Translations

GDF SUEZ's "Energy Collectors" commit to helping the "Toits de l'Espoir" ("Roofs of Hope") association

7. Community involvement

Skills and technology transfer

Sector Energy / Water

Year 2014

Country France

Transmitter

Context

Over 8 million French residents are struggling today to pay for their energy needs, i.e. spending at least 10% of their income on energy bills. In 1996, the "TDE" (acronym for Roofs of Hope) was founded as part of the "Relais" family of charities, which is the branch of Emmaüs focused primarily on collecting, sorting and recycling used clothing. At the time, Relais was making efforts to assist employees in finding alternatives to their often squalid housing conditions. "TDE" helped with their social integration by offering entirely refurbished dwellings. GDF SUEZ is a shareholder in this charitable association.

Objectives

Provide access for underprivileged population segments to decent housing at a modest rent. For this purpose, the Scop cooperative renovates and upgrades the energy performance of residential properties (approx. 150 units a year). TDE also manages a portfolio of residences commissioned by private property owners.
Enhance cities' social diversity by targeting the renovation of single-family dwellings or small housing complexes located in precarious districts within central city zones.
Accompany the families housed in these improved quarters in facilitating their social integration in a sustainable manner through prevention and awareness-building actions.

APPROACH

The GDF SUEZ Energy Collectors and "Roofs of Hope" associations have developed a combined strategy to implement a 2014-15 action plan aimed at creating "Roofs of Hope" as part of urban renovation projects, particularly with respect to "rehabilitation leases". As an initial step, this collective effort has sought to identify a set of joint actions, throughout the Nord-Pas de Calais Region, that in turn will give rise to more specific programs.

GDF SUEZ and "Roofs of Hope" have established areas of collaboration in fighting to ensure uninterrupted access to domestic energy services, which involves both the energy efficiency of buildings and tenants' continued ability to cover utility charges;
Promotion of the TDE solution among local public authorities.

GDF SUEZ fully supports the founding of an additional branch of the "Roofs of Hope" association in Burgundy and will assist in developing this new branch's program. Best practice spotted by the World Forum Lille in 2014

CONTRIBUTION TO COMPANY PERFORMANCE

For GDF SUEZ:

- An original approach incorporated within the Group's Sustainable Development strategy and its commitment to building solidarity
- Feedback from operators on programs up and running and on the situation affecting the target vulnerable populations.

For "Roofs of Hope":

- A €700,000 in-house revenue, without counting the €11 million in revenue generated from rehabilitation works awarded to partner builders.

Benefits

For GDF SUEZ:

- Some 50 employees involved in the strategic working group- Contribution to the social and economic development of those target segments without access to a reliable and sustainable source of energy.