Creation of the CrossKnowledge Foundation to Fight Social Exclusion by Promoting Access to Training

PARIS, November 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

The leading European provider of distance learning solutions is restructuring its CSR initiatives and announces the launch of the CrossKnowledge Foundation, which reinforces its commitment to fight social exclusion by providing widespread e-learning access to quality training.

CrossKnowledge announces the creation of the CrossKnowledge Foundation, designed to fight exclusion by providing extended populations around the globe access to quality training. To address this challenge, the CrossKnowledge Foundation will actively support existing initiatives dedicated to the promotion of social entrepreneurship, diversity, equal opportunity and personal development.

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The chairman of the CrossKnowledge Foundation is Hervé Goudchaux, co-founder of CrossKnowledge.

The Foundation, an initiative in line with CrossKnowledge's mission

The CrossKnowledge Foundation is a new expression of the founders' driving philosophy and the raison d'être of the women and men of the company: Use new learning technologies to significantly improve the lives of people around the world. For CrossKnowledge, training is one of the best gateways to social insertion and personal development, both for professional and personal life.

For several years, CrossKnowledge has supported non-profit organisations such as Ashoka, Mozaïk RH or PlaNet Finance. These partnerships have shown that there is a clear fit between the needs of those organisations and CrossKnowledge's expertise. In creating the Foundation, CrossKnowledge intends to offer the means to develop its CSR policy and to make it both coherent and visible to all its partners.

Mission and areas of focus of the CrossKnowledge Foundation

The Foundation will address all aspects of professional training for groups of individuals facing problems in their social insertion and/or career progression. The Foundation will provide free e-learning solutions and associated services, as well as continuing project management to not-for-profit and humanitarian organisations.

"The creation of the CrossKnowledge Foundation  gives the initial project of CrossKnowledge a unique opportunity to help underprivileged people around the world. When so many people are still in risk of exclusion due to lack of access to education, we are delighted to share our expertise with charitable organisations already involved in this area", said Hervé Goudchaux, Chairman of the CrossKnowledge Foundation.

Inequality in terms of access to training in figures:

In the UK :

• People with no qualifications are approximately three times less likely to receive job-related training than those with some qualifications
• In 2010, 8% of employees with no qualifications reported that they had received job-related training in the last three months.  By contrast, amongst those with a higher educational qualification, the proportion receiving job-related training was 35%.

Source : http://www.poverty.org.uk/58/index.shtml?2

 In Europe:

•  29.2 % of Danes and only 2,1% of Greeks between the age of 25 and 64 have access to training.

Source : Données 2011 de l'Observatoire des Inégalités

Globally:

•  Only 5% of the population of sub-Saharan Africa has access to higher education compared to 70% in Europe and North America.
  

Source : Unesco :  'EFA Global Monitoring report' 2009

About CrossKnowledge - http://www.crossknowledge.com

With more than 3 million users, CrossKnowledge is the leading European provider of distance learning solutions. CrossKnowledge enables organisations to successfully evolve by developing each individual. CrossKnowledge offers integrated solutions which use exclusive learning formats, amongst the most sought after content in the world and a range of accompanying services, according to a company's needs. These solutions guarantee a unique learning experience for the individual and a real return on investment for the organisation. CrossKnowledge's learning content and formats are developed in collaboration with an international 'Faculty', comprising the best authors, professors and Management professionals from the most renowned Business Schools in the world. CrossKnowledge has created the CrossKnowledge Academy in order to formalise and share its expertise in instructional design and deployment with its clients via certification programmes. CrossKnowledge provides solutions adapted to companies of all sizes and is present in 25 countries through its network of global offices and partners. The group's clients include AkzoNobel, Aviva, AXA, BBVA, Belgacom, BNP Paribas, Carrefour, EDF, Geodis, Jaguar Land Rover, NHS, Schneider Electric, Sodexo, Tesco, Thales, Valeo, etc.

H&B Communication : Emily Bass - +33-1-58-18-32-59 - e.bass@hbcommunication.fr
CrossKnowledge : Estelle Milo - +33-1-41-38-14-86 - estelle.milo@crossknowledge.com