BOSTON — Schneider Electric, through its Foundation, under the aegis of Foundation de France, is supporting #GivingTuesday 2018. This global movement to promote giving and a commitment to helping others was celebrated for the first time in France on November 27 this year.
“The Schneider Electric Foundation – since its creation – has put the engagement of employees at the heart of its ambition. Through its NGOs partners, it works across the globe thanks to its network of 130 delegates located in the countries where the Group operates. Since 2005, the energy we have put into this program has been an integral part of the Schneider Sustainability Impact and contributes to a fairer and lower-carbon society. Our involvement in #GivingTuesday allows us to federate the energy of the people within Schneider Electric,” said Gilles Vermot Desroches, Sustainability Senior Vice-President and General Delegate of the Foundation for Schneider Electric
#GivingTuesday by Schneider Electric: Involvement in all its forms
As part of this spirit of local generosity, the Schneider Electric Foundation wants to embark a large number of countries through this initiative. In total, 40 countries in which Schneider Electric operates will contribute to #GivingTuesday 2018: South Africa & English-speaking Africa (East and West Africa), Australia, Bangladesh, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Congo, China/Hong Kong, Ivory Coast, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Spain, the United States, France, the United Kingdom, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria, Poland, the Philippines, the Czech Republic, Russia, Senegal, Serbia, Thailand, Vietnam.
Each country can develop its own actions in the areas which are most appropriate to its context.
A call for projects that will focus on associations that are important to employees
For #GivingTuesday 2018, the Schneider Electric Foundation launched a call for projects at a global level. Through VolunteerIn, each Schneider Electric employee now has one month to introduce and promote an association in which he/she is involved. At the end of this period, the various proposals will be voted for by the employees in each country. Each association with the highest number of votes locally will receive 1,000€.
In France, this initiative follows the Work-life Balance agreement signed on July 5, 2018 that enables each employee who so wishes to benefit from Schneider Electric’s offer of 20 hours per year to contribute to an association supported by the Foundation.
A high turnout for numerous initiatives within France
As part of the first #GivingTuesday in France, many activities representing the various forms of employee involvement are being held at eight major Schneider Electric sites, including Rueil-Malmaison, Angoulême, Carros, and Grenoble. This means more than 9000 employees will experience the day – 50% of the company’s workforce in the country.
For those who would like to be involved, a conference with the testimony of volunteers and partners will illustrate what involvement means and what it covers. Among renowned speakers such as Delphine Hoffmann Ambassador of #GivingTuesday in France; Corentin de Chatelperron, Adventurer and Founder of Low Tech Lab Bengal; Nils Pedersen, Chairman of la Fonda; Christel Heydemann President of Schneider Electric France, patron of #GivingTuesday in France and Gilles Vermot Desroches.
Among the actions held in France:
- A crowdfunding campaign for the project Low tech Lab on Ulule and the sale of pancakes and waffles by the company restaurant will provide an opportunity for employees to contribute financially, should they wish.
- Collections for La Cravate Solidaire and Emmaüs or even a contribution of skills to Electriciens sans Frontières have also been organised.
- For an enjoyable time together, the Foundation has also invited the band created by employees Green Vibes” to give a concert at the Hive, the Group’s headquarters. Stands in the #GivingTuesday colours have also been set up at the reception to present the Foundation and Schneider Electric’s VolunteerIn program.