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Schneider Electric has announced the launch of its Pacific Foundation, which will provide financial and advisory support to charitable foundations in the Pacific region to address fundamental human rights issues of access to energy. Four foundations were selected as the foundation's initial recipients, sharing more than $550,000 over two years, as well as professional support from Schneider Electric employees in Australia and New Zealand. Sustainable Environmental Educator, Living & Learning; the National Anti-Poverty Organization, the Brotherhood of St. Lawrence; Engineers Without Borders Volunteer in Australia and New Zealand; The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), an independent conservation organization, will be the first four recipients of the foundation. With a focus on the digital transformation of energy management and automation, Schneider Electric will provide professional support to various organizations, from electrical and construction expertise, to pro bono services in the areas of sales and management. This practical support is made possible by Schneider Electric providing employees with 21 hours of paid volunteer leave each year. Gareth O'reilly, President of Schneider Electric Pacific, said the Schneider Electric Foundation is a global initiative that aims to make safe and reliable energy accessible to everyone, end energy fuel poverty, and build a sustainable future for our planet.
"Over the past few years, the Global Foundation has done a lot of amazing work, such as supporting short- and long-term vocational training for poor youth in Cameroon and entrepreneurship programs for women in Bahia, one of the poorest states in Brazil," he said. "The Pacific region launched the project with a focus on improving the well-being of local communities in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. Our Foundation's partners were chosen because they have shown in their own experiences that they listen to others and empower them to grow in a way that is appropriate to their local culture and needs. Eleanor Loudon, chief executive of Engineers without Borders Australia, said the partnership with the Schneider Electric Foundation will help the organisation develop clean energy solutions in the Pacific.Australia "Engineers Without Borders has always focused on clean energy, and we believe that Schneider Electric Foundation is the perfect companion in energy utilization with its vast expertise and helps us think about what it means to promote clean energy development from a technical perspective in the Transpacific Indigenous community," she said. Damien Sullivan, senior research manager at the St. Lawrence Brotherhood, said the partnership with the St. Lawrence Brotherhood and the Schneider Electric Foundation will help lift low-income and vulnerable families out of energy poverty. "We will look for opportunities to reduce the energy bills of these households through renewable energy and energy efficiency upgrades." Christian Nielsen, executive director of Live & Learn International, said the partnership will bring together Schneider Electric's technical skills in innovation and technology. "We're looking at a project in New Ireland to see how we can bring solar and business opportunities to communities where energy is hard to come to or afford." Reece Proudfoot, innovation strategist at WWF, said the partnership will help WWF work with businesses to develop sustainable solutions, particularly in clean energy and sustainable supply chains. "We look forward to working with all of us at the Schneider Electric Foundation to help sustain a sustainable future," he said. | 
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