Take the first step - promote this article!

Gérard Mestrallet: Being a MicroWorld partner

“This is a partnership that I’ve taken on both as a company director and as a citizen."

Fighting against poverty, stronger involvement with the community and helping the most underprivileged get access to energy are the focus of GDF SUEZ’s social responsibility and its Foundation’s actions. Within this context, GDF SUEZ has been a partner of PlaNet Finance since 2006, through its support of projects that give disadvantaged people in developing countries access to renewable energy.

The creation of MicroWorld has been a major step in the actions lead by PlaNet Finance and an innovative project: to foster , through an online microcredit platform, a link between project initiators and the public at large thanks to the Internet, to help micro-entrepreneurs throughout the world start up or develop a sustainable economic business activity and, in this way, to put the human being at the heart of corporate projects.
GDF SUEZ is proud to be the founding partner of MicroWorld. Over and above its financial support, GDF SUEZ brings MicroWorld the expertise of an international industrial group and energy leader. The Group’s intention is to raise the awareness of its 200,000 employees and rally them round this strong commitment.

“This is a partnership that I’ve taken on both as a company director and as a citizen. As a citizen, because the need to develop microcredit is my firm belief and a personal commitment. In the difficult times we are experiencing, for me it seems essential to set up solidarity processes and develop “group spirit”. For microcredit means coming back to basics. And as a company director, because for a company like ours, which is both world leader in its sector and a player with strong local roots, having public service core values, it’s a natural commitment.”

Gérard MESTRALLET