Schneider Electric and its Foundation take action to help the Pakistani population

* Three tons of essential goods collected by employees from the Gulf zone and distributed to Pakistan
* Support for two emergency NGOs working particularly in the field of cholera prevention and treatment
* Technical college projects in specific electrical trades to help prepare for reconstruction

Rueil-Malmaison (France) - Following the worst floods Pakistan has experienced in more than a sixty years¹, Schneider Electric teams supported by the Group Foundation have mobilized themselves to come to the aid of affected populations and support relevant associations, in order to prepare for reconstruction.

In partnership with international and local Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Schneider Electric has taken action to help the population, both with emergency aid and reconstruction.

“Thanks to Schneider Electric’s employees’ efforts, but also to some customers and partners, we collected three tons of goods in a week, said Arfeen Khalid, President for Schneider Electric Pakistan. Schneider Electric sent essential goods (rice, water, blankets, drugs…) by the quickest possible means, with the active support of the Pakistani army and the Edhi NGO. The first supplies were distributed on 7 September.”

Set up by the local entity, Schneider Electric Gulf Countries, the scheme for donations quickly extended to neighbouring countries: Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Lebanon… Schneider Electric Pakistan and the Schneider Electric Foundation then rapidly identified two starting projects directed by emergency NGOs, which contribute:

* to restoring the water supply (International Solidarity);
* to health, in particular helping to set up a cholera treatment center (Aide Médicale Internationale) for an estimated population of 40,000 people in the Sukkur zone (South-East of the country).

“Following the emergency phase, Schneider Electric believes that it is crucial to share its skills in the filed of electricity, therefore actively contributing to assembling a workforce within the country to help it rebuild, explained Gilles Vermot Desroches. Senior VP Sustainable Development of Schneider Electric and General Delegate of its Foundation. Hence, Schneider Electric Foundation is currently identifying projects involving the reconstruction of technical and vocational colleges in the most affected areas, giving young Pakistanis the chance to build a future for themselves.”

In urban areas, efforts will be concentrated in the cities of Karachi and Hyderabad. Schneider Electric’s presence in these cities will not only allow us to monitor the quality of training but also to offer students wider openings within local Group entities, or with its customers or partners.
¹ The floods affecting victims in Pakistan since the start of the month of August already rank as the worst catastrophes the world has known since the Tsunami in South Asia in 2005, or more recently the earthquake in Haiti last January. In this country with more than 180 million inhabitants, nearly 20 million have been affected by this disaster, and 1,600 dead are already recorded at the end of August, not to mention the devastated infrastructure and the flooded terrain in a country where food crops are of vital importance.

Schneider Electric in Pakistan
Present in Pakistan since 2001, Schneider Electric counts about 500 people located in Lahore (headquarters), Karachi, Multan and Islamabad. According to our information, none of our colleagues or sites were affected by this disaster.
During the 2005 earthquake in the country, Schneider Electric had already brought its help via a partnership with the NGO Care for the reconstruction of a school inaugurated in 2008.

About Schneider Electric
As a global specialist in energy management with operations in more than 100 countries, Schneider Electric offers integrated solutions across multiple market segments, including leadership positions in energy and infrastructure, industrial processes, building automation, and data centres/networks, as well as a broad presence in residential applications. Focused on making energy safe, reliable, and efficient, the company’s 100,000 plus employees achieved sales of more than 15.8 billion euros in 2009, through an active commitment to help individuals and organisations “Make the most of their energy”.
www.schneider-electric.com

About Schneider Electric Foundation
From transmission of knowledge to sharing energy, the Schneider Electric Foundation is involved in undertaking sustainable development of Schneider Electric. Created in 1998 under the aegis of the Foundation de France, Foundation Schneider Electric is committed to projects that emphasize sustainable and practical training and integration of young people, primarily for energy related careers, education for sustainable development through innovative projects and support for emergency operations following natural disasters, always with a sense of personal involvement and promote sustainable use of its employees worldwide.
www.foundation.schneider-electric.com