Empreintes - Éducation relative à l'Environnement.

What Empreintes - Éducation relative à l'Environnement. does

Empreintes is a Belgian non-profit association (asbl) founded in 1981 and headquartered in Namur, Wallonia, recognised by the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles as an Organisation de Jeunesse. It delivers environmental education (Éducation relative à l'Environnement) across Wallonia and Brussels-Capital and, since 2006, has managed CRIE de Namur, one of eleven Regional Centers for Environmental Initiation in the Walloon Region. The organisation operates with 17 permanent staff and 83 volunteers, and serves children aged 4-15, youth (15-30), teachers and educators, youth animators, and socially vulnerable populations.

The portfolio combines four core service lines: (i) extracurricular nature camps and Plaines Vertes for children; (ii) school-based animations and project kits on themes such as mobility, water, biodiversity, energy, and noise; (iii) professional training and microformats for teachers and animators delivered with IFC and partner institutions; and (iv) a lending service for pedagogical tools. Supporting products include the Emile le serpent mobile mobility challenge (mobilising 110 schools, 11,651 students across 92 localities, with a 24% average increase in active mobility modes), the OPTIMOVE and OPTIMOVE Junior cooperative board games on urban mobility, the Décibelle et Groboucan and Odyssée des sons noise-awareness tools, the Bulles Vertes youth magazine, the WOOD'KIT activity brochure, and the ECOCRACS, Bruital'école, and précarité-environnement.be thematic websites. Sub-brands are operated as distinct digital properties under the Empreintes umbrella.

The business model is a subscription-recurring, grant-funded non-profit structure with four identified revenue streams: public subsidies and operating grants from Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles (as an Organisation de Jeunesse), SPW, Ville de Namur, Bruxelles Environnement, and Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; project-based funding from partners such as Contrat de Rivière Haute-Meuse and Brussels-Capital authorities; donations collected via website (weekly, monthly, yearly cadences); and annual membership fees. Free or low-cost pricing dominates for educational content (free loan for tooling, €100 perpetual licence for Optimove, freemium school projects funded by municipal partners). Distribution is direct, via classroom delivery, public events, and community venues, with no retail or reseller channel. No equity funding, venture, or private equity ownership structure is associated with the entity, which is governed as a Belgian asbl under the oversight of a Board of Directors.

Name

Empreintes - Éducation relative à l'Environnement.

Legal name

Empreintes asbl

Website

https://empreintes.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Empreintes is a Belgian non-profit (asbl) founded in 1981 in Namur, recognised as an Organisation de Jeunesse, delivering environmental education through school animations, nature camps, teacher training, and mobility/pedagogical tools across Wallonia and Brussels, while managing CRIE de Namur.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Education Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Education, Capacity Building & Community Engagement (BPADALAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH), Environmental Science & Sustainability Programs (Ecology, Climate, Conservation) (EDAMABAD), Outdoor & Wilderness Education Schools (Field-Based Learning) (THAAAOAA), Nature-Based / Forest School Early Learning Programs (EDACADAD)

Keywords

• Environmental education services
• School-based animation programs
• Pedagogical tool lending
• Youth volunteer projects
• Nature camp activities

Headquarters

HQ city

Namur

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Public Subsidies and Grants: Core funding from government bodies including Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, Service Public de Wallonie, and regional authorities for operating as an Organization de Jeunesse and managing CRIE de Namur
2. Project-based Funding: Grants and subsidies for specific environmental education projects with partners such as Ville de Namur, Contrat de Rivière Haute-Meuse, and Région de Bruxelles-Capitale
3. Donations: Public donations through website and support campaigns
4. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees for becoming a member of the association

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Empreintes delivers environmental education services across Wallonia and Brussels, including school-based animation projects on themes such as nature, water, biodiversity, energy, mobility and noise, professional training for teachers and youth animators, nature camps (Plaines Vertes/Stages) for children aged 4-15, youth volunteer projects, and lending of proprietary pedagogical tools such as OPTIMOVE and Décibelle et Groboucan. The organization manages the CRIE de Namur (Centre Régional d'Initiation à l'Environnement) on behalf of the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles.

Product overview

Empreintes is an environmental education non-profit organization (Organisation de Jeunesse) recognized by the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, managing the CRIE de Namur. The organization operates a multi-product portfolio consisting of core educational services (Plaines Vertes/Stage nature activities for children aged 4-15, school animations/projects on environmental themes, professional training for educators, and a pedagogical tools lending service) distributed through various delivery channels including the CRIE de Namur center, school partnerships, youth volunteer programs (PAVÉ, Ride to the Future, Bulles Vertes, Plus SHOW que le climat), and specialized tools (Émile le serpent mobile mobility challenge, OPTIMOVE board games, EMSR road safety education). Supporting infrastructure includes thematic websites (Ecocracs, Bruital'école, Précarité & Environnement), publications (Bulles Vertes magazine, WOOD'KIT activity guide), event series (Midis de l'ErE), and the Jardin d'Antoine educational space.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ecocracs: Website for young people to become actors of their environment
• Bruitalecole
• precarite-environnement.be

Products and services

• Plaines Vertes / Stages Nature-based holiday activities for children aged 4-15, including day camps and multi-day camps during summer and school holidays.
• Animations scolaires School-based environmental education projects and classroom animations covering themes such as nature, water, biodiversity, energy, mobility, and noise.
• Formations Professional development training for teachers, educators, and youth workers on environmental education topics, offered in partnership with IFC, FOCEF and other operators.
• Outils pédagogiques (Prêt d'outils) Lending service and workshops for discovering pedagogical tools related to environmental education.
• CRIE de Namur Centre Régional d'Initiation à l'Environnement (Regional Center for Environmental Initiation) managed by Empreintes, focusing on urban environment themes and serving people in precarious situations.
• Émile le serpent mobile Mobility challenge and awareness campaign for primary schools that mobilizes students, parents and teachers to increase active mobility (walking, cycling, public transport, carpooling) on the school commute, achieving up to 24% increase in active modes.
• OPTIMOVE / OPTIMOVE Junior Cooperative board games on urban mobility, road safety and environment for schools; OPTIMOVE for ages 12+ and OPTIMOVE Junior for ages 8+, available for €100 or free loan.
• PAVÉ Youth volunteer project offering environmental education training and animation opportunities for young people aged 18-35.
• Plus SHOW que le climat Youth project where young people aged 18-30 create a humor spectacle about climate issues through a comedic writing training program.
• Ride to the Future Youth mobilization project focused on environmental action and climate awareness.
• Bulles Vertes Youth magazine project where young people become actors of their environment.
• Camp Into the Wild A 7-day summer camp in nature for young people, organized by Empreintes and CRLB.
• BIODIVER'CITÉ A free project for secondary schools in Namur, offering four pedagogical activities on urban nature themes in partnership with Ville de Namur.
• Jardin d'Antoine Educational garden space accessible on request, inaugurated as part of CRIE celebrations.
• EMSR (Éducation à la Mobilité et à la Sécurité Routière) Road safety and mobility education project for primary schools with an EMSR referent, including 3 classroom animations and meetings with local authorities.
• Mobigame Mobility challenge for secondary schools where 4 teams compete for 2 weeks with daily counting and rankings.
• Midis de l'ErE Lunchtime discovery and exchange sessions on environmental education topics, tools, projects and techniques.
• WOOD'KIT Brochure with 30 outdoor activities for youth movement animators to conduct nature activities (forest and river) with children aged 5-18 during camps.
• L'Odyssée des sons Educational tool on school noise and sound environment for teachers and students.
• Ecocracs Website platform for young people to learn about and act on environmental issues.
• Bruital'École Website dedicated to fighting noise in schools with resources and solutions.
• Précarité & Environnement Website devoted to environmental issues affecting people in precarious situations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 24% average increase in active mobility modes following Emile challenge
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Fédération Wallonie-BruxellescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial recognition and core funding as Organisation de Jeunesse. Primary institutional partner providing operating framework and subsidies.
• CRIE de Namur (managed by Empreintes)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of 11 Regional Centers for Environmental Initiation in Wallonia. Managed by Empreintes since 2006 with focus on urban environment and precarity.
• Ville de NamurcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity government partner supporting environmental projects including Namur Focus Nature and BIODIVER'CITÉ programs. Funds free school activities.
• Contrat de Rivière Haute-Meuse (CRHM)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRiver contract partnership for water education projects including 'Ça coule de source' program in schools.
• Centre Culturel de Namur (Quai 22)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural center partnership for events including Semaine du Son and neighbourhood celebrations.
• Université de Namur (UNamur)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for events and Confluent des Savoirs venue hosting.
• IFC (Institut de la Formation en Cours de Carrière)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTeacher training institute partnership for professional development courses offered to educators.
• Bruxelles EnvironnementmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrussels Environment agency partnership for noise awareness tools and Midi de l'ErE events.
• Youth movements (Scouts, Patro, etc.)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with francophone youth movements for WOOD'KIT tool development and nature camp activities.
• Mobiel 21 (Belgium)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal developer of Emile/Sam de Verkeerslang mobility challenge concept, licensed for Wallonia implementation.
• Fahrmit (Germany)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for implementing Emile mobility challenge in German-speaking schools.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Natagora: Largest Belgian francophone nature-conservation NGO, running conservation education programmes targeted at schools and the public in the same territory and beneficiary base as Empreintes, but on a much broader mandate.
• Inter-Environnement Wallonie (IEW): Walloon environmental federation coordinating ~140 member associations on policy, advocacy and public participation in environmental issues — a broader incumbent whose education and youth commissions overlap with Empreintes' mission space.
• Greenpeace Belgium: Large international advocacy NGO running youth education and mobilisation programmes in Belgium; competes for school partnerships, media attention, and donor funds on climate and environmental literacy.
• WWF Belgium Education: Education arm of a global conservation NGO running school programmes and youth mobilisations across Belgium — competing for the same public-sector education budget and corporate-partnership wallets as Empreintes.

Regional players

• GoodPlanet Foundation France: Founded by Yann Arthus-Bertrand, this French foundation delivers environmental education and awareness programmes across France; mirrors Empreintes' pedagogy and audience but operates in the adjacent French-speaking ecosystem across the border.

Direct peers

• Réseau IDée: Wallonia/Brussels-based network dedicated to environmental education, providing resources, training and project support to schools and youth organisations — almost exactly the role Empreintes plays, making it the closest direct peer for funding and audience share.
• GoodPlanet Belgium: Belgium-based foundation explicitly dedicated to environmental education and citizen mobilisation — same mission, similar pedagogy, and overlapping school/youth audience in francophone Belgium.
• CRIE de Liège: One of the 11 sister Regional Centers for Environmental Initiation (CRIE) in Wallonia, delivering environmental education animations and trainings to schools in its territory — directly comparable as a fellow CRIE centre competing for the same regional budgets.
• CRIE de Spa: Another Walloon CRIE focused on forest and water education themes; operates the same institutional funding model and pedagogical mandate as CRIE de Namur, making it a direct structural and competitive peer.

Emerging players

• Natagora Jeunes: Youth-focused offshoot within Natagora delivering nature education and youth projects in francophone Belgium — overlaps directly with Empreintes' PAVÉ, Ride to the Future and youth-magazine programmes.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Empreintes.be
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/empreintes-asbl

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Empreintes - Éducation relative à l'Environnement.