THE REXEL FOUNDATION PRESS BOOK JUNE 2013 PAGE 1

Transcription

1 THE REXEL FOUNDATION PRESS BOOK JUNE 2013 PAGE 1

2 DRIVING PROGRESS FOR A BETTER ENERGY FUTURE 1 ENERGY EFFICIENCY THE FOCUS OF CHANGE Access to sustainable energy for all a three-pronged challenge We are currently facing three major challenges: the increasing scarcity of natural energy resources, rising energy prices and the escalating threat to our energy security. Today, 8 million people in France and 100 million people in Europe are in fuel poverty and over 1.3 billion people throughout the world do not have access to electricity. Two factors are exacerbating these issues: the world s rising population coupled with mass urbanization that has seen the demand for energy increase exponentially, and the continued waste of energy in our manufacturing and transport and current practices in the consumption of energy resources. Energy efficiency - an opportunity to develop solutions which will allow us to consume and manage our energy more efficiently Faced with these challenges, industry experts, businesses and leading policymakers agree that energy efficiency is a turnkey solution and are implementing targeted strategies. These challenges are being addressed on different levels: Environmental: the energy savings made from improved energy efficiency can help to preserve our natural resources and combat climate change by reducing carbon emissions. Economic: improved energy efficiency allows consumers to save money on their energy bills and the industry to drive profitability through a more competitive business model. Social: improved energy efficiency provides greater comfort and a better quality of life. It can also help fight fuel poverty by improving access to energy for the most disadvantaged populations in society. 2

3 2 REXEL - ON THE FRONT LINE As a global leader in the professional distribution of electrical products and services for the energy world, Rexel plays a pivotal role in providing energy efficiency in the built environment (across the residential, commercial and industrial sectors). Rexel provides the link between all major stakeholders in the industry, from utility companies and manufacturers to electrical contractors,, installers and the end consumer. The Group operates in 37 countries supplying sustainable products and value-added services for end users (increasing productivity for businesses, and comfort for consumers). Day-in-day-out, Rexel is working with hundreds of thousands of electrical contractors and installers across the world, ensuring energy efficiency is systematic in everything they do. Through the Energy in Motion company plan, energy efficiency is at the heart of Rexel s strategy, its product and service offering and its commitments. Through its expertise and proximity to its customers and partners, both on an international and local level, Rexel believes that: Energy progress is a value creator not just for the economy, but for society at large. Energy provides the foundation for everything we do, it powers heating, transport, communications, industry. The energy efficiency value chain is an ecosystem where no one player is master and in which the multiplier effect can make a real difference. This is why we need a global vision to meet the challenges, and a partnership approach to accelerate the energy transition. 3

4 3 THE REXEL FOUNDATION: A KEY STEP TO STRONGER COMMITMENT Backed by the courage of its convictions and the support of the Fondation de France, the launch of the Rexel Foundation for a better energy future is testament to Rexel s social and environmental commitment to the communities in which it operates. With this commitment, Rexel is setting a strategic challenge for all its stakeholders: To improve access to energy efficiency for all Three underlying reasons for creating the Rexel Foundation for a better energy future: Engagement that goes beyond Rexel s direct commercial and financial interests: Rexel is a major player in the energy world, but the extent of its involvement in finding solutions are restricted by the company s financial and commercial constraints. The Foundation offers Rexel an opportunity to become more involved in initiatives unaffected by the contractual economic obligations to its suppliers and customers. Engagement for the long term: through the Foundation, Rexel can commit to long-term projects with a sustained defined scope, unaffected by company developments. Engagement with stakeholders: the Foundation provides a platform for dialogue and engagement with all key stakeholders. 4

5 4 A CONTINUED COMMUNITY-FOCUSED COMMITMENT For a number of years, Rexel has been supporting community-focused initiatives in several countries through a community involvement charter that sets forth the Group s scope of engagement. The charter has been designed to provide a framework for all the initiatives conducted by the Group s subsidiaries that foster progress in energy efficiency (education, career training, assistance in building social housing, etc.) A few examples of Rexel s community-based projects: Rexel signed a partnership with Ashoka, the world s leading network of social entrepreneurs and in 2012 this led to the company signing an agreement in support of Next Steps, a project founded by social entrepreneur Stacey Epperson, which helps provide access to affordable, prefabricated ecoefficient homes. The long-term objective with Ashoka is to create an international pool of social entrepreneurs working on initiatives in the field of energy efficiency. Rexel s French subsidiary BizLine, which specializes in tools and consumables for electrical contractors, signed a partnership with the French NGO Electriciens sans Frontières (Electricians without Borders), which provides electricity to schools and health clinics in Peruvian villages (photovoltaic panels). BizLine recently celebrated its 10 th anniversary and participated in the Paris Marathon to raise money for Electriciens sans Frontières. The Rexel Group also donated money to the cause. In October 2012, as part of an agreement signed with the Schneider Electric Foundation, Rexel launched its first project in support of the Taiyuan school in Shanxi Province in China. The school trains underprivileged students in the energy trade and the project, which was supported by the China Environmental Protection Foundation, aims to refurbish and equip two laboratories and educate 300 students over two years. 5

6 FROM STRATEGIC PLANNING TO ACTION: THE FOUNDATION'S MISSION 1 FOUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES The Foundation follows in the footsteps of the Group's past and present commitments with four guiding principles that provide direction and frame all of its projects: Principle 1: Socially innovative Projects should drive social progress, improve quality of life and provide improved access to sustainable sources of energy for the most disadvantaged in society. Principle 2: Environmentally friendly and providing energy savings Projects should have a significant positive environmental impact and provide energy savings to end-users. Increasing access to energy efficiency for all with cost effective energy efficiency solutions. Principle 3: Collaborative and partnership driven Projects should be based on an open approach to collaboration with all stakeholders to improve understanding and raise awareness among key players in the industry as well as among the general public. Principle 4: Repeatable and scalable Projects should be both repeatable and scalable enabling the large scale adoption of energy efficiency Soutenir des projets solidaires Les projets concrets Favoriser l innovation Les bourses 6

7 2 THREE AREAS OF ENGAGEMENT The Rexel Foundation s mission is to improve access to energy efficiency for all and is based on three key pillars: Knowledge Improve understanding and raise awareness of energy efficiency THE REXEL FOUNDATION Community Projects Grants Support charitable community-based projects Encourage innovation through research and educational programs 7

8 Improve understanding and raise awareness of energy efficiency Demystify and promote energy efficiency through the publication of studies and the organization of workshops aimed at the energy community and endusers. Encourage innovation through research and educational programs Support laboratory research programs by awarding grants to young researchers. Research programs can be focused on affecting behavioral change in energy consumption, on low carbon microgeneration based on small scale renewable energy and storage solutions, or on improving the performance of energy efficient products and technology in home automation, smart controls, heating, ventilation and insulation. We will target students and researchers at the start of their career path in the regions of Europe, North America, Latin America and the Asia-Pacific where Rexel's local presence means it can oversee the programs. Support charitable community-based projects Form partnerships with NGOs, social entrepreneurs and other foundations with a priority on the countries in which Rexel operates. The Rexel Foundation for a better energy future will support sustainable actions that help to affect behavioral change, upgrade the living conditions of the most disadvantaged populations in society and provide training for entrepreneurs specializing in energy efficiency. The beneficiaries will be disadvantaged populations from the OECD countries as well as from developing countries. 8

9 THE INITIATIVES The Foundation already supports several high-impact projects and many calls for proposals will be launched in the coming months in the three areas of engagement mentioned above. Area 1: Improving understanding and raising awareness of energy efficiency Opinion study on energy efficiency solutions Conducted in April 2013 and published by the Rexel Foundation in four countries (France, Germany, the US and the UK), this global study was based on a sample of 403 electrical contractors and installers and 8,201 consumers. The study, which analyses the opinions of consumers and electrical contractors on energy efficiency, reveals that consumers are very aware of the energy efficiency challenges facing them: 94% agree that the cost of energy will continue to rise, 88% think that more people will be unable to pay their bills and fall into fuel poverty and 82% believe that irreversible damage will be made to the environment. Consumers are aware that to make savings on their energy bill, they have to change their everyday behavior: 53% believe that by making changes to their behavior they can make the greatest savings (this is the highest in France where 64% are convinced of the benefits). Looking at electrical contractors, who play a key role in the sector, the majority are demanding more adapted financing solutions and a simplified range of energy efficienct products for the sector to grow: 90% responded yes to the need for better financing solutions, 84% agreed to a simplified range of products whilst 74% think the government needs to intervene by imposing stricter regulations. All the findings are available at: Study on deploying energy efficiency programs in Latin America Rexel and Microsol ( are partnering on a study into the logistics and potential for deploying energy efficiency programs among the poorest populations in Latin America through the use of carbon credit schemes and prioritizing the Andean region: Peru, Chile, Bolivia, Ecuador and Colombia. The study s findings are expected to be published in December Area 2: Encouraging innovation through research and educational programs Partnership with the ESTP research institute (Ecole Supérieure des Travaux Publics) In partnership with the ESTP, the Rexel Foundation is providing funding for a research project looking at the concept of "Comfort" in commercial spaces. 9

10 Partnership with the University of Singapore In partnership with the University of Singapore, the Rexel Foundation will be supporting a call for proposals for students studying in the field of energy efficiency. Partnership with the HEC business schools (Haute Études Commerciales ) In partnership with the HEC, the Rexel Foundation will support a PhD thesis on the best operational and public policy strategies for adopting sustainable energy systems. Area 3: Supporting charitable community-based projects Partnership with Ashoka: social entrepreneurship in energy efficiency The Rexel Foundation has teamed up with Ashoka to award social entrepreneurship in the field of energy efficiency through the IMPACT Program. In February 2013, a call for proposals was launched to find and award the best entrepreneurs in the field of energy efficiency. The organizations selected will receive career training and personalized support to help them build a business plan to grow their project idea with a resounding impact in the future.the Rexel Foundation will support the two best initiatives ( Partnership with the Schneider Electric Foundation in Chile: career training in energy efficiency The Rexel Foundation and the Schneider Electric Foundation are joining forces to promote access to safer and cleaner energy for the people of the city of Lebu in Chile. Together they are providing professional training in electricity and automation for the city s young students from disadvantaged backgrounds, helping them towards an advanced level professional qualification. In addition, funding provided by the Rexel Foundation will help update technical equipment for the training laboratories and finance grants for new students. Partnership with the "Bail pour tous" Association The Rexel Foundation is working with the association "Bail pour tous" * to raise awareness of energy efficiency and best practice among residents of social housing in Paris, to help them understand how they can reduce their energy consumption and ultimately costs. This year-long awareness campaign will entail the design and distribution of a communication/educational kit targeting people in economically disadvantaged situations being helped to reintegrate into society. * Bail pour tous works on social initiatives providing access to housing for disadvantaged people. 10

11 GOVERNANCE Under the aegis of the Fondation de France Launched under the aegis of the Fondation de France, the Rexel Foundation benefits from a wide range of services, such as financial, legal and fiscal advice as well as expertise on societal issues. Laetitia Bertholet represents the Fondation de France for the Rexel Foundation for a better energy future. The Executive Committee's role The Executive Committee assesses the Foundation's projects and approves them. The Committee will also evaluate the projects every year based on predefined criteria. The Executive Committee members The Foundation's Executive Committee is composed of eight members,, including three independent experts. Rudy Provoost, Chairman of the Rexel Foundation and CEO and Chairman of the Rexel Management Board for the Rexel Group Pascale Giet, Vice-Chairman of the Foundation, Senior Vice President of Communications and Sustainable Development for the Rexel Group and member of the Group s Executive Committee Laurence Galand, Director of Social Development for the Rexel Group, Gonzalo Errejon, Marketing and Supplier Relationship Development Director for the Rexel Group Jérémy de Brabant, Senior Vice President of Customer Development for the Rexel Group. 11

12 Jana Revedin, Ernst Worrell and Peter Bonfield will sit on the committee as independent experts: Jana Revedin (PhD), Architect, Founder and Curator of the Global Award for Sustainable Architecture and Director of LOCUS, the fund that guarantees the scientific independence of the Global Award and federates the winners in participative urban renewal projects. Jana is also professor at the Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden Ernst Worrell (PhD), Professor of Energy, Resources & Technological Change for the Copernicus Institute at the University of Utrecht. Ernst is also co-author of a report for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 and is the author of over 300 publications. Peter Bonfield (PhD), Chief Executive of the BRE Group and Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering. Peter helped create the sustainable development strategy for the London Olympic Games (2012) General Secretary At the Foundation s Executive Committee meeting on 10 June 2013, Xavier Galliot, Director of Sustainable Development for the Rexel Group, was appointed General Secretary. MORE INFORMATION Website: Press contacts: press@rexel.com /