Fairness

What Fairness does

Fairness is a Paris-based worker cooperative (SCOP/SARL) founded in 2016 and rebranded from Elao Paris in October 2019, operating with approximately 10 to 12 cooperators. It provides three interconnected service lines: responsible web and mobile application development, technical and eco-design audits, and training and awareness programs on responsible digital practices (including Symfony, Node.js, and the Fresque du numérique workshop). Service delivery is grounded in Domain-Driven Design, hexagonal architecture, software craftsmanship, and a CNumR-aligned methodology that applies 115 best practices for ecodesign, RGAA 4.1 accessibility, and GDPR-compliant ethics.

The technology stack is mainstream full-stack web and mobile: PHP/Symfony, NestJS, Svelte, React, Node.js, Flutter, Python, TypeScript, and PostgreSQL. Notable engineering work includes a Svelte migration for Radio France that reduced roughly 29,000 lines of React code to about 8,000 lines of Svelte and shortened development cycles from two months to two weeks. The firm also maintains the Permacoop open-source ERP for cooperatives on its GitHub, signaling reusable internal IP beyond pure services.

Commercially, Fairness runs a project-based and retainer professional services model with multi-year contracts and quote-driven pricing, sold primarily through direct client engagement and partner-network referrals. It serves a mix of French enterprise, public sector, and association buyers, including Radio France, SNCF, Leboncoin, ADEME, the Ministère de la transition écologique, Amnesty International, Beta.gouv, Musée de Bretagne, and MJ Conseil. Marketing is content- and community-led (blog, podcasts Techologie and Echo, conference talks) rather than demand-generation-led, consistent with a values-aligned cooperative whose growth has been intentionally measured since the 2019 transformation.

Name

Fairness

Legal name

Fairness, société coopérative exploitée sous forme de société à responsabilité limitée

Website

https://fairness.coop

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Fairness is a Paris-based worker cooperative of about 10-12 members that delivers responsible web and mobile development, eco-design audits, and training to French enterprises, public agencies, and associations. Its methodology centers on CNumR-aligned ecodesign, accessibility, and software craftsmanship for clients such as Radio France, SNCF, and ADEME.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris, Île-de-France

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Web and Mobile Development Services: Responsible development of web and mobile applications. Projects include new development and improvement of existing applications for performance, ecodesign, and accessibility. Billed primarily through project-based engagements or retainer arrangements with direct client relationships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Fairness is a French worker cooperative that designs and develops responsible web and mobile applications using technologies such as PHP/Symfony, Svelte, NestJS, React, Node.js, Python, and Flutter. It complements development with technical and eco-design audits (covering software quality, RGAA 4.1 accessibility, web performance, and GDPR compliance) and with training/awareness programs on responsible digital practices, Symfony, Node.js, and the Fresque du numérique workshop. All engagements are delivered under a software craftsmanship and ecodesign methodology grounded in Domain Driven Design, hexagonal architecture, and the CNumR 115 best-practice referential.

Product overview

Fairness is a cooperative offering three interconnected service pillars: (1) responsible development of web and mobile applications using technologies like PHP/Symfony, NestJS, Flutter, React, and Node.js, (2) technical and eco-design audits covering quality, accessibility, performance, and security, and (3) training and awareness programs on responsible digital practices including Symfony/Node.js training and the Fresque du numérique workshop. The company emphasizes sustainable development, digital emancipation, and inclusive, ethical service design.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Développement responsable d'applications web et mobile Responsible design and development of web and mobile applications using PHP/Symfony, NestJS, Flutter, React, Node.js, Python, and TypeScript, with an emphasis on eco-design, accessibility, software craftsmanship (DDD, hexagonal architecture), and co-construction with clients. Targeted at startups, SMEs, associations, and public services seeking durable, sustainable digital products.
• Audit technique et écoconception Technical audit service covering software quality, eco-design (CNumR best practices, EcoIndex evaluation), accessibility (RGAA 4.1), web performance (FCP, LCP, TTI metrics), and security/privacy (GDPR compliance). Delivered as an assessment report with prioritized recommendations for organizations seeking to improve the sustainability and accessibility of their digital services.
• Formation et sensibilisation au numérique responsable Training services in Symfony, Node.js, and agile practices, combined with awareness programs on responsible design and low-tech approaches, including facilitation of the Fresque du numérique workshop. Delivered in partnership with TheGreenCompanion for organizations seeking to build internal capability on responsible digital practices.

Quantifiable outcome

• Bing reduced server load by 80% by reducing displayed elements by only 20% (referenced in Forum PHP 2022 talk)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• EntrelacminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnne and Aurélie support Fairness on user research, UX and UI design, ecodesign, and accessibility. They provide complementary expertise in design thinking and sustainable design practices for client projects.
• TheGreenCompagnoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTraining partner for responsible digital. They help clients understand digital impacts and adopt good professional practices. Joint offerings include training on digital responsibility.
• TroopersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNantes-based cooperative that designs and develops digital products and services respecting current social and environmental challenges. Shared values around sustainable digital design.
• MultiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperative contributing to digital commons and associated services, bringing together professionals working for a digital public interest. Collaboration on shared values and common projects.
• Les TilleulscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperative performing web and mobile development projects, consulting, audit, and training. Fairness collaborates on certain client projects together, leveraging complementary expertise.
• OmnicitéminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperative of entrepreneurs sharing a culture of autonomous work while benefiting from mutual support and attention. Shared organizational model as cooperative enterprises.
• Collectif Conception Numérique Responsable (CNumR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerActive collective member. Contributes to the development and dissemination of 115 best practices for ecodesign of web services. Participates in collective awareness and advocacy efforts.
• Fing (Fondation Internet Nouvelle Génération)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContributes to Fing initiatives including Numériques tous risques (Digital all risks) expedition and Tech for Good mentoring programs. Think and do tank focused on digital transformations.
• The Shift ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupports The Shift Project's digital responsibility initiatives including Carbonalyser browser extension. Think tank advocating for digital sobriety.
• LatitudesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipates in Tech for Good mentorship programs for general interest projects. Supports digital projects with positive social and environmental impact.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• TheGreenCompanion: Responsible-digital training partner that helps clients understand digital impacts and adopt good professional practices, including joint training offerings with Fairness. Highly comparable mission and audience (sustainability-focused digital training and awareness).
• Omnicité: Cooperative of independent entrepreneurs sharing a culture of autonomous work while benefiting from mutual support. Comparable organizational model as a cooperative of small digital-services operators and explicit Fairness partner.
• Multi: French digital-commons cooperative serving public-interest digital projects with shared values on emancipation numérique and free software. Comparable cooperative governance model and value-driven, mission-aligned GTM targeting similar association and public-sector clients.
• Elao: Sister web agency from which Fairness was created in October 2019 (previously Elao Paris). Shares the same technical DNA (PHP/Symfony, e-learning, web agency roots) and overlapping talent pool, and continues to operate as a comparable French web agency.
• Zenika: French IT services firm with a strong cooperative-adjacent culture, offering web development, consulting, audit and training. Direct competitor for similar French enterprise clients with comparable agile craftsmanship positioning.
• Les Tilleuls: French web and mobile development cooperative (SCOP) offering consulting, audit and training with shared values on responsible digital. Explicitly identified as a partner cooperative on shared client projects, with directly overlapping service lines (PHP/Symfony, Node.js).
• Troopers: Nantes-based digital cooperative designing sustainable products and services. Shares Fairness's responsible-digital positioning, SCOP structure and pool of artisan-developer talent, with joint go-to-market through the cooperative partner network.

Others

• Framasoft: French cooperative promoting free software, digital emancipation and digital sobriety. Highly aligned values and ecosystem relationship with Fairness but primarily an advocacy/community organization rather than a commercial IT services competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Octo Technology (Accenture): Large French digital-transformation consultancy, now part of Accenture, with broad practices across software, cloud and data. Competes for the same enterprise and public-sector RFPs as Fairness but as a multi-practice incumbent rather than a specialist.
• Capgemini: Global systems integrator with a large French public-sector and enterprise footprint (including SNCF, ADEME-adjacent ministries). Capable of competing for responsible-digital mandates at scale as ecodesign moves into mainstream consulting offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• GitHubgithub.com/fairnesscoop
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fairness-coop
• Xx.com/fairnesscoop

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

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 Fairness