EDF_REGISTRATION_DOCUMENT_2017

3.

ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIETAL INFORMATION − HUMAN RESOURCES Act positively within communities and strengthen dialogue

In Italy, Edison offers a “social bonus” (2) social electricity tariff. Edison has also implemented an energy bill monitoring mechanism to anticipate significant increases (based on a change over 20%) and offer payment arrangements to support customers with difficulties.

Through its participation in public mechanisms, EDF has renewed its commitment to the Habiter Mieux (Better Living) programme, implemented by the State and piloted by the French Agency for Home Improvement, until end 2018. At the end of September 2016, the programme had enabled the renovation of 190,000 homes occupied by owners in energy poverty. EDF also renewed its partnership with the Abbé Pierre Foundation in 2017. Support for vulnerable customers is a priority focus of the actions carried out at the Group’s own initiative to fight against energy poverty. EDF calls on 5,000 employees (customer advisors and solidarity advisors) to provide customers experiencing difficulties with suitable, flexible solutions, whether or not they are taken care of by social services. Solidarity advisors work directly with social workers to best support the most fragile customers. The services implemented include the Energy Support service, which offers payment assistance solutions and customised support (proposal of suitable payment methods, energy savings advice); the digital solution, “e.quilibre” enables customers to better understand their electricity consumption as translated into euros, and offers advice on energy savings. EDF pursues its partnership approach to act proactively with vulnerable customers; this is the case with the UNCCAS (National Union of Municipal Centres for Social Action) which also exists art departmental and communal level, and aims to strengthen the relationship with social workers; and again with the National Union of PIMMS (public service mediation centres) (1) and the National Agency for Housing Information (ANIL). EDF also continues its collaboration with charities such as the Secours Populaire, Secours Catholique and the French Red Cross. In terms of research and development, for the last ten years, EDF has carried out a research project dedicated to the fight against energy poverty (“Energy Poverty: Understand in order to Act”) costing over €1 million per year. Some social innovations have come from the community workshop in the Empalot district in Toulouse, a space where energy management workshops are organised in the heart of a “City Policy” district. As part of its research, EDF is also working on the digital divide, at a time when an increasing number of prevention and support solutions are using digital means. EDF is implementing many other initiatives in France such as MDE and LED kits, or the implementation of the SLIME programmes (local intervention services for energy management) in Reunion by EDF Island Energy Systems, aimed at detecting and assisting customers in situations of energy poverty, and coordinated by the French energy transition network (CLER). In the UK, the public authorities have installed a new Energy Poverty Committee. EDF Energy continues to improve its digital support solutions by making them accessible and easy to use. For example, “Energy Priority services” proposes a wide range of solutions for assisting vulnerable customers. This digital platform, designed and set up with the opinion of customer panels, also makes it possible to better identify customers; it reinforces the options offered to customers to declare their difficulties, and facilitates the development and implementation of appropriate offers (payment assistance, price adjustments, energy efficiency advice, etc.). EDF Energy continues its different partnerships and in 2017 it launched a partnership with the “MacMillan Cancer Charity”, an organisation of which 80% of its beneficiaries require advice in budget management and the payment of bills. EDF Energy has completed the training in the understanding of the energy poverty issue for all its customer points of contact. In Belgium, the public authorities have, for a long time now, set up systems to protect and help vulnerable customers. For example, in Flanders, the government has launched a new plan to fight against energy poverty primarily focused on energy efficiency. EDF Luminus is involved in the implementation of these public systems. Moreover, EDF Luminus actively participates in the “Energy poverty” platform launched by the King Baudoin Foundation. EDF Luminus makes it a point to warn its customers when their consumption is much higher than their usual consumption, and grants personalised payment plans.

3.5.5

CONTRIBUTION TO ACCESS TO

ENERGY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

The materiality matrix identifies access to energy as one of its material issues (issue no. 31 Access to energy in developing countries). This refers to the offer of technical and economical solutions (innovative partnerships and business models) that improve access to electricity in developing countries. Over a billion people worldwide do not have access to electricity. Access to electricity is a vector for progress and development, for example in terms of health, education and security. This key subject has been clearly reaffirmed in the United Nations sustainable development objectives. At the same time, technological advances, the cost of equipment and local economic models open up new possibilities for action and mass implementation. For this reason and to pursue its action in this area, EDF has decided to develop new business models combining its traditional know-how with technological and financial innovations. At the end of 2016, EDF and Off Grid Electric, a leading company in the distribution of solar energy in Africa, signed the first large scale operational partnership between a global energy provider and a leading off-grid solar electricity company. The joint venture in Côte d’Ivoire, ZECI, aims at gaining at a 20% market share by 2020, with plans to rapidly extend the partnership to other countries in the region. As part of this ZECI joint venture, EDF and Off Grid Electric will install and maintain solar power kits for rural and peri-urban households. At the end of 2017, ZECI had already installed 10,000 solar power kits in Côte d’Ivoire, providing some 50,000 people with electricity. EDF thus consolidates its commitment to access to electricity in Africa, in the continuation of actions already carried out by its decentralised service subsidiaries. 3.5.6 EDF group’s low-carbon generation mode acts positively on air quality, and the electricity generated offers consumers a comfort that contributes to the major public health challenges (cold chain, lighting, interior air, interior circulation, etc.). Electricity generation sites and electricity use by customers, however, require the implementation of certain precautionary measures. For this reason, EDF has long employed information and awareness raising mechanisms in matters of health and safety, in the areas of generation, the electrical grids and uses. Recently, EDF has intensified its research and action on consumer health and safety. The EDF group is for example, likely to generate noise pollution that could affect people living close to its facilities. This is a type of impact which EDF has shown an interest in tackling for several years now, in both its generation and construction activities, for activities on-site or in transit. EDF has a medical studies service that intervenes as experts in all the Group’s activities. EDF has drafted a health strategy within the Sustainable Development Department to better take the health issues of its business into account. The research department has the most leading edge tools and has taken part, for example, in the creation of a laboratory (4EV Lab) whose research focuses on quality of life in urban areas. The subject is steered by the operational Generation and Sales and Marketing departments. In 2017, the Health topic was explicitly included in the EDF group’s Sustainable Development Policy published on 6 March 2017. CUSTOMER HEALTH AND SAFETY

64 of the 191 reception centres and social mediation structures that EDF partners in mainland France. (1) Created by the Public Authorities in January 2009, the “Social Bonus” is a mechanism to support families experiencing difficulties by guaranteeing annual electricity expenditure (2) savings. Open according to social eligibility criteria, the bonus is valid for 12 months, and renewable.

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EDF I Reference Document 2017