In South Africa, TotalEnergies reinforces its commitment to create positive impact in local communities through its social and environmental initiatives. In 2025 alone, 44,000 persons benefited directly from projects implemented in partnership with schools, non-profit organisations and community-focused groups.
These projects deliver long‑term value and respond to locally identified needs around the four pillars driving TotalEnergies’ actions with its stakeholders: Inclusion and Education; Safety; Climate, Coastal Areas and Oceans; Cultural Dialogue and Heritage.
Empowering and fostering inclusion through education
TotalEnergies supports access to learning opportunities and youth development through partnerships with various organisations.
For example, programmes implemented with Afrika Tikkun’s Ignite Programme and LEAP Schools supported more than 1,000 learners in 2025 with academic tutoring, career guidance and mentorship, contributing to a 94% pass rate.
On the West Coast, in partnership with the association Read to Rise, the Company has delivered almost 6,000 storybooks to learners in 160 classes and supported the renovation of Kharkams High School’s hostel, helping to improve the living and learning environment of 200 students.
In parallel, to enable small-scale fishers to strengthen and sustain their enterprises, the Company provided long-term business training to small-scale fishing co-operatives across 15 towns.
Safety, putting a core value into practice in the communities
At TotalEnergies, safety is a core value. Thus, promoting awareness and supporting safer mobility in vulnerable communities is a key focus.
Back in 2019, the Company launched the “VIA Safe Mobility” international programme to raise awareness on road safety among young people, train students to become ambassadors of safe mobility and improve safety around schools.
Deployed in 44 countries, the programme has already reached 1 million young people, of which more than 35,000 in South Africa. Olagoke Aluko, Country Chair of TotalEnergies in South Africa, notes: “Every action we take to improve road safety helps protect young people’s lives, for whom road incidents remain the leading cause of death. Our work is far from done. We must continue joining forces with our partners.”
Along the West Coast, the Company deployed projects focused on safety-at-sea initiatives, provided accredited training in first aid and survival techniques, and protective equipment to contribute to safer working conditions and more resilient fishing operations.
Taking care of the environment
On its third pillar “Climate, Coastal Areas and Oceans”, TotalEnergies’ commitment is reflected in national initiatives, such as:
- Arbor Month, through which the Company planted 16,000 trees,
- Walk and Learn on the Wildside, that introduces learners to conservation and creates awareness of career opportunities in tourism.
- coastal clean-up campaigns, in partnership with Save a Fishie, that recently enabled the collection of 7.5 tons of waste in 50 towns along the West Coast while raising awareness about pollution.
In parallel, to help advance knowledge, TotalEnergies is also sponsoring the cetacean monitoring and biodiversity research performed by the University of Pretoria Whale Unit for the eighth consecutive year.
Advancing cultural dialogue and heritage
Finally, TotalEnergies supports arts and culture, creating opportunities for expression, inclusion and social cohesion through various projects.
The Company has built long-standing partnerships with organisations such as Buskaid and Sibikwa Arts Academy that provide quality arts education to young people and platforms to showcase their talents, and sponsors initiatives, such as the Fête de la Musique, that promote cultural exchange and community engagement.
Recently, TotalEnergies also funded a community‑based storytelling initiative, The Story of Us, implemented by Descendent Media in 10 towns along the West Coast. This project equipped 100 youths with skills to engage with elders, document, preserve and share their local history and cultural traditions often absent from history books.
Image: Supplied
Built with communities, for communities
Behind each of these initiatives, one method: a bottom-up approach, with communities identifying priorities and shaping projects; and one common driver: building sustainable local partnerships that deliver long‑term value through practical interventions.
For participants, the benefits extend far beyond the projects themselves. As one graduate of the West Coast entrepreneurial programme noted: “the initiative transformed my approach to business: I now understand my business better and have practical skills I can apply every day.” Adding to this, the principal of a school that benefitted from hostel renovation also observed a strong improvement in the students’ academic performance.
“These programmes reflect our commitment to working alongside communities in a meaningful and practical way,” says Magali Pailhé, Managing Director of TotalEnergies E&P and Renewables South Africa. “By supporting skills development, improving safety, investing in environmental initiatives, we are contributing to stronger local economies and more resilient communities.”
And as TotalEnergies’ activities progress in South Africa, the number of community initiatives is expected to grow, creating further opportunity to expand partnerships and scale impacts to support sustainable and locally driven development.
