SOS GROUP
Groupe SOS is the largest social and solidarity economy group in Europe, operating 700+ establishments in healthcare, senior care, child protection, and social services. The group serves 2 million beneficiaries annually with ~23,000 employees across France and 50+ countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1984
- HeadquartersParis, France
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What SOS GROUP does
Groupe SOS is the largest social and solidarity economy (ESS) group in Europe, founded in 1984 during the AIDS crisis in France. Operating as a federation of associations, the group runs 700+ establishments and services across healthcare (Groupe SOS Santé with 11 hospitals), senior care (Groupe SOS Seniors with 113 facilities), child protection (Groupe SOS Jeunesse), social solidarity (Groupe SOS Solidarités with 10,000 housing places), culture, and ecological transition. With approximately 23,000 employees, the group serves 2 million direct beneficiaries annually across France and 50+ countries, operating on a €1.3 billion total budget.
The group's underlying technology is social innovation and proprietary impact measurement methodologies developed over 40 years of field operations, including self-diagnostic tools for inclusive practices and an SDG alignment framework covering 15 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. There is no unified software platform; the operating model is a portfolio of specialized divisions and social enterprises, supplemented by commercial activities (Altermundi retail, Té catering/events, Oméga Restauration), an incubator (PULSE, 700 entrepreneurs supported), impact investment vehicles (Impact Business Angels, 70 angels), and a B Corp-certified consulting arm (Groupe SOS Consulting).
Revenue is generated through a hybrid model: public subsidies and government service contracts (the dominant stream), individual and corporate donations, commercial revenue from retail/hospitality businesses, and fee-for-service consulting. The go-to-market is primarily direct service delivery through the physical network of establishments, with channel partnerships for international operations. Customer segments include vulnerable populations, children and youth, local communities, public institutions, private enterprises, and ESS organizations, with French public authorities acting as both funder and counterparty for the majority of revenue.
SOS GROUP firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SOS GROUP
- Legal name
- Groupe SOS
- Website
- https://groupe-sos.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1984
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- Groupe SOS is the largest social and solidarity economy group in Europe, operating 700+ establishments in healthcare, senior care, child protection, and social services. The group serves 2 million beneficiaries annually with ~23,000 employees across France and 50+ countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where SOS GROUP is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Paris
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices6 records
Markets served
SOS GROUP business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Public Subsidies and Contracts: Government funding and public service contracts for social, healthcare, and educational services
- Donations and Philanthropy: Individual donations, corporate donations, and foundation funding
- Commercial Activities: Revenue from commercial operations including retail (Altermundi), event services (Té), and consulting (Groupe SOS Consulting)
- Consulting Services: Fee-for-service consulting provided to enterprises, public institutions, and ESS organizations on social impact and sustainability
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | One time/ perpetual license | Donation tiers for individual supporters |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels8 records
Marketing channels7 records
SOS GROUP product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Groupe SOS is a non-profit social and solidarity economy group operating across six core service divisions (healthcare, senior care, social solidarity, youth protection, culture, and ecological transition) plus commercial subsidiaries and a consulting arm. The group delivers direct services through 700+ establishments and programs in France, serving 2 million beneficiaries annually in areas such as hospitals, nursing homes, housing for vulnerable populations, child protection, fair-trade retail, event catering, and social impact consulting.
Product overview
SOS GROUP (Groupe SOS) is a social and solidarity economy group born in 1984, operating as a multi-brand portfolio of social enterprises rather than a single unified product. The organization is structured around six core divisions: Groupe SOS Jeunesse (child protection), Groupe SOS Seniors (elderly care with 113 establishments), Groupe SOS Solidarités (social and medical-social services), Groupe SOS Santé (non-profit hospitals), Groupe SOS Culture (cultural initiatives), and Groupe SOS Transition Écologique et Territoires (environmental/territorial action). Commercial operations include Té Traiteur (catering), Altermundi (fair trade retail), Scilicet (sustainable bar), Oméga Restauration (catering services), TAA Services (multiservice), Wimoov (mobility services), and consulting services through Groupe SOS Consulting (B Corp certified). Impact programs include PULSE (social enterprise incubator), People Power Inclusion (financial inclusion), Impact Business Angels (impact investment), and various international partnerships. The portfolio spans social services, healthcare, retail, hospitality, and consulting—with no unified software platform.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Groupe SOS Santé: Leading French non-profit organization managing hospitals, focused on providing access to quality care for all
- Groupe SOS Seniors
- Groupe SOS Solidarités
- Groupe SOS Jeunesse
- Groupe SOS Culture
- Groupe SOS Transition Ecologique et Territoires
- Commerce et Services
- Groupe SOS Consulting
- Groupe SOS International
Products and services
- Groupe SOS Santé Leading French non-profit hospital operator providing access to quality healthcare for all, running 11 hospitals and health facilities across France including private not-for-profit hospitals, home nursing services, training institutes, sleep medicine centers, and obesity treatment facilities.
- Groupe SOS Seniors Second largest associative operator of nursing homes in France, providing care for elderly individuals through 113 establishments and services including over 70 retirement homes (EHPAD) and home care services, with a mission to promote autonomy and social connection regardless of income.
- Groupe SOS Solidarités Key actor in the social and medical-social sector in France, providing concrete responses to solidarity challenges including support for people affected by addictions, violence, migrants, homeless individuals, sex workers, people living with HIV, and people with disabilities, with services spanning housing, health, asylum, and professional integration.
- Groupe SOS Jeunesse Primary associative actor in child protection in France, focused on educating and protecting children, adolescents, and young adults in difficulty through parental support, shelter for at-risk youth, psychological support, alternatives to incarceration, and socio-professional integration programs.
- Groupe SOS Consulting Impact consulting firm offering advisory services to companies, public institutions, and social economy structures on social innovation, impact measurement, CSR strategy, and territorial development. Certified B Corp in 2025 and became a mission-driven company (entreprise à mission) in 2024.
- Groupe SOS Culture Cultural initiatives division promoting culture as a lever for individual, social, and territorial transformation, implementing cultural projects in care facilities, social housing, and underserved areas through the Laboratoire des Publics, artistic residencies, and intergenerational programs.
- Groupe SOS Transition Écologique et Territoires Environmental and territorial action division focused on ecological transition, revitalizing deprived areas, and promoting citizen participation through initiatives like 1000 Cafés, Quartiers Cafés, and support for local economic development.
- Altermundi Fair trade retail pioneer with approximately 100 selected suppliers, operating 12 stores in Paris, 1 in Bordeaux, and an e-commerce website, offering products across 5 segments: Fashion, Kids, Gifts, Home, and Wellness.
- Té Traiteur Event catering service with creative and conscious cuisine with positive environmental and social impact, featuring multiple venues including Le Pavillon Élysée Té and L'Usine Té, backed by sponsor Thierry Marx.
- Scilicet Sustainable bar on the banks of the Seine in Paris' 1st arrondissement, featuring local or organic beers, 100% organic wines, homemade dishes, with beef removed from the menu in support of ecological commitment.
- Oméga Restauration Social integration company providing catering services to public and private facilities in health, medical-social, and educational sectors, promoting traditional, tasty, and creative cuisine using local, fresh, seasonal products.
- TAA Services Multiservice company offering housekeeping, green spaces, laundry and dry cleaning, industrial subcontracting, and temporary work services in Picardie Maritime region, acting as an integration-through-economic-activity actor.
- Wimoov Association assisting territories and vulnerable people toward autonomous, sustainable mobility by offering solutions ensuring mobility is not an obstacle to professional and social integration.
- AIPI Association promoting social and professional integration of disadvantaged people through economic activity and access to housing, operating social housing production, construction work integration, and fighting substandard housing.
- 1000 Cafés Initiative to open, support, and maintain multi-service friendly spaces in communities of less than 3,500 inhabitants that no longer have a café or are at risk of losing it.
- Quartiers Cafés Support for local businesses in priority neighborhoods with projects contributing to the development of social ties.
Quantifiable outcome
- 2 million direct beneficiaries served annually
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use SOS GROUP
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
SOS GROUP technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
SOS GROUP partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Planète UrgencecoreInternational NGO partnership for environmental action - 3 million trees planted annually strengthening economic resilience of vulnerable communities
- Santé SudcoreInternational NGO for healthcare access - 1,700 days of training per year on average
- PLAY InternationalcoreNGO using sport as lever for education and social change - 1 million beneficiaries since 1998
- Société Française de Bienfaisance (SFB)coreInclusion for all in Morocco through kindergarten, social service, and vocational training center
- People Power Inclusion (PPI)core100+ community savings groups created and managed annually
- PULSEcore700 social and environmental entrepreneurs supported through incubators
- Ateliere Fără Frontiereminor500 vulnerable people recruited and trained in ecological integration projects in Romania
- Impact Tankcore10 working groups bringing together researchers and companies on impact measurement
- Pact for Impact AlliancecoreInternational alliance for recognition of social and solidarity economy - Secretariat animation
- Impact Campusminor6,000 students sensitized to ecological and social transitions annually
- The Drop InminorPartner for high-impact location programming services
- Sport ValueminorPartner for sports impact programming
- French Red CrosscorePartnership on impact assessment methodology sharing and training
- HEC PariscorePartnership with Social Entrepreneurship Center for photo competition and impact measurement
- AG2R LA MONDIALEcorePartner for Impact Photography competition
- Fédération nationale des Caisses d'EpargnecorePartner for Impact Photography competition
- Région Ile-de-FrancecorePartner for Impact Photography competition and exhibition
- PULSEcorePartnership for SSE organizations launching new economic projects - financial and legal structuring
- Groupe SOS Action TerritorialecorePartnership for SSE organizations launching new economic projects
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
SOS GROUP competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- DomusVi: A major French private operator of nursing homes, assisted living, and home care services. Comparable to Groupe SOS Seniors as a competing French EHPAD operator with national footprint, though structured as a for-profit enterprise rather than an associative non-profit.
- Médecins Sans Frontières: An international medical humanitarian non-profit operating hospitals, clinics, and emergency response programs globally. Comparable to Groupe SOS Santé as a high-profile French-rooted non-profit health operator with international reach, public funding, and donations-based revenue, but focused on humanitarian medicine rather than multi-sector social services.
- Clariane (formerly Korian): A leading European for-profit operator of nursing homes, senior care facilities, and home care services with significant French EHPAD market share. Comparable to Groupe SOS Seniors in operating nursing homes at scale in France, but as a publicly listed commercial operator rather than a non-profit association.
- Orpea: One of Europe's largest for-profit nursing home and senior care operators with substantial French EHPAD exposure. Comparable to Groupe SOS Seniors as a major operator in the same French senior care market, though operating under a for-profit model and broader European footprint rather than non-profit mission.
Direct peers
- Secours Catholique-Caritas France: A major French Catholic non-profit providing social accompaniment, refugee support, and family services to vulnerable populations. Comparable to Groupe SOS Solidarités in scale, mission, and the combination of grassroots service delivery with advocacy and international Caritas network membership.
- Fondation Abbé Pierre: A major French non-profit focused on housing for vulnerable and homeless populations. It is comparable to Groupe SOS Solidarités as a mission-driven organization combining direct service delivery, advocacy, and public-private partnerships to address housing exclusion in France.
- Croix-Rouge française: The French Red Cross is a leading French non-profit delivering health, social, and humanitarian services at national scale. It is directly comparable to Groupe SOS as a multi-domain non-profit operating hospitals, elderly care, social services, and youth programs under a single recognized brand with substantial public funding.
- SOS Villages d'Enfants: A French non-profit dedicated to child protection and alternative care for children without parental support. Comparable to Groupe SOS Jeunesse as a French associative operator providing residential, educational, and family-support services for at-risk youth at national and international scale.
- Les Restos du Cœur: A large French non-profit providing food assistance and accompanying services to people in poverty. Comparable to Groupe SOS as a high-scale French association combining direct beneficiary service, volunteer engagement, public funding, and a recognized national brand in the social economy.
- Emmaüs: Emmaüs is a long-established French social economy movement addressing exclusion through housing, employment integration, and second-hand commerce. Like Groupe SOS, it operates a federation model of associations tackling multiple social issues, with comparable funding mix (donations, public subsidies, commercial activity).
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
SOS GROUP social profiles
Digital presenceSOS GROUP compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
SOS GROUP financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SOS GROUP leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
SOS GROUP subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries9 records
SOS GROUP funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SOS GROUP M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SOS GROUP
What does SOS GROUP do?
Groupe SOS is a non-profit social and solidarity economy group operating across six core service divisions (healthcare, senior care, social solidarity, youth protection, culture, and ecological transition) plus commercial subsidiaries and a consulting arm. The group delivers direct services through 700+ establishments and programs in France, serving 2 million beneficiaries annually in areas such as hospitals, nursing homes, housing for vulnerable populations, child protection, fair-trade retail, event catering, and social impact consulting.
Is SOS GROUP a public or private company?
SOS GROUP is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was SOS GROUP founded?
SOS GROUP was founded in 1984. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is SOS GROUP based?
SOS GROUP is headquartered in Paris, France, in the Europe region.
How does SOS GROUP make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Public Subsidies and Contracts are the primary driver. The others are donations and Philanthropy, commercial Activities and consulting Services.
Who are SOS GROUP's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are DomusVi, Médecins Sans Frontières, Clariane (formerly Korian) and Orpea. Direct peers are Secours Catholique-Caritas France, Fondation Abbé Pierre, Croix-Rouge française, SOS Villages d'Enfants, Les Restos du Cœur and Emmaüs.
Does SOS GROUP have an API?
No public API is recorded for SOS GROUP.