OREANDA-NEWS. GDF SUEZ Rassembleurs d'Energies continues its commitment to fight against energy poverty with its investment in “Les Toits de l'Espoir,” a cooperative enterprise (Scop) that renovates and improves the energy efficiency of social housing for very low-income renters. This is the third social enterprise investment in France by GDF SUEZ Rassembleurs d'Energies, thanks to which it is strengthening its coverage of the country. A first investment was made in 2012, in Fonciere Chenelet. That enterprise has historically been active in the Pas-de-Calais region where it builds high energy performance social housing. In December 2013, a second investment was concluded with the property company “Habitat et Humanisme,” which is a major player in the Rhone-Alpes region involved in energy renovation of very low-income social housing.

At the January 30 signing of the agreement between GDF SUEZ and “les Toits de l'Espoir” at Dunkirk, Gerard Mestrallet, Chairman and CEO of GDF SUEZ, stated: “This investment by GDF SUEZ Rassembleurs d'Energies marks a new step in the Group's involvement in France with the most dynamic actors in the very low-income social housing sector. It further illustrates the Group's policy of combating energy poverty both in France and throughout the world.”

In addition to the GDF SUEZ Rassembleurs d'Energies financial investment, the GDF SUEZ Regional Office in Nord-Pas-de-Calais will provide technical expertise to support “les Toits de l'Espoir” in its program rollout.

The Group's support for “les Toits de l'Espoir” brings to five the number of investments undertaken by GDF SUEZ Rassembleurs d'Energies worldwide since its launch in 2011. It meets the employees' desire to give a solidarity meaning to their savings, that can be invested through an employer-sponsored mutual funds in social enterprises engaged in providing access to energy.