GDF SUEZ raises awareness in Romania's primary schools for environmental challenges tied to energy

The "Meeting Energy" project, an educational initiative launched in 2007 with the dual mission of instructing young people and promoting greater responsibility and awareness regarding the environmental impacts associated with energy use.

The program is intended for elementary school students, since at this age they discover how to use the available energy resources responsibly and receive their initial instruction on the environment, science and pollution. This program consists of two class lessons on energy as a preparation for teaching best energy use practices. The lessons are given by Group employees in tandem with personnel from the partner NGO. During these educational sessions, a wide array of pedagogical support material is made available: instructional displays, brochures and a set of games providing a level of interactivity found to be so effective among children. The project mascot named Metano, created by a student, accompanies the class in this novel approach to building energy awareness.

The program's pilot project started up in 2007 and since then, 19,000 children have completed the sessions; the project has been conducted in 258 schools across 19 Romanian cities. In all, 55 employees with the Romanian subsidiary have participated.

Designed over the long term, the "Meeting Energy" program is extremely pleased by the show of interest and appreciation at the schools visited as well as from our employees eager to be involved

A best practice showcased by World Forum Lille in 2010 and updated in 2012 to reflect changes.