The Good Lobby, a non-profit organization which has worked to democratize lobbying since 2015, is launching a new branch in Paris with the support of the advocacy consulting firm Koz. In partnership with the Philanthro-Lab, The Good Lobby France will open its doors to French-based projects beginning this spring, with the aim of raising awareness on the need for a more ethical and inclusive public political dialogue.
Since 2015, The Good Lobby has worked to enhance the advocacy capacity of civil society organisations, philanthropies, and social entrepreneurs by offering them advocacy, strategic and legal advice. TGL works closely with a number of philanthropical institutions to further professionalize their grantees’ advocacy capacity and to provide strategic and legal advice.
A civic initiative spreading accross Europe
Founded by Alberto Alemanno, professor of Law at HEC Paris, The Good Lobby also has a branch in Milan (The Good Lobby Italia) and is considering opening a new branch in Spain (The Good Lobby España). By expanding into France, in partnership with the advocacy consultancy Koz, the organization will continue to further its mission to make the political process more inclusive and transparent across Europe.
“In France, like in most of the European continent, lobbying remains a mysterious and suspicious phenomenon that belongs to the few, not the many. Yet lobbying is not only legitimate, but also needed in our democracies insofar as it informs the policy process. The time has come to demystify and democratize lobbying, also in France,” explains Alberto Alemanno.
Why opening a french branch?
The Good Lobby France seeks to build upon the current momentum in the French political landscape to promote social, environmental, and governance transparency issues, an example of which is the creation of Philanthro-Lab, a new collaborative incubator space launched by the Compagnie de Phalsbourg dedicated to philanthropic and non-for-profit actors. TGL France will build upon its recently signed partnership with Philanthro-Lab to create more synergies between sectors working towards the common good. “Our objective is to create unconventional alliances between foundations, NGOs and progressive companies” says Gaëtan de Royer, president of Koz, “and to focus our actions on SSE (Social and Solidarity Economy) organizations and those fighting against poverty, in this unprecedented economic and social crisis”. On April 8, The Good Lobby France debuted its first initiative, hosting an advocacy training day with the first cohort of Philanthro Lab project leaders.
In order to select projects and beneficiaries, The Good Lobby France will rely on an advisory committee, chaired by Jérôme Saddier, president of Crédit Coopératif, ESS France and Avise, and composed of Priscillia Ludosky, member of the “Gilets citoyens” collective and Loïc Blondiaux, professor of political science at the University of Paris I Panthéon-Sorbonne, expert in citizen participation.
The initiative is supported by Dentons Paris, Ashoka, and New York University in Paris.
More information can be found at : www.thegoodlobby.fr
Press contact : Gaëtan de Royer, [email protected] – +33 6.11.42.15.06.
Press Release: The Good Lobby opens its doors in France