Credit Agricole supports the publication of CCIFU’s book on work during wartime

It is important for Credit Agricole to contribute to projects that demonstrate the resilience and unity of Ukrainians in challenging times of war. The bank supported the publication of the book “In the Heart of Ukrainian Resilience” by the Franco-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a collection of 14 stories from representatives of French and Ukrainian businesses who chose to stay and continue working in Ukraine after February 24, 2022. Among the participants in the project are two employees of Credit Agricole who shared their stories of life and work in wartime. We are proud of our colleagues and grateful to them for their dedicated work and indomitable spirit.

This book is about real people and their decisions. These are the voices of those who did not let the war stop their lives and continued to do their jobs: supporting the financial system, organizing the supply of food and medicine, retaining teams, and adapting processes. This is a collection of 14 stories about courage manifested in everyday actions – coming to work, making decisions, and taking responsibility.

The book is bilingual: the Ukrainian version is on one side and the French version is on the other. This allows the experience of French and Ukrainian businesses to be shared with an international audience – partners, investors, and those who form their impressions of Ukraine from the outside.

“This book is a way to show the international business community the reality of life and work in Ukraine through the first-hand experience of French and Ukrainian companies that have stayed here and continue to operate. It does not offer ready-made recipes or conclusions, as it was created thanks to eyewitnesses who decided to stir up the ashes of the past and retrieve the embers. Fourteen stories create a kind of chorus, featuring the voices of military personnel and volunteers, journalists, managers, and employees of companies that are members of the Chamber. The book allows us to see the war through the eyes of witnesses and reminds us that the economy is, above all, life, where people support each other,” notes Maud Joseph, director of the Franco-Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Download the book online by this link.

“In the first weeks of the full-scale war, my team and I organized a hub at the Credit Agricole office for employees who had evacuated from unsafe regions: we arranged places for them to live, found the necessary supplies, and assisted with their further relocation. Thanks to our joint efforts, about 50 bank employees and their family members received support. That is when I realized once again: when your purpose goes beyond your own needs and focuses on helping others, personal difficulties recede. In my opinion, this is necessary, because otherwise we cease to be human. It is important to look for people you can help, because by giving, we gain much more than the person we are giving to,” said Bohdan Zavidovskyi, head of commercial sector No. 7 at Credit Agricole.

”We only have one life, so it is definitely worth something. It is important to never lose faith. Perhaps today we cannot live the way we would like to, but when a person gives up, then there is really nothing left. I was caught in shelling twice, once I was even injured, but I always believed that everything would work out: I believed in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and that they would not give up. Our company supported us greatly, both financially and morally," said Hanna Myronova, PI economist at Credit Agricole.

Working, preserving jobs, and paying taxes are the daily contributions that businesses make to Ukraine’s resilience. The book “At the Heart of Ukrainian Resilience” shows this through the stories of real people – the ones who are shaping this resilience with their decisions.