établissements

Établissements is the plural of établissement, a French noun that designates a place or organization where activities are carried out. The term covers a broad spectrum of entities, including private companies and their production sites, public administrations, schools, hospitals, prisons, museums, and other facilities.

In economic and statistical contexts, an établissement is often a distinct unit within a corporate group or organization. Each establishment typically has its own SIRET number, which identifies the location, while the legal entity is identified by a SIREN number. The relationship between a company and its establishments reflects the structure and distribution of activity across different sites.

In administrative law, établissement public refers to public institutions performing administrative, industrial, or commercial functions. These can be categorized as établissement public administratif (EPA) or établissement public industriel et commercial (EPIC), among others. The term also appears in everyday usage to denote specific facilities such as an educational établissement (school or university), a health-care établissement (hospital or clinic), or a detention établissement (prison).

Etymology-wise, établissement derives from the verb établir, which comes from Old French establir and ultimately from Latin stabilire, meaning to set up or found, indicating the sense of creating or placing something in a fixed position.

Overall, the concept of établissement is central to discussions of organizations and facilities in France, spanning private enterprises, public bodies, and various kinds of institutions. It highlights the distinction between a corporate entity and its individual places of operation.