Korian becomes a European company and asks for clearer rules for nursing homes

A turn for Korian. The shareholders of the Ehpad group approved on Wednesday its transformation from a public limited company to a European company, in a tormented context for the retirement home sector.

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This new legal framework will allow Korian to simplify its activities in several countries of the European Union, “consistent with» with the economic reality of the group, indicated the chairman of the board of directors Jean-Pierre Duprieu, during the general meeting of the company. Particularly in terms of healthcare policies and human resources policies at European level.

While the retirement home sector in France has been in the crosshairs of the authorities since the publication in January of the investigative book The Gravediggers of Victor Castanet, the general manager of Korian, Sophie Boissard, declared Wednesday in favor of a clear exercise framework concerning the standards and the public endowments given to the managers of Ehpad in France.

Soon a “mission-driven company»?

Several establishments in its group are currently targeted by 30 complaints, for acts of “endangering the life of others“, of “no assistance to the person in danger” and D'”manslaughter“. They follow the scandal around the Ehpad d’Orpea revealed by the book by journalist Victor Castanet, which led to the opening of an investigation into suspicions of institutional mistreatment and financial offences. Nearly 80 complaints were also filed by families of residents.

Read alsoRetirement homes: 30 complaints filed against Korian

At its general meeting on Wednesday, Korian also reaffirmed its intention to propose next year to its shareholders to become a “mission-based company”. A French legal framework stemming from the 2019 Pacte law, which requires companies to align their social and environmental objectives with their business model.