Emmaüs employees and volunteers are at the center of the turmoil following revelations about the behavior of their founder, Abbé Pierre. For these often highly committed individuals, the shock is particularly profound. The organization will need to mobilize considerable resources to support and assist them. What possible strategies can be employed? Which will be the most effective?
The Emmaüs movement, synonymous with solidarity and mutual aid for the most disadvantaged since 1949, is currently experiencing one of the deepest crises in its history. The revelations of sexual abuse and abuse of power involving its founder, Abbé Pierre, have tarnished the reputation of this beloved institution in France. This scandal has created a ripple effect not only in public opinion but also among Emmaüs employees and volunteers.
For them, Abbé Pierre was not just an emblematic figure; he embodied the social and moral mission of the organization. In this profound crisis, the Abbé Pierre Foundation has changed its name, and the removal of “founder Abbé Pierre” from the Emmaüs logo is under consideration. When such a crisis occurs, the entire organization is shaken. Can the Emmaüs association regain the trust of its volunteers and employees, those who dedicate their time and energy to this cause? And how can it accomplish this?
Threat to Identity Construction
“We are all shocked… This is really not the image we want to project,” confides one employee of the association in a television report. For both employees and volunteers, the crisis symbolizes not only an attack on their employer but also on their self-image, which they have cultivated while working for an organization they previously believed to be virtuous.
Research indicates that employees with a strong identification with their organization are the ones who suffer the most during a reputation crisis. This phenomenon of identification is particularly pronounced in non-profit organizations like Emmaüs. For many employees and volunteers, Emmaüs is deeply intertwined with their identity, reflecting their values and personal commitment. “I joined Emmaüs because I believed in Abbé Pierre’s mission,” stated a volunteer. However, during a crisis, this intense identification can act as a double-edged sword. Employees and volunteers who are strongly identified are more emotionally vulnerable when faced with a crisis, as they view the attack on the organization as a personal affront.
From Shame to Loss of Confidence
Emotions that arise after a reputation crisis are often intense and complex: anger, betrayal, disillusionment… In the case of Emmaüs, these feelings are undoubtedly heightened, given the charismatic nature of Abbé Pierre. For many, he was the embodiment of the fight against poverty, a man of integrity and selflessness. Moreover, the strong identification of employees and volunteers with Emmaüs may lead to feelings of shame or even guilt, as they question how they could have been associated with an organization whose founder has been accused of such actions.
Being part of an organization perceived negatively by the public can lead to significant discomfort and a substantial decline in self-esteem. Research has shown that this injury to identity exacerbates loss of worker confidence, as one volunteer attests: “Today, I no longer know if I can trust the leaders.”
Strategies to Restore Trust
In the face of such a crisis, one of the primary objectives for Emmaüs leaders must be to restore the confidence of employees and volunteers. Three mitigation strategies can be implemented to rebuild trust after media scandals: attribution, relationship, and reparation.
The attribution strategy involves minimizing the responsibility of the organization in the crisis. This could be reflected in public statements by Emmaus leaders affirming that Abbé Pierre’s alleged actions concern him personally and do not reflect the current values of the organization. This strategy is evident in the leaders’ decisions to remove any representation of Abbé Pierre from the association’s physical and symbolic spaces.
The relational strategy involves acknowledging faults, demonstrating compassion for those affected, and repairing social bonds. The organization could facilitate discussions with employees and volunteers to gather their feelings while implementing measures to provide emotional support. It can also highlight the achievements and good deeds of the association. By taking strong symbolic steps, such as honoring the victims of abuse and involving volunteers and employees in discussions about organizational restructuring, Emmaus could gradually restore trust.
The repair strategy consists of concrete and sustainable actions, such as adopting new internal procedures, establishing external monitoring or control systems, and reviewing governance processes to prevent future abuses. For instance, Emmaüs may need to implement regular and independent audits of its communities, train managers in ethics and the prevention of gender-based or sexual violence (GBSV), and create an anonymous reporting hotline. This approach would build trust by ensuring that the organizational flaws that allowed the crisis are systematically addressed.
Urgency to Act
In a crisis like the one Emmaüs is experiencing, it is crucial that the association’s leaders act swiftly with employees and volunteers. Regardless of the mitigation strategy employed, it positively impacts employees and volunteers who were closely identified with the organization prior to the crisis. This is due to the identity injury caused by the crisis and the intensity of the emotions involved. To restore their previous state, employees and volunteers will rely on the resources provided by the mitigation strategies. In other words, they may fall from a great height, but they will grasp the first outstretched hand to repair and restore their confidence in the organization – a process referred to as “identity rebound.”
France 24.
It’s important to note that these strategies are not mutually exclusive and can be combined. However, for employees and volunteers who are less identified with the association, research indicates that the most effective long-term strategies include elements of reparation, as they provide credible assurance for the future. Furthermore, recent studies conducted on the Red Cross in Austria reveal that the nature of community volunteering has evolved, particularly among younger generations.
Volunteer commitments are now more sporadic, characterized by fluctuating and episodic identification. To prevent depleting the pool of volunteers, Emmaus leaders should prioritize reparation strategies that involve real changes in governance, including greater transparency and subsidiarity. It is hard to believe that the actions of Abbé Pierre were unknown to the leaders of the association. In this context, dismantling statues, plaques, and symbols associated with Abbé Pierre will not suffice.
Emmaüs Crisis: Strategies for Restoring Trust Among Employees and Volunteers
Emmaüs employees and volunteers are at the heart of the turmoil following the revelations about the behavior of their founder, Abbé Pierre. For these often very committed people, the shock is particularly significant. The association will have to mobilize significant resources to support and help them. What are the possible strategies? Which is the most effective?
The Emmaus movement, synonymous since 1949 with solidarity and mutual aid for the most deprived, is today going through one of the greatest crises in its history. The revelations of sexual abuse and abuse of power involving its founder, Abbé Pierre, have shattered the image of this institution dear to the French. This scandal created a shock wave not only in public opinion, but also among Emmaüs employees and volunteers.
For them, Abbé Pierre was not only an emblematic figure; it represented the social and moral mission of the organization. In this deep crisis, the Abbé Pierre Foundation has changed its name and the removal of the words “founder Abbé Pierre” from the Emmaüs logo is being considered. When such a crisis erupts, the entire organization falters. Can the Emmaüs association restore the confidence of volunteers and employees, that is to say those who give their time and energy to bring this cause to life? And how can she achieve this?
Threat to Identity Construction
“We are all shocked… This is really not the image we want to project,” confides one employee of the association in a television report. For employees and volunteers alike, the crisis represents not only an attack on their employer, but also on the image of themselves, which they have built while working for an organization that until now they considered to be virtuous.
Studies show that employees who are strongly identified with their organization are those who suffer the most during a reputation crisis. However, this phenomenon of identification is particularly present in non-profit associations like Emmaüs. For many employees and volunteers, Emmaüs is an integral part of their identity by reflecting their values and personal commitment. “I joined Emmaüs because I believed in Abbé Pierre’s mission,” told us a volunteer. However, during a crisis, this strong identification becomes a double-edged sword. Strongly identified employees and volunteers are more emotionally vulnerable in the face of a crisis, because they perceive the attack on the organization as an attack on their personal identity.
From Shame to Loss of Confidence
The emotions that emerge after a reputation crisis are often intense and complex: anger, betrayal, disillusionment… In the case of Emmaüs, these emotions are undoubtedly exacerbated, given the charismatic figure that Abbé Pierre represents. For many, he was the symbol of the fight against poverty, a man of integrity and selflessness. Furthermore, the strong identification of employees and volunteers with Emmaüs can lead them to feel a form of shame, or even guilt, wondering how they could have been linked to an organization whose founder has been accused of such actions.
Working for an organization that is perceived negatively in public opinion can lead to deep discomfort associated with a significant drop in self-esteem. Research has shown that this identity injury reinforces loss of worker confidence as one volunteer testifies: “Today, I no longer know if I can trust the leaders.”
Strategies to Restore Trust
Faced with such a crisis, one of the priorities of Emmaus leaders must be to restore the confidence of employees and volunteers. Three mitigation strategies for employees can be implemented to restore trust after media scandals: attribution, relationship, and reparation.
Attribution Strategy
The attribution strategy consists of reducing the responsibility of the organization in the crisis. This can be reflected in the public declarations of Emmaus leaders, affirming that the acts accused of Abbé Pierre concern the person, and do not reflect the current values of the organization. This strategy is evident in the leaders’ choices to erase any representation of Abbé Pierre from the physical and symbolic places of the association.
Relational Strategy
The relational strategy involves acknowledging fault, showing compassion for those affected, and repairing the social bond. The association can organize moments of discussion with employees and volunteers to collect their feelings, while taking measures to support them emotionally. It can also commemorate what the association has succeeded in and done good. By taking strong symbolic measures, such as honoring victims of abuse and involving volunteers and employees in discussion groups on the reorganization of the organization, Emmaus could gradually rebuild trust.
Repair Strategy
The repair strategy consists of concrete and sustainable actions, such as the adoption of new internal procedures, the establishment of external monitoring or control systems, and the review of governance processes in a objective of preventing abuse. For example, Emmaüs would need to establish regular and independent audits of its communities, train managers in ethics and the prevention of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), and create an anonymous reporting line. This approach would build trust by ensuring that the organizational flaws that enabled the crisis are systemically addressed.
Urgency to Act
In a crisis like the one Emmaüs is going through, it is essential that the association’s leaders act quickly with employees and volunteers. Indeed, whatever the mitigation strategy adopted, it has a positive effect on employees and volunteers who were very identified prior to the crisis. This is explained by the identity injury caused by the crisis, and by the violence of the emotions felt. To restore the previous state, employees and volunteers will rely on the resources provided by the mitigation strategies, whatever they may be. In other words, they will fall from a great height, but will grasp the first outstretched hand to repair and restore their confidence in the association – what we call the “identity rebound.”
Note that these strategies are not exclusive and can be combined. However, for employees and volunteers less identified with the association, research shows that the most effective long-term strategies are those that include elements of reparation, because they offer credible assurance for the future. Furthermore, recent research carried out on the Red Cross in Austria shows that the nature of community volunteering has changed, particularly among younger generations.
Volunteer commitments are today more sporadic, and characterized by a more fluctuating and episodic identification. To avoid drying up the pool of volunteers, Emmaus leaders therefore have every interest in favoring repair strategies that involve real changes in governance, including greater transparency and subsidiarity. It is difficult to believe that the actions of Abbé Pierre were not known to the leaders of the association. In this context, lateralizing by debunking the statues, plaques, and symbols linked to Abbé Pierre will not be enough.
