OREANDA-NEWS. May 24, 2012. Total and the company’s representative trade unions have signed an agreement to promote energy efficiency and the transition towards renewable energy among its employees. This programme is designed to provide concrete support for the personal effort of employees to improve the energy efficiency of their home and reduce their carbon emissions. It is part of the Group’s sustainable development strategy.

The launch of an offer of photovoltaic solar panels forms the first stage of this innovative campaign. It is aimed at all the employees of Total in France, over 40,000 people, who wish to equip their principal or secondary home with a photovoltaic array. The key points are:

a reduced system cost of up to 15 percent compared to market prices;

an exceptional Group discount of €1,50;

a bank loan at an attractive rate;

a sponsorship offer giving the possibility for each employee to allow their relatives and friends to benefit from the same preferential rate.

The Total photovoltaic solar offer is based on a turnkey system solution developed by its subsidiary SunPower, the pivot of the Group’s solar activities. It consists of SunPower® panels, a structure and an inverter. The SunPower’s solar solution is the most efficient in the world with its high-performance monocrystalline solar cells that are up to 50 percent more energy efficient than conventional cells. Moreover, the elegant and simple design of the SunPower solar panels meets a householder’s requirements in terms of aesthetic appeal.

“Supporting our employees with their ability to gain access to renewable energy and energy savings, and making them ambassadors to promote them in their entourage is a meaningful gesture that expresses the commitment of Total to sustainable development,” explains Francois Viaud, Senior Vice President Human Resources of Total. “Total is resolutely committed to becoming one of the world’s leading players in the field of solar energy; in France in particular, where Total plays an outstanding role as the top employer in the solar industry, with two factories manufacturing solar panels and hiring more than 400 workers.”