A 360° commitment:  Anne Jousse, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and patron

Anne Jousse is a long-standing donor and a member of the Friends Committee and recently involved her company – the hotel group B Signature Hotels & Resorts, her family, and her colleagues in supporting Paris Brain Institute. This is the story of a commitment on all fronts to neuroscience research.

How did you learn about the Institute, and why did you decide to support its research?

I discovered Paris Brain Institute simply through a fundraising letter delivered to my home address. After gathering information, what immediately struck me was the excellence of the research being carried out and the crucial importance of its work in improving our understanding of neurological diseases. Organizing research on a single site, at the heart of the hospital, with an incubator strikes me as very shrewd.

I was very closely involved with someone who had an extremely powerful brain that deteriorated without us being able to do much about it. For me, the brain remains one of the most mysterious organs, and the pathologies associated with it directly or indirectly affect all of us, young and old alike! Contributing to these scientific advances is a cause that is close to my heart, both personally and on behalf of B Signature Hotels & Resorts.

Why did you recently join the Committee?

Joining the Friends Committee means you can be closely involved in the actions carried out by the Institute with a view to its development. I am convinced that patrons can play a key role by mobilizing their networks and raising awareness among other stakeholders about the importance of research into the brain.

How do you bring your commitment to life within the company and among your employees?

At B Signature Hotels & Resorts, we are committed to making solidarity part of our corporate approach. We have been able to support other causes at certain times, but we now prefer our group to focus its actions on a single area. I have personally supported Paris Brain Institute for several years, and a little over a year ago, we decided that the company would also support that cause. We also encourage our customers to make donations, if they wish, when they visit our various establishments. Our employees are very interested in this type of approach and know how to talk about it with passion to our customers when the opportunity arises.

What are the benefits of supporting the Institute and incorporating this approach into your company?

This commitment gives meaning to our actions, both personally and professionally. Supporting Paris Brain Institute means supporting a cause that goes beyond our immediate interests, in the hope of contributing to a better understanding of brain-related diseases. This also allows us to unite our teams around shared values and strengthen our culture of social commitment.