Definition

The Sem : serving territories and local authorities

The Sem is characterized by its nature as a commercial enterprise, by the majority of its capital held by public authorities and by its mission of general interest.

> Its market is a territory.
> Its business : the development of its territory.
> Its added value : a long-lasting partnership of public and private actors.

The Sem are local semi-public enterprises

Entreprises

The Sem are joint stock-companies. This legal form offers dynamic business management rules and guarantees flexibility and reactivity for the benefit of the local authorities. Like any other company, the Sem strive for their customers' satisfaction, business management performance, generation of results and the motivation of their employees and shareholders.

Public

The majority of the capital of a Sem is held by one or several local authorities, the competences of which also limit the territorial field of activities. Thus, Sem usually are entrusted with the implementation or management of a large variety of services of general interest ( list of their fields of activities ). The satisfaction of as many people as possible, not the quest for profit is guiding their action. In addition to this civic commitment, Sem enterprises act in total transparency: they are the most surveyed companies in France .

 

Local

One of the major strengths of the Sem is their intimate knowledge of the territory where they have their roots. As a consequence, their solutions are adapted to the individual requirements and they do not use any standard solution. Sem are generating value for the territories, because they prefer the local interest to their own financial interests, they also consider the requirements of sustainable development, they hire local people and offer vocational training for them, and they reinvest most of their profit. Thus, they are the main creators of cohesion and competitiveness in their own territory.

 

List of the fields of activities

- Social housing - Urban development - Economic development - Promotion and animation of tourism - Car parks - Commercial real estate management - Management of skilifts - Sports clubs and facilities - Public urban and interurban transports - Cable networks and local TV - Environment - Marinas - Congress centres - Trade fairs - Museums and conservatories - Cultural animation and centres - Markets of national interest - Energy

- Waste management - Leisure parks and facilities - Financing - Hotel industry - Hot springs - Cinemas, theatres and opera houses - Drinking water production and distribution - Slaughterhouses - Urban district heating - Urban and economic development studies - Airlines - Funeral parlours - Campings - Communication - Airports - Social gastronomy (soup kitchens) - Neighbourhood-based social work - IT, telematics