Celebrating 10 Years of Partnership: Habitat for Humanity & SOMFY Foundation

Reminder of SOMFY Foundation’s object

SOMFY Foundation contributes to the construction of a better world for future generations and supports projects that enable everyone to have access to healthy and sustainable living spaces, with respect for people and the environment.

SOMFY Foundation also supports access to emergency housing for populations living in regions of the world affected by natural disasters or conflicts.

What is SOMFY Foundation’s international program ?

SOMFY Corporate Foundation's International Commitment Program "A House is A Home" began in January 2014, with a focus on its actions in France and Brazil. It allows subsidiaries to identify, together with SOMFY Foundation, a project promoting decent housing for the most disadvantaged, to which they will jointly provide financial support, often complemented by the Group employees' skill-based sponsorship.

SOMFY Foundation’s international partners

SOMFY Foundation works with numerous partners around the world and currently prioritizes two major actors to facilitate the selection of projects : Habitat for Humanity & Acted.

Habitat for Humanity - SOMFY Foundation’s historical partner

Habitat for Humanity is a leading international NGO and it is present in more than 70 countries across five continents. Since 1976, Habitat has helped more than 59 million people build or improve the place they call home.

Habitat for Humanity builds strength, stability and self-reliance through shelter, across various aeras of activity :

• New housing, rehabilitation, repairs, construction
• Health, water and sanitation
• Housing microfinance, financial education
• Renewable energies, energy efficiency and education, sustainable development

Habitat for Humanity’s strategy, is to impact the community, the sector, and society by improving housing conditions, access to housing, and actions aimed at ending poverty in the housing sector.

Through our partnership, SOMFY local subsidiaries have already helped 490 people to live in better homes as well as 750 people with community projects.

Over 100 SOMFY employees have offered their help as volunteers to support families in need.

10 Years of an impactufil partnership

In 2014, SOMFY Foundation and Habitat for Humanity embarked on a journey with a single pilot project in Brazil, aiming to improve housing conditions for vulnerable communities. Ten years later, that partnership has blossomed into a global collaboration, spanning over 15 countries and impacting hundreds of families. This decade of cooperation reflects our shared commitment to reducing poor housing conditions and creating safe, healthy living environments for people in need of decent housing.

Why We Partner Together 

At the heart of this partnership lies a mutual vision: providing decent housing for everyone. Poor housing conditions are a global issue, and  SOMFY Foundation, alongside with its subsidiaries, has always recognized the urgent need for social responsibility in addressing these challenges. Our partnership with Habitat for Humanity allows us to go beyond borders, supporting communities in the countries where SOMFY operates to foster safer and more dignified lives for all.

Our approach combines financial support with human engagement, as SOMFY employees across the world have rolled up their sleeves, volunteering their time and expertise to support construction and renovation projects. This hands-on involvement reinforces SOMFY’s core values of solidarity and social commitment.

Global Impact: Highlights of Our Joint Projects

The partnership between SOMFY Foundation and Habitat for Humanity has made an indelible impact across the globe. What started with a pilot project in the favelas of Brazil has since expanded into a wide variety of initiatives in Australia, Lebanon, Egypt, Poland, China, and more.

Brazil: In São Paulo’s Heliopolis favela, our partnership improved the homes of over 40 low-income women-headed households. From installing ceramic floors and windows to providing water tanks during the COVID-19 pandemic, we have consistently supported vulnerable communities here since 2014.

Australia: SOMFY teams worked on renovation projects supporting women and children escaping domestic violence. These efforts helped refurbish safe shelters and improve living conditions for homeless families, making a difference for communities in Sydney. 

Lebanon: Our collaboration helped tackle housing for refugees in Beirut, improving living conditions for 150 families, including the installation of vital infrastructure like water tanks and secure stairwells for vulnerable households.

Poland: In 2018, SOMFY volunteers contributed to building safer homes for two large families living in extreme poverty, transforming their cramped, inadequate living spaces into secure and healthy homes.

United States: In New Jersey, SOMFY teams helped construct four new homes and provided pro-bono marketing and IT services to local Habitat affiliates. This project enhanced living standards for families in the local community.

China: In Shanghai, SOMFY helped elderly, low-income residents by renovating their homes with safer bathrooms, rewiring, and installing safety features like handlebars, improving the quality of life for two families.

Egypt: In Upper Egypt, we rebuilt homes for 40 households affected by floods and provided essential infrastructure, ensuring access to safe housing and hygiene facilities for over 200 people.

Bulgaria: SOMFY and Habitat for Humanity partnered together to decrease the energy poverty people face in everyday lives and contribute to residential energy efficiency program to improve living conditions for families and ensuring they have access to a safe and healthy environment.

Romania: This project focused on providing safer housing for low-income families by improving structural integrity and adding essential facilities, helping families live in better, more secure homes.

Côte d'Ivoire: Our collaboration helped support young men and women to develop a pig farm in order to increase their revenue, thus improving their living conditions. We also provided the community with communal biogas latrines to promote clean energy.

Haiti: Following the devastating earthquake in 2021, SOMFY Foundation and Habitat for Humanity contributed to rebuilding homes and strengthening local infrastructure, supporting people in their recovery efforts.

Hong Kong and Thailand: In Hong Kong and Thailand, SOMFY employees dedicated their time and expertise to the construction and renovation of homes. Their efforts focused on improving living conditions for low-income families ensuring that communities had access to safe and secure housing.  

Ukraine: In Ukraine, we renovated and insulated basements in apartment buildings to improve energy efficiency and reduce heating costs. These upgrades help families stay warmer and save on energy bills. Additionally, the basements are being adapted to serve as safe shelters in case of attacks, providing crucial protection for the community.

SOMFY Foundation also supported organisation of advocacy housing events organised by Habitat for Humanity called Global Housing Forum in all four world regions – Latin America, Asia-Pacific, Europe and Africa.

Looking Ahead: Impacting Lives for Another Decade

Over the past ten years, SOMFY Foundation and Habitat for Humanity have helped transform the lives of numerous individuals and families, providing them with safer, healthier homes and brighter futures. This partnership has been driven by a shared belief in empowering people to live with dignity and security.

As we celebrate this milestone, we look forward to another decade of collaboration, continuing our work to create sustainable, meaningful change in communities around the world. Together, we can build more homes, improve more lives, and ensure that everyone has the opportunity to live in safe, decent housing.

Here’s to the next ten years of impactful partnership!