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Equinox news

Equinox news

04 December 2008
Does e-HR make all managers HR managers?

The challenges of decentralizing HR processes

• Why implement e-HR solutions?
• Which areas should be given priority in an e-HR project?
• What lessons can be learned from employee self-service module implementation?

Employee self-service modules: the case of Société Générale presented by Patrick Gerfaud, VP Human Resources Group, Shared Services Centre, Société Générale.

Breakfast
Hôtel Crillon
10 place de la Concorde, 75008 Paris
Thursday 4 December from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Contact:
Reservations: Laurence Cellier / lcellier[AT]equinox-consulting.com +33 (0)1 53 43 02 79
Download invitation

30 October 2008
Equinox participates in microfinance conference by Babyloan, France’s leading online microcredit platform.
Babyloan.org, France’s leading online microcredit platform, hosted the first in a series of microfinance conferences on 15 October 2008. The conference, which was held at la Maison de la Chimie in Paris, brought in 180 participants. Journalist François de Witt moderated three roundtable discussions.

Equinox Consulting is constantly seeking innovations to structure the microfinance industry, so participating in the launch of Babyloan and co-hosting the conference came naturally. Equinox also intends to work with Babyloan to develop the platform’s online microcredit community.

The speakers at the first two roundtable discussions (representing NGOs, financial institutions and research) talked about the impact of the current financial crisis on microfinance and the relationships between microfinance and development policies.

The third roundtable discussion featured Babyloan and other industry professionals, such as local microfinance institutions and software developers specializing in microfinance. Equinox Consulting President and CEO Jean-Louis Dufloux addressed the emergence of “social” microcredit and, more generally, the role of the Internet in humanitarian projects. He explained the various online microcredit platforms, highlighting their main differences. He then presented new online fundraising sites that allow donors to select which project they would like their loan to support. He emphasized the importance of personal relationships when an online donor in the north supports an entrepreneur in the south.

There was lively discussion between the speakers and participants (professionals representing banks, microfinance institutions and non-profit organizations, as well as students), proof of the very topical nature of this innovative industry that matches microcredit projects with new sources of financing while giving Internet users in industrialized countries an opportunity to increase their involvement in such projects

15 October 2008
Using microcredit to drive sustainable development.
Equinox Consulting and Babyloan present
The first in a series of Babyloan Microfinance conferences on
Using microcredit to drive sustainable development
Wednesday 15 October 2008 starting at 2 p.m.
Maison de la Chimie
28 rue Saint Dominique
75007 Paris
Moderator:
François de Witt, columnist, France Info radio

The conference and discussions will address major issues such as:
Potential roles for microcredit in development policies.
The future risks of broader microcredit policies.
Future opportunities of the “humanitarian” Web and “social” microcredit.
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mohammed Yunus invented the concept of microcredit some 30 years ago based on the idea that credit without collateral is a fundamental right of the poor. In 2005, the UN’s International Year of Microcredit, more than 500 million microentrepreneurs were making a substantial contribution to burgeoning economies in poor and developing nations. The UN considers microcredit a major development tool and has made it one of the primary means of financing the fight against poverty in the new millennium.
But how should the relationship between microcredit and development be structured? And is it possible to take a practice that is in essence local and apply it to broader populations? If so, how?
The issue of broadening microcredit initiatives has sparked debate, including concern about the growing involvement of international financial institutions in microfinance. Some fear that the high interest rates offered by these institutions could potentially undermine the social dimension of microcredit projects. Mohammed Yunus recommends the utmost caution. During the conference, participants will have the opportunity to discuss the risks inherent to globalizing microcredit initiatives.
Finally, NGOs have traditionally supported or provided funding to microfinance institutions (MFIs). However, private individuals are playing an increasing role, most notably due to the growth of online microfinance systems. Now that microcredit is online, people can provide financing for microentrepreneurs from virtually anywhere. What are the major new developments in online microfinance and how does the “humanitarian Web” actually further development?

The number of spaces is limited. Therefore, we ask that you reserve in advance at: rencontres@babyloan.org
For further information about the conference, please contact Amélie Desloire, Equinox Consulting at +33 (0) 6 26 16 69 34.