Our Responsibility to the Community

E.ON operates in around 30 countries worldwide. We see ourselves as part of society and, as a good corporate citizen, we would like to make a contribution by helping find solutions to social problems. In our projects we pick up on the needs in our regions and find the best solutions in open dialog with all concerned. Financial contributions are only one way E.ON gets involved. As a leading energy provider, we have the unique chance to contribute to social projects and initiatives by lending our expertise specifically on energy and the environment and in business more generally.

"Businesses cannot succeed in societies that fail"
(World Business Council of Sustainable Development – WBCSD)

Our commitment to the community is therefore integrated into our business strategy. As part of the further development of our Corporate Responsibility (CR) strategy we have realigned our activities in the area of Community Involvement (CI). We have adopted a groupwide CI strategy, and this is particularly relevant as E.ON is expanding its operations to more and more countries. Our strategy incorporates three essential fields of activity:

• Organizing: Responsibilities, guidelines and activities have been established. This ensures that key principles such as financial support – "Corporate Giving" – are implemented throughout the group. Particularly relevant as E.ON begins operations in more and more countries.
• Integrating: To ensure our CI programs are attuned to varied and specific social challenges which E.ON faces as an electricity and gas company – starting with the construction of new power plants to the safe transportation and use of energy to questions around corporate social responsibility.
• CI profile: We want to further enhance our CR profile by developing lead projects such as Energy for Children. A community working group made up of employees from different divisions ensures our CI strategy is implemented in all existing and new market units.

 

Our Energy for Children program developed from strategic changes to our regional involvement policy in 2007 and places a clear emphasis on promoting energy and environmental education. Improved education is the key to responsible and sustainable use of our natural resources. A study commissioned by E.ON UK delivered alarming results: children aged between seven and 16 revealed that they were ten times more afraid of climate change than violent crime. However, six out of ten children were fully unaware of the term of "green energy". Energy for Children is designed to help address this weakness and help build a basic understanding of energy and environmental issues at an early stage. This is why E.ON has set up an international CR program, involving all market units.

Aside from education, E.ON is also involved in a host of other activities: our regional development projects promote economic development at our locations by investing substantial sums of money and providing jobs. By promoting social activities such as art and culture, support of science or regional sports, we also help contribute to the quality of life at our locations. Finally, employee volunteering is a particularly important part of a vibrant CR culture. We support and encourage our employees to gain experience in a variety of local social projects, which also comes in useful professionally.