Business

Actively Engaged in Shaping the Community

E.ON is seeking to make tangible contributions to the prosperity and development of the regions in which they operate

August 31st, 2018
Olimpia Buhai, News from Berlin
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E.ON is an eminent international energy supplier based in Essen, Germany, consisting of around 43,000 employees in 11 countries. Current global trends, such as sustainability, climate protection, digitalization and technological innovation are altering the energy landscape, as well as E.ON’s response to it.

E.ON acknowledges these emerging trends, and seeks to offer adequate responses to present-day challenges, by transforming yesterday’s power lines into tomorrow’s energy networks, while also proposing innovative customer solutions and aiming at the growth of renewable energies.

In accordance to current trends, E.ON conducts their sustainability activities focused on environmental, social, and governance issues. As a company that considers itself an integrated part of society, which assumes social and economic responsibility, E.ON is seeking to make tangible contributions to the prosperity and development of the regions in which they operate, with a focus on the needs specific to various regions in which they operate.

2017 was a prolific year for projects intended to actively shape the communities in several countries in which E.ON operates. Hereinafter can be found a selection of some of these activities.

In Germany, a key-project meant to raise awareness about energy was titled “Making energy saving fun for kids”.  In this framework, Schleswig-Holstein Netz, an E.ON distribution grid operator in northern Germany, launched and conducted a special learning module in elementary schools in the territory in which it operates. As a result, ten elementary schools received a visit from an environmental-awareness clown, who was actually an energy expert and pedagogue. By using costumes, interactive games and simple framing of the environmental challenges, the project made it easier to show pupils aged eight to ten that energy saving is something that can be done quite easily.

In Romania, the “Let there be light” initiative was envisaged like this: we “like” our friends’ posts to show our support and affection for them. Since 2015, E.ON Romania’s “Give the Gift Of Light” campaign has made “liking” an opportunity to help people in need as well as important community institutions. For every visitor to the campaign’s website who clicks the heart button or shares a story we donate energy to retirement homes, schools for children with special needs, and other institutions as well as low-income families. So far, 26 institutions and 800 families have received a total of 460,000 kWh of free energy from E.ON Romania.
In Turkey, one of the generating facilities operated by Enerjisa, a E.ON joint venture, is located in Tufanbeyli, a rural and economically weak region. To promote community development – and especially to enhance the social status of women – Enerjisa provided craft training to 16 women from nearby villages. Between March and August 2017, the women sewed 450 colourful cloth dolls. With Enerjisa’s help, two of them sold the dolls on a plaza in Istanbul. The project, which enabled the women to learn new skills and earn extra income, is just one of the ways Enerjisa is making the communities near its facilities better places to live.

Continuing its long history of supporting healthy activities, in 2017 E.ON Italia sponsored again the E.ON Energy Run, a series of 10K races through the streets and piazzas of the larger cities in northern Italy where it has branch offices (Venice, Monza, Milan, Bergamo, Lodi, Padua, and Verbania). The purpose was to engage its customers, employees and the general public in an energetic, healthy, and fun activity in their region and thereby raise brand awareness. Altogether, 28,000 runners of all ages took part, including more than 50 employees. E.ON´s employees have been actively involved in non-profit projects in all countries in which we operate since 2009. The extent varies from country to country, however. Last year, 1,651 E.ON employees group-wide performed 10,910 hours of volunteer work. In total, the Group thus provided an equivalent of €272,750 of work.

Energise Anything! is a UK initiative meant to inspire young people aged 5 to 18 in STEM - Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths, get free resources for home and school and discover science in unexpected ways and places and watch E.ON´sscience animations, then download free activities for the home or classroom. All was done via animations and activities, talks and interactive workshops.

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News from Berlin