Institutional website for the Sofiprotéol investment fund

Overview

Sofiprotéol, a subsidiary of the Avril Group, is an investment and strategic development fund focused on the agricultural and agri-food sectors. Established to provide long-term support for these industries, the company assists over 80 businesses annually, investing €80 to €100 million in projects with significant economic, environmental, and social impact.

The primary objective of this redesign is to modernize Sofiprotéol’s institutional website to better reflect its mission, purpose (“Serving the Earth”), and unique position as a responsible investor. The goal is to transform an existing site, previously perceived as “cold and static,” into an engaging, intuitive, and accessible platform that highlights the company’s operations, expertise, and CSR commitments.

Problem

How can we design a modern, accessible, and eco-friendly website that highlights Sofiprotéol’s role as a committed investor while meeting the expectations of agricultural and agri-food businesses, investors, institutional partners, and the general public?

Design process

The project followed an iterative methodology based on UX design principles and agile development, ensuring a user-centered and flexible approach.

• User Analysis: Surveys and interviews to understand the expectations of different target audiences.
• Definition & Ideation Workshops
• Eco-design: Strategy definition, functionality optimization, image/video efficiency, and impact measurement per page.
• Accessibility: Implementation of RGAA guidelines, regular audits, and an official accessibility statement to ensure an inclusive experience.
• Atomic Design System: Creation of a modular component library to ensure graphic consistency and facilitate future updates.

Solution

The website’s visual identity embodies the company’s core values: innovation, commitment, and close ties with agricultural sectors. Bright colors, modern typography, and engaging visuals reinforce Sofiprotéol’s positioning as a key player in agricultural and food transitions.

The website is built on a custom design system designed to ensure visual and functional consistency across all pages and components. Using an atomic design approach, each element—whether a button, a heading, or a complex module—is designed as a reusable and easily adaptable building block.

The website has been enhanced with features tailored to meet the expectations of key target audiences:

• Showcasing Investments: An interactive map allows users to visualize funded projects across the territory, providing a clear overview of Sofiprotéol’s local impact.
• Highlighting Expertise: Economic studies and innovation projects are easily accessible, reinforcing the fund’s credibility.
• Optimized Forms: Contact processes—for investment inquiries, press requests, or general information—are simplified and protected against spam.
• Simplicity & Performance: Pages load quickly, and visuals are carefully optimized to reduce weight and environmental impact.
• User Testing Results: Prototypes were tested by researchers and traditional music enthusiasts, all of whom were satisfied with the overall experience. They appreciated the interface and expressed a strong interest in using the platform once launched.

Insights

This project presented numerous UX/UI design challenges, requiring in-depth reflection to balance multiple constraints while delivering a high-performing product aligned with the client’s expectations.

On one hand, we needed to strike a balance between a visually engaging and dynamic interface and strict accessibility compliance (RGAA 4.1) to ensure a seamless experience for all users, including those with disabilities. On the other hand, eco-design principles guided technical choices to minimize the site’s environmental footprint, focusing on media optimization, animation reduction, and streamlined functionalities.

At the same time, we had to consider technical constraints dictated by the technologies used and the specific requirements of the development team. Despite these challenges, we successfully designed a strong and distinctive visual identity that aligns with Sofiprotéol’s mission and values. This effort was supported by the creation of a structured and scalable design system, ensuring both visual and functional consistency across the website. This modular system also provides flexibility, making future updates and adaptations easier.

Lastly, aligning every decision with the client’s vision and preferences was crucial to delivering a website that truly reflects their expectations and brand identity.

Despite these challenges, we successfully delivered a solution that met all requirements within tight deadlines. This project showcases our ability to combine precision, innovation, and creativity to provide an optimal and sustainable user experience.