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Air Liquide Foundation

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The Air Liquide Foundation supports research, medical or environmental projects, and professional integration programs through technical professions, especially for young people. To do this, it relies on the expertise and geographic presence of the Air Liquide Group. Through its experience, flexibility and upstream intervention, it complements public action.

67 scientific projects supported by the Foundation

405 projects of communities development supported by the Foundation

52 countries where the Foundation supports projects

The actions of the Air Liquide corporate Foundation

Research

Breathing is essential for life. Environmental pollution or respiratory diseases can negatively impact this function. Nearly 9 million people die prematurely each year worldwide as a result of air pollution1. In cities, air pollution increases the risk of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and reduces life expectancy by two years2



The Air Liquide Foundation supports fundamental research in two areas:

  • Medical research on chronic or rare respiratory diseases
  • Environmental research on air composition, especially atmospheric chemistry, because it is also important to better understand the environments we inhabit

To assess the quality and relevance of research projects, the Foundation systematically requests experts, doctors and researchers from the Air Liquide Group. Exchanges and lab visits often take place before the project is sent to the Board of directors for decision.

 

Since breathing is so vital, we must advance research

Job integration & Communities

We believe in local initiatives and efforts to promote professional integration in technical fields. Not everyone has the same opportunities when it comes to education and employment. More than 260 million children and young adults around the world don’t have access to school or are unable to finish their studies3. In France, nearly one million young people between the ages of 16 and 25 have no education, no employment or training4. Only 35% of working-age people with disabilities are employed5. In developing economies, 59 million school-aged children are prevented from receiving an education6



The Air Liquide Foundation acts within local communities. We help meet the specific needs of communities in a variety of fields (education, training, healthcare, disability and social issues). Our network of employees helps to identify these needs and to monitor the projects sponsored by local organizations.

In addition, the Foundation has begun promoting professional integration in technical fields.

We are helping unemployed individuals to develop the skills that are in demand in technical fields. The Foundation gives each beneficiary - young adults without diplomas, jobs or training, especially from disadvantaged areas, individuals with disabilities or long-term unemployed - the opportunity to take charge of their own professional destiny. 

 

Education, training and employment are local issues: this is why we must act within local communities

COVID-19: taking unprecedented action in response to the pandemic

In response to this health and social emergency, the Air Liquide Foundation implemented the COVID-19 initiative in March 2020. The Foundation has provided for an exceptional additional fund of over two million euros for the next two years. The goal is two-fold: to support scientific research into the impact of the Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus on respiratory systems, and to increase aid to our partner organizations who are active on the ground, working with the populations that have been hit the hardest by the disease and the lockdown.

The large number of requests received by the Foundation has led us to hold selection committee meetings more often so we could respond to requests as quickly as possible.

The Committee and the Board approved 10 research projects and 23 social projects.

Actions COVID-19

1. British medical journal The Lancet, 2017.

2. French national public health agency, 2016.

3. UNESCO - Global Education Monitoring Report, 2016.

4. French Ministry of Labor, Employment, and Integration, 2018.

5. Employment survey Insee 2017 (French National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies).

6. Unesco (ISU) © International Observatory on Equity and Inclusion in Education, 2015.