Originally known as Ma Place en Crèche, the company has gradually expanded its offerings to meet all the needs of parents, well beyond early childhood. Today, Les Parents Zens relies on a network of 5,000 partner nurseries across France and also develops digital tools aimed at simplifying family life.
“Sixteen years ago, corporate nurseries were mainly reserved for large CAC 40 groups. They were often located at the company's headquarters, which was neither practical for parents nor truly accessible to most employees,” explains Marine Desandre.
The idea for the company arose from a field observation. At the time, her husband, Tanguy, worked for a nursery management company and regularly met parents looking for childcare solutions. Many faced a lack of available spots or systems reserved for large companies.
Quickly, it became clear: rather than forcing families to use a nursery located near their workplace, it is better to prioritize spots close to home. “When you become a parent, every minute counts. Daily logistics are already complex enough without adding unnecessary travel,” she emphasizes.
This model has allowed the company to grow rapidly and establish the largest network of partner private nurseries in France. Since 2020, Les Parents Zens has also become the manager of its own establishments, with fourteen nurseries located in the Paris region.
The company also supports certain organizations in creating structures tailored to the needs of their employees. This is the case at ZooParc de Beauval, where a nursery open year-round welcomes the children of employees.
“We create nurseries when there is a genuine need and it makes sense for families. In some areas, hours or the absence of childcare solutions can be a real barrier to employment,” specifies Marine Desandre.
Over the years, the company has realized that parenting issues do not stop at the first three years of a child's life. It is with this in mind that they developed Zens+, a platform offering various services for parents: supplementary childcare, emergency care, psychological support, parenting coaching, homework assistance, and support for caregiver employees.
A mobile version of this solution is currently being rolled out to make these services accessible directly from a smartphone.
Among the new features is a conversational assistant based on artificial intelligence. This allows parents to ask their questions at any time and receive personalized answers on various topics, from young children's sleep to screen use among teenagers.
“Parents need answers quickly, sometimes in the evening or on weekends. We designed this tool to support them 24/7,” explains the co-founder.
Beyond families, these solutions also meet a growing expectation from companies. Issues of quality of life at work and the balance between professional and personal life now play a significant role in human resources policies.
“Companies need calm and fully engaged employees. When a childcare issue or family difficulty arises, it can quickly impact their professional daily life,” observes Marine Desandre.
According to studies conducted annually by the company, parental support policies now influence the career choices of many employees. Younger generations, in particular, are especially attentive to the provisions offered by their employer.
This comprehensive approach has recently been recognized with the B Corp label, a certification that distinguishes companies meeting high standards of social and environmental impact.
