for an ethical and solidarity use of money.
- Solidarity: RFA collects funds in order to finance social economy innovative projects. They finance projects of their members through the financial products they develop or negotiate with banks (Fortis, Triodos etc.)
Réseau Financement Alternatif is also present in several institutions: Crédal - alternative credit co-operative; Alterfin - active in developing local finance networks in the South; Forum Ethibel - giving its label to financial products respecting ethical criteria; INAISE network - privileged way to exchange experiences and disseminate information; Vanthournout award - rewarding actions in the Walloon region and Brussels promoting social economy and job creation for under qualified people; the network of responsible consumers - promoting a more responsible consumption and the European Microfinance Network (EMN).
New Developments
RFA is developing his website dedicated to ethical and solidarity finance. Besides the presentation of their own activities and members activities, it aims at:
- informing, developing and promoting ethical and solidarity finance as a whole
- encouraging citizens to invest in a socially responsible way and integrate the values of sustainable development in the way they invest their money/saving
- furthering action research and exchange of good practices between ethical and solidarity finance organisations and the outside world
In 2006, Réseau Financement Alternatif launched FINANcité project which now has a website (www.financité.be), a stand and a quarterly newsletter (FINANcité magazine). The aim of FINANcité is to raise awareness of the public on ethical and solidarity based finance through a concrete and simple approach.
Key Figures
Main resources of the association
EURO |
2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 |
Cricket savings account fee |
125 000 | 125 000 | 125 000 | 159 254.94 | 190,314 | 371,840 | 371,840 |
| Interest given up by savers | 21 995, 92 | 21 709,66 | 23 707,60 | 5 232.29 | 20,461 | 16,276 | 15,114 |
| Fee on AlterVision Balance Europe (Unit Trust) | 26 505 | 36 886 | 23 746 | 72 763.66 | 19,188 | 63,563 | 202,211 |
| Fee on Triodos Dynamo savings accoung | 8 355 | 11 406 | 3 201.66 | 2 692.10 | |||
| Fee on Triodos Values Fund | 0 | 907 | 746,71 | 936.01 | 153.36 |
