The Rennes Métropole Local Plan for Inclusion and Employment (Plan local pour l’insertion et l’emploi – PLIE) is a territorially embedded employment inclusion policy that combines national frameworks, EU funding, and local partnerships to support people facing significant barriers to employment. Its core approach centres on personalised pathways, coordinated service delivery, and strong engagement with employers, particularly through innovative mechanisms such as active job mediation. The programme has achieved strong outcomes in terms of participant support and transitions into employment or training.
The local plan for inclusion and employment (PLIE) in Rennes
Abstract
The Local Plan for Inclusion and Employment (PLIE) of Rennes Métropole is rooted in a national legislative and policy framework established by the 1998 law on combating social exclusion, which formally introduced PLIEs as local instruments to facilitate access to employment for individuals facing significant social and professional barriers. This legal foundation positions PLIEs as instruments to deliver tailored pathways into employment by coordinating a wide range of interventions, including social support, training, and job placement. Rennes Métropole has adopted this framework to address persistent labour market exclusion through a territorially embedded and partnership-based approach.
The core objectives of the PLIE revolve around individualised and integrated pathways to employment. Central to the model is reinforced, personalised support delivered by a single caseworker (référent unique), ensuring continuity from initial engagement through to sustained employment. The policy also seeks to structure coherent pathways, minimising gaps between stages (training, placement, support), and to align local insertion efforts, improving coordination across actors and programmes. In addition, the PLIE explicitly promotes experimentation and innovation in supporting vulnerable groups, while adhering to foundational principles such as proximity, partnership, non-discrimination, and user participation. More recently, Rennes Métropole has further strengthened its approach by developing an integrated model linking jobseekers and employers, positioning the PLIE as a lever for “responsible recruitment” and territorial economic development. By improving labour market inclusion, strengthening workforce participation, and reducing structural barriers to employment, the PLIE contributes to more inclusive growth while supporting the long-term economic resilience and social cohesion of the metropolitan area.
Policy title: Local Plan for Inclusion and Employment (PLIE)
Country: France
City: Rennes
EU member state: Yes
Geographic scale: City
City size: Mid-size (250 000 in the city and 771 000 residents in the Rennes FUA)
Date launched: 2022
Current status: Ongoing
Date of conclusion (if applicable): 2027 (extended from initial end date of 2025)
Policy pillar(s): Labour Markets
Target group(s): People at risk of poverty or social exclusion, Unemployed or Underemployed individuals
Funding and budget:
Total budget: 7 730 000 euros for the 2022 to 2027 period
Funding sources: Local government; EU
EU funds/programmes: European Social Fund (ESF+)
Stage 1 – Diagnose
The PLIE is grounded in a diagnosis of structural labour market exclusion. This diagnosis, featured in the PLIE, highlights socio-economic conditions such as employment dynamics and vulnerable groups, while also drawing on previous PLIE evaluations to identify areas for improvement (e.g. strengthening partnerships, improving training alignment).
Stage 2 – Prioritise
Based on this diagnosis, the PLIE prioritises individualised pathways into employment, with a strong emphasis on continuity of support and rapid progression between stages. Target groups are clearly defined (e.g. long-term unemployed, means-tested benefit recipients, young people at risk), and quantitative objectives are set (e.g. 900-1 000 annual pathways, 1 500 new participants over the programme period). The policy also prioritises linkages with employers and the development of skills aligned with local labour market needs, reflecting a dual focus on both supply (jobseekers) and demand (firms).
Stage 3 – Design and mobilise
The PLIE is designed as a multi-level, partnership-based governance system, bringing together local government, national actors, EU institutions (through ESF+ funding), and employment agencies such as France Travail. Rennes Métropole is responsible for delivery. The design integrates the co-design of interventions with partners, and the articulation of services across sectors. Digital tools and outreach strategies further support engagement with target groups.
Stage 4 – Implement
Implementation relies on intensive, personalised support combined with strong employer engagement. Participants are accompanied through tailored pathways, including training, job placement, and in-work support. A distinctive feature is the development of “proactive job placement support” (“médiation active à l’emploi”), which strengthens direct engagement with employers and facilitates early matching between participants and firms. While challenges were identified by the city (coordination across stakeholders, administrative complexity, and outreach to target groups), the programme has successfully delivered substantial results, including about 1 200 participants supported annually and more than 50% of transitions into employment or training.
Stage 5 – Monitor, learn and adapt
The PLIE benefits from a structured monitoring and evaluation system at the local level, complemented by national-level reporting processes. Evaluation is embedded throughout the programme cycle, with a commitment to assess impacts at the end of the funding period. This strong monitoring framework has enabled ongoing adaptation, including the development of an integrated model linking employment support with responsible recruitment practices.
Situate the city within its structural context: The PLIE builds on both national policy frameworks and local socio-economic diagnostics to tailor interventions to territorial labour market conditions.
Identify population groups facing the greatest barriers: Clearly defined target groups (e.g. long-term unemployed, RSA beneficiaries) enable focused and tailored support.
Local Plan for Inclusion and Employment [Le Plan local pour l’insertion et l’emploi] (Webpage): https://economie.metropole.rennes.fr/plan-local-pour-linsertion-et-lemploi/
Support for responsible recruiting [Accompagnement au recrutement responsable] (Webpage): https://www.entreprendre-rennes.fr/dispositif/accompagnement-au-recrutement-responsable/
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Photo credits: © Anne-Cécile Esteve, Rennes Ville et Métropole
© OECD 2026
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