The "SME Pact" was created in 2010 to facilitate and strengthen ties between large corporations and innovative small and midsized businesses (SMEs). Facilities available to the 48 large corporates and 8,500 SMEs that have signed up to the pact's programs include: a marketplace, international support, sponsoring suppliers in their relations with other large firms, legal support, etc.

Under this commitment, the SME Pact will review Veolia's relations with its SME partners and issue recommendations by the end of 2012. These recommendations will help to shape and adapt Veolia Environnement's policies in its dealings with small and midsized businesses.

Signature of the Pact marks a further step forward in the Company's policy toward SMEs, with a focus on three main areas, namely: providing information to SMEs, accompanying their development, and support for innovation and partnerships.

To that end, Veolia Environnement has established:

• a purpose-designed organization, with a steering committee, a national SME relations officer, and SME correspondents in the regions;
• a defined process, identifying strategic suppliers, steering indicators and a committee to monitor progress;
• procedures to accompany this policy's deployment, with discussions and meetings with all stakeholders and awareness building for actors in the process.

The program will seek to foster the emergence and growth of dynamic, solid partners, focused on innovation and competitiveness.

Nearly 10,000 SMEs accompany Veolia Environnement each year by deploying innovative technological solutions.