Diversum is an association founded in France in 2006 that has always had a focus on questioning the links between the economy and culture under globalization.
The original message developed and broadcast by the association consists of depicting culture, not as a sector isolated from the rest, but rather as an environment, a sub-stratum feeding all human activity, particularly economic activity. In return, all those human activities have an impact on the cultural environment. This is what Diversum refers to as the “cultural footprint”.

This cross-cutting approach makes culture into a new field of responsibilities and opportunities through globalization.

Objective and applications

Acting independently but in consultation with many partners (UNESCO, OECD, La Francophonie and more), Diversum works to develop the purple economy on a global scale.
Its approach relies on the organization of multi-actor think tanks and high-impact events in different domains, in France and abroad.
Diversum was also behind the initiative of creating the first ratings agency dedicated to measuring organizations’ cultural footprints. Since 2007, more than 1,200 companies and local authorities have been assessed. These methodologies have already led to the attribution of the “diversum finance” label to nearly €4 billion worth of savings instruments with a positive cultural footprint.