Internal rules
CHAPTER 1 : Administration of the organisation
Article 1.1 – Vocabulary
In this document, the local, fair and ethical grocery (Epicerie Locale Solidaire et Ethique) is also named by the acronym ELSE.
Article 1.2 – Mail of the organisation
The leading members can chose to have the mail intended to the organisation sent to the home of one of the members.
In that case they have to inform all the members about it.
Article 1.3 – Membership
The membership is valid for one year.
The membership fee is fixed as detailed below:
- three euros for the members of the association Kès des élèves de l’École polytechnique,
- five euros for people working or studying on campus, but who are not members of the Kès des élèves,
- seven euros for other people,
- fifteen euros for any members wanting to support the organisation by donating a higher membership fee.
The membership fee will not be refunded when a member leave the organisation.
Article 1.4 – Beneficiaries
Only members of the organisation might shop at the grocery for more than fifteen euros.
If the organisation participate in events related to its purpose, there is no such limit of price for non-members.
Article 1.5 – Partners
Any person (natural or legal) anyhow helping the organisation are considered as partners. Partners are particularly:
- the suppliers,
- l’École polytechnique,
- the association Kès des élèves de l’École polytechnique.
Article 1.6 – Representation
Any member who cannot attend a general meeting can be represented by an other member of his choice, by signing a written proxy.
A member of the managing board can be represented by another one during meetings.A member of the managing board can represent only one other person.
A member cannot have more than two proxies for the same general meeting.
The presence of a member at a general meeting cancels any proxy he or she could have made.
Article 1.7 – Managing board
The members of the managing board are elected.
Article 1.8 – Meeting of the managing board
The president, helped by the leading members, presids at the meetings.
At least seven days before the date of the meeting, all of the members are informed about it and they are given the agenda by the secretary. For the members of the managing board this information comes with a notification to attend.
During the meeting, we go through all the issues on the agenda.
The decisions are accepted by an absolute majority of the votes of the present or represented members. In case of equality, the vote of the president is decisive.
At least half of the members of the managing board must be present for the decisions to be accepted.
The secretary writes and sends a report of the meeting to all of the members within fifteen days after the meeting.
Article 1.9 – General meeting
The president, helped by the leading members, presids at the general meetings.
Members receive the agenda and a notification to attend at least fifteen days beafore the date of the meeting.
During the general meeting, we go only through the issues on the agenda.
The decisions are accepted by an absolute majority of the votes of the present or represented members. In case of equality, the vote of the president is decisive.
At least oen third of the members of the members must be present or represented for the decisions to be accepted.
The president have to plan an other general meeting if the quorum is nt reached.
The secretary writes and sends a report of the meeting to all of the members within fifteen days after the general meeting.
Article 1.10 – Delegation of the president's powers
The president can delegate to a member a part of his/her power if he/she needs it. This can be temporary or permanent.
Article 1.11 – Premises
The École polytechnique provides a room for ELSE.
The leading members are responsible for the keys or the code to access this room.
CHAPTER 2 : Daily life of the grocery
Partie 2.1 : COMMUNICATION AND PRODUCTS
Article 2.1.1 – Website
ELSE website can be found at:
This website is both a presentation of the organisation and a convenient tool to manage the grocery.
Article 2.1.2 – Information des adhérents
The leading members should be able to answer the questions from the members about the grocery.
The members are kept informed of the life of the grocery in the following ways:
- reports of the (general) meetings are sent by email,
- news on the front page of the website,
- members can ask any moment for the reports of the meetings,
- available products and their prices can be seen on the website, ask to the leading members for further information,
- emails are sent for any important information.
Article 2.1.3 – Files
The organisation holds a file up to date with, for each member, the following informations:
- name and surname
- category of membership fees
- email address
- data to access the website of the grocery
- amount of money on the ELSE account (compte ELSE)
These informations are confidential and cannot be revealed to partners.
The leading members name the members allowed to access these information within the framework of the activities of the organisation.
According to the French law, members can access these informations and modify them by asking the person responsible for it.
Article 2.1.4 – Choice of the products
The general meeting defines the criteria on which the products sold at the grocery are chosen.
The managing board can precise these criteria with specifications.
The managing board should give its agreement before any order is made to a new supplier.
Article 2.1.5 – Criteria
The members responsible for the choice of the supliers and the products are invited to care for the words « solidarity, local, ethical » as well as the definition of the organisation.
They should be particularly concerned by:
- means of transportation (distance and pollution),
- kind of packaging (reusable or not),
- recycling,
- way of production (soil pollution and respect, water, biodiversity, pesticides and chemicals).
Partie 2.2 : FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND ORDERS
Article 2.2.1 – ELSE accounts
Each member has a ELSE acount (compte ELSE)on which they can leave some money, so that they don't have to pay every time they buy something.
When a member leave the organisation, the money left on his/her account is given back to him/her. If the balance on his/her account is negative, he/she has to pay what is due.
After he/she left, a former member has three months to ask for the money left on his/her account (but most of the time, the leading memebrs will ask him/her before). It is also possible to donate the money left to the organisation.
Article 2.2.2 – Management of the ELSE accounts
The tresurer name the members allowed to credit and debit the ELSE accounts, for example when the members come to pick their order.
Members are not allowed to have a nagative balance on their account. If they have a negative balance, they can be fined three euros by the treasurer. The fine can goes up to fifteen euros if the account has had a neagtive balance of more than fifteen euros for more than fifteen days.
Any complaint concerning the ELSE account can be made to the treasurer.
Article 2.2.3 – Payment
Members can put money on their ELSE account by cheque, Lydia or transfer. Cash is not accepted.
Article 2.2.4 – Inventory management
The managing members decide with the suppliers of the day of the deliveries and the deadline hour to order.
A stock of non-perishable goods can be made.
Article 2.2.5 – Orders
Members order on the grocery website, and come to pick their order before the end of the week. They are charged at the moment they come to pick their order.
Article 2.2.6 – Surplus
The members are responsible for their orders.
If a member doesn't come to pick his/her order, it can be sold to an other member.
Every oder should be paid: if a member does't pick its order and nobody buys it, the member who ordered it has to pay for it.
Article 2.2.7 – Opening of the grocery
The opening hours can be found in front of the grocery and on its website.
Each time, a member is responsible for the opening according to a timetable drawn by the leading members.
CHAPTER 3 : Modifications of the internal rules
Article 3.1 – Modification of the internal rules
The internal rules shall be modified during a general meeting or by decision of the managing board.
The date of application must be decided along with the modification. It cannot be applicable before the report is published.
Approved by the managing board
Wednesday, November 4th, 2009,
In Palaiseau.