Renault lends free cars during job probation — pay only if hired; Cars to Work wins Cannes

In France, leaving the cities means public transport almost disappears, and a car is often the difference between having a job and not: Renault Group says more than half of job seekers in financial fragility have refused a job because they had no way to get there. And even when someone did get an offer, banks would not finance a car before the probation period ended — so the car, the job and the loan each blocked the other two.

In March 2024 Renault Group launched 'Cars to Work' through its CareMakers inclusive-mobility program, with Publicis Conseil as the creative agency. New Dacia Sanderos and certified used cars from the renew brand were made available through nearly 50 dealerships and a network of social prescribers — including France Travail and microcredit partners like Adie — to people with a mobility need and income up to €14,000 reference tax income. They drove for free during the three-month trial and started paying only from month four, once the job was secured: a first in France.

The campaign was built as a human story rather than a discount: a film by Division Paris showed a woman learning on her voicemail that she was hired, and driving to work in a Renault. Cannes Lions 2024 awarded it the Sustainable Development Goals Grand Prix and the Creative Commerce Grand Prix, plus Golds in Creative Business Transformation and Direct. French trade press reported the campaign reached 8.8 million people, and 94% of CareMakers beneficiaries say their vehicle helped them find or keep a job.