Credit: MA
On Thursday 10 November 2022, Luxembourg's Minister of Agriculture, Viticulture and Rural Development, Claude Haagen, the Minister of the Environment, Climate and Sustainable Development, Joëlle Welfring, and the representatives of Gringgo SC, the intercommunal syndicate "the Réidener Kanton" and the group leader Atert-Wark presented the initiative "Gringgo - Regional value Luxembourg".
Concept of "Gringgo - Regional value Luxembourg"
Faced with the global challenges that are to be overcome, "Gringgo - Regionalwert Lëtzebuerg" proposes an economic and social model in which citizens engage together in their regions. Gringgo invests in the regions so that new companies can be created and so that small companies and family businesses are preserved.
The objectives are the strengthening of the sustainable regional economy, networking and the creation of an alternative society based on social, equitable, ecological and participatory criteria.
Cooperative citizens
"Gringgo - Regional value Luxembourg" functions as a local solidarity investment instrument in the form of a citizen cooperative. It allows citizens to invest in the sustainable projects of regional companies. These investments contribute to the creation of jobs and increase the supply of certified durable regional products in various economic sectors such as agriculture and food, construction, textiles and even tourism.
Relying on the pioneer work and philosophy lived by the Canton of Redange, Gringgo SC has implemented the proven German model of the "Regionalwert AG" in Luxembourg as part of a project of the local action group Atert-Wark, with the financial support of the Ministry of Agriculture, Viticulture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Sustainable Development.
Sustainable trade network and platform gringgo.lu
Companies, associations and cooperatives can join the network if they meet the required ethical and sustainability criteria: social commitment, ecological and ethical offer, ecological business management, strengthening of the region and member of a regional currency.
By joining the network, they will not only be able to benefit from financial support but also from a support group of experts and the sustainable trade platform www.gringgo.lu. This platform particularly promotes the sale of fair and sustainable regional products and serves as a meeting place with customers as well as an awareness and information tool.
Call for investors and business project leaders
With a view to its development, Gringgo SC is currently launching a double appeal: on the one hand to investors to become a member of the cooperative and on the other hand to companies and project leaders who would like to benefit from financial support.
By buying one or more shares of the Gringgo cooperative (€200 per share), consumers become cooperators and join the regional network while benefiting from the advantages of a regional sustainable economy. They thus help to build a local offer that meets their ecological requirements.
Project leaders who wish to create or develop a new sustainable business, product or service, and who meet Gringgo's economic, ecological and social criteria can complete the application form available on the gringgo.lu website.
Minister Haagen hailed the dynamism and innovative nature of the Leader project "Gringgo − Regionalwert Lëtzebuerg" which supports the sustainable participatory local economy by promoting short circuits and the network of businesses and consumers. Minister Haagen also underlined interesting marketing prospects for regional agricultural products.
Minister Welfring said: “This Leader project 'Gringgo − Regionalwert Lëtzebuerg' presents the means of creating a sustainable enhancement of the regional production chain. This in a close network from producer to consumer. In addition, this project touches on and supports several government priorities at the same time: climate and resource protection, organic farming and the circular economy.” Thus, the Minister noted, “the project represents an opportunity for citizens and investors to support sustainable development in the region and the ecological transition of small businesses and family businesses”.
