In june 2009, FEBEA federates 25 members based across 11 European Union and 2 EFTA countries. These 11 banks, 6 savings and loan cooperatives, 5 investment companies and 3 foundations can all together account for a balance sheet of 21 billion euros and have some 528 000 clients and shareholders between them. They have different legal forms but they all share the same concern for transparency and social and environmental utility.

In addition to being a place for exchanges and sharing experiences, FEBEA aims to create financial tools able to help existing European initiatives and encourage the growth of new initiatives in the field of alternative finance.

Creating alternative financial tools hand in hand
Up to today, FEBEA developped diversified tools:

• the guarantee fund "Solidarity Guarantee", managed bij Crédit Coopératif in France
• the investment fund "Solidarity Choice", managed by the Crédit Coopératif's asset management company (France)
• the financing company 'SEFEA" (Société Européenne de Finance Ethique et Alternative), European ethical and alternative financing company, managed by Banca Popolare Etica in Padova (Italy).

Working together towards a European dynamic
In addition to these concrete products, FEBEA implemented several commissions and working groups on subjects such as "Financing the South and Fair Trade", "Financing Healthcare Infrastructures and Social Services in Europe" and "Sustainable development". The final aim is to design new tools to address the challenges peculiar to each group.
FEBEA wants to give support to ethical and alternative finance and all responsible entrepreneurs from the sector of social and solidarity-based economy for whom the access to the traditional banking system is often hampered.
FEBEA's members exchange best practices and encourage mutual learning between their networks of social and solidarity-based economy. It's resolutely a European approach of ethical and alternative finance that leads their way.