SNSM and TotalEnergies’ French Corporate Foundation Renew Collaboration

French search and rescue organization SNSM (Société Nationale de Sauvetage en Mer) and TotalEnergies’ French corporate foundation have signed a new €9 million philanthropy agreement for a period of five years. This strong, fruitful collaboration, begun 13 years ago, has significantly contributed to the safety of volunteer sea rescuers and, indirectly, to that of sea users.

With this agreement, TotalEnergies’ French corporate foundation and SNSM will extend their commitment to the safety of responders, while bringing fresh momentum to marine conservation efforts, particularly through joint awareness initiatives.

For Emmanuel de Oliveira, President of SNSM, “This partnership highlights and acknowledges the renewed trust between TotalEnergies and SNSM, both of which are committed to improving safety. As a longstanding partner and SNSM’s main patron, TotalEnergies’ corporate foundation helps train and equip our people so they can carry out their rescue missions under optimum safety conditions.”

For Manoelle Lepoutre, Managing Director of TotalEnergies’ French corporate foundation, “We are proud to support SNSM, a key organization in French coastal operations, and its 8,500 volunteers, who each year save many lives. Helping train and enhance the safety of sea rescuers and users is in line with the TotalEnergies company’s safety value. Over the next five years, we will also wholeheartedly support its new push to preserve coastal areas and the marine environment. Under this partnership, the TotalEnergies Foundation global program of citizenship initiatives reaffirms its commitment to young people and to the Group’s host communities and regions in the priority areas of Safety and Climate, Coastal Areas & Oceans.”

A Thirteen-Year Partnership Devoted to Rescue at Sea  

Over the past 13 years, TotalEnergies has donated €25 million to SNSM for training and equipment. In particular, it has helped finance:

• The creation of the National Training Center in Saint-Nazaire, France.
• The purchase of a navigation and rescue mission simulator.
• The refurbishment of one of the center’s training speedboats.
• 4,500 pieces of individual gear for SNSM responders.
• 2,000 latest-generation sea outfits and 1,800 safety boots.
• The development of 3,800 personal emergency beacons for volunteers by year-end 2021.
• Semi-automatic defibrillators for coastal and offshore rescue missions.

2021- 2025: A Patronage Focused on Three Main Areas

Over the next five years, TotalEnergies’ French corporate foundation will concentrate on three areas of collaboration:

• Continued support for training.
• The provision of personal/collective protective equipment for responders, including new-generation dry suits.
• A program for young people to raise awareness on protecting marine and coastal ecosystems, including partnerships with schools, visits to rescue stations with discussion of environmental issues and rubbish collection initiatives. 

About SNSM
SNSM is a nonprofit organization that was designated a public charity and major national cause by the French government in 2017. Its mission is to undertake sea rescue operations and monitor beaches. It is comprised of 8,506 volunteers based at 214 rescue stations throughout France (mainland and overseas) and 32 training and intervention centers. Eighty percent of its funds come from private sources, chiefly individual and corporate donors. In 2019, SNSM assisted nearly 37,000 people. Of these, 10,900 were rescued, 24,800 received care and 1,200 were lost children.

About TotalEnergies Foundation
TotalEnergies Foundation covers the citizenship initiatives conducted every day worldwide by TotalEnergies, its affiliates and its corporate foundation. Through this program, TotalEnergies aims to contribute to the development of its host communities and regions, with a special focus on young people. TotalEnergies Foundation works alongside partners in four priority areas: Youth Inclusion & Education; Road Safety; Climate, Coastal Areas & Oceans; and Cultural Dialogue & Heritage. All employees also have the opportunity to devote up to three days of their working time each year to public-interest projects. TotalEnergies Foundation is part of the Group’s community engagement and supports its ambition to become the responsible energy major.