Arkema and the French Red Cross join forces in first-aid training

On Friday 14th October 2005, Thierry Le Hénaff, Chairman and CEO of Arkema, and Jean-François Mattei, President of the French Red Cross, signed a partnership agreement for first-aid training.
With the support of delegations from the French Red Cross, Arkema has launched a programme designed to familiarise over 5,000 people with life-saving techniques within two years. The programme is open not just to every employee in the Company, but also to those people living around the 35 industrial facilities run by Arkema and its subsidiaries in France.
Already tested through pilot courses, this awareness scheme essentially covers ways of raising the alarm in the event of an accident, and protecting the victims and their physical integrity until emergency services arrive on the scene. It includes practical exercises to help cope with the most common cases, in particular cardiovascular failure, the leading cause of death in France.
This partnership falls in line with the priorities of the French Red Cross whose objective is to increase the percentage of French people with first-aid training. With a mere 7% of people in France trained in this field, the country very much lags behind most other European countries. Raising this figure to 20%, the French Red Cross’s objective, could save as many as 10,000 lives every year.
Through this partnership with the French Red Cross, Arkema reinforces its Common Ground® initiative by involving its employees and the people living near its plants in a progress initiative at the service of the community.
A global chemical player, Arkema consists of 3 coherent and balanced business segments: Vinyl Products, Industrial Chemicals, and Performance Products. Present in over 40 countries with 18,600 employees, Arkema achieves sales of 5.2 billion euros. With its 6 research centers in France, the United States and Japan, and internationally recognized brands, Arkema holds leadership positions in its principal markets.

Founded in 1864 by Henry Dunant, the French Red Cross practises a humanistic ideal: to prevent and soothe suffering. With its 50,000 volunteers and 16,000 employees, it combines excellence of commitment with a pioneering spirit to help anybody who has suffered an injury, in France or abroad, regain their autonomy. To save in an emergency and act over the long term sum up its values, which it applies through four different activities: first aid, social work, health, and training.

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Jacques Badaroux

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Arkema

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