a radius of 300 metres to 4 kilometres around the stu- dios), based in a territory traditionally oriented toward arts and crafts (cast iron, terracotta, crystal). Thus, the casting studios also support a fragile network of small businesses most of which have the EPV ( Living Heritage Company ) label and some of which have been around for over a hundred years.
The Rmn - Grand Palais has set a target for 2020 of 30% of procurement sums being awarded to SMBs. As regards the number of contracts awarded in 2020, 62 were awarded to SMBs, i.e. more than 75%.
Player in the circular economy Despite sound and stringent inventory management, the fate of unsold products is a major sustainability issue. The Rmn Grand Palais commits to controlling the end- of-life of its products : Firstly, by organizing point-of-sale discount sales open
to partner establishments and the general public. However, the sales planned in 2020 had to be put back to 2021 due to the health crisis;
Secondly, by entering into partnerships with char- ities or medical and social sector players. Thus, an agreement was signed in September 2020 with Dons Solidaires, an association that collects unsold non-food products for distribution to charities. This agreement gives formal shape to this practise initiated several years ago.
In terms of exhibitions, 320 kg of Noir & Blanc exhibi- tion materials were given to six entities through the Co- recyclage.pro provider. Nevertheless, 2020 is not repre- sentative of the Rmn - Grand Palais action in this field.
Driving innovation The DGE (Directorate General for Enterprise) recently identified innovative companies among the Rmn Grand Palais providers, i.e. companies benefiting from a research tax credit (CIR), an innovation tax credit (CII), or having the status of a young innovative business (JEI). The amount spent by the institution on innovative SMBs in 2019 was 3,611,479 or 5% of the total expenditure concerned. Among the innovative projects carried out by the estab- lishment, the Visitors and Digital Technology Department submitted a bid to the "Blueguide" call for digital pro- jects. "Blueguide is a platform for virtual visits with tour guides. This call for projects enables innovation players
to develop a "proof of concept" in partnership with a cultural player (in this case Réciproque a company that designs digital interfaces for access to culture and My Tour Live, an immersive applications solution). This new virtual tour format with a guide is a strategic develop- ment for the establishment during the health crisis. Two prototypes are being developed, at the Grand Palais and the Palace of Versailles.
Other innovative projects have been developed to cope with the closure of the museums due to the health crisis: virtual and interactive tour solutions have been offered to the public with exhibitions being filmed, a practice that will most likely become systematic in the future.
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