2025 Highlights: Commitment, Volunteering, and Impact at the Fondation Nexans

2026 has arrived, and it is time to look back on the past year for the Fondation Nexans. It was a busy year, full of milestones and new developments — let’s take a brief look back.

Université de la Terre : for the first time

The first half of the year was marked by our participation in the Université de la Terre event at UNESCO. This edition focused on Nature and featured a dedicated booth for the Fondation, along with inspiring interactions with the public.

For the very first time, the Fondation Nexans took part in an event outside the Nexans Group. On this occasion, visitors were able to discover:

• The Fondation’s missions, structured around three pillars of action

• Key figures: countries covered, projects implemented, partner NGOs, and beneficiaries

Images and videos illustrated the concrete impact of supported initiatives, notably with the AMESIP association in Morocco and TECHO in Peru.
These educational and engaging materials encouraged meaningful conversations, as highlighted by Mary Malone after the event:

“The outcome is very positive. We are delighted by the strong interest shown by participants in the Nexans Foundation and its missions.”

At spring, our volunteers took the lead

As every year, Nexans employee volunteers joined forces with our partner associations to carry out actions directly within vulnerable communities.

In Colombia, in May, accompanied by the NGO TECHO, teams visited the Camino del Minero community, south of Cali, the country’s third-largest city. On that day, volunteers installed nearly 20 solar streetlights throughout this disadvantaged neighborhood.

In June, it was in Brazil, alongside Litro da Luz, that Nexans employees took action. In the indigenous community of Mata Verde Bonita, during a joyful and festive day, volunteers installed around 25 streetlights and distributed more than 40 solar lanterns.

Rodrigo and Natalia, two Nexans volunteers, shared their enthusiasm and commitment:

“Each day is different and rewarding. I would do it again whenever possible,” said Rodrigo, while Natalia emphasized the learning experience: “It’s a unique opportunity to learn, discover a new culture, and work hard to help those in need.”

In 2025, three days dedicated to Nexans employee volunteering activities were organized with our partner associations.

A successful Call for Projects

Organized from January to March 2025, the Fondation Nexans’ call for projects enabled nine associations representing ten projects to receive funding. Spread across three continents — Africa, Asia, and South America — the selected associations perfectly reflect the Fondation’s three pillars.

Notably, a project in Southeast Asia returned with the association Mékong Enfants des Rizières in Laos. The objective is to provide access to clean energy, water, and sanitation to more than 300 families, while promoting waste recovery. Ultimately, the project aims to stimulate economic development while preserving ecosystems.
The project is currently ongoing and is expected to be completed in 2026.

A decisive impact on the field

Several long-standing projects were completed in 2025. In Côte d’Ivoire, the association Posodev, selected in 2024, completed the electrification of the Maison d’Animation et d’Appui à l’Autonomisation des Katiolaises (M3AK). Thanks to this initiative, many young women in the municipality of Katiola can now benefit from quality training and learn the fundamentals of entrepreneurship.

Still in Côte d’Ivoire, in the Marahoué region, young women also benefited from the Fondation’s support through FONDEM (Fondation Énergie pour le Monde). More than 300 beneficiaries were supported, some of whom learned the profession of electrician and even formed their own entrepreneurial collective — a remarkable success for the region.

In Ghana, the association KITE completed the electrification project of the town of Miawani, symbolizing the challenges of electrification in Sub-Saharan Africa. This achievement is the result of two years of work, from 2023 to 2025. Selected once again in the latest call for projects, KITE now plans to install two solar-powered grinding systems in a rural community.

Further north, in Morocco, the Mobadara association and the Fondation celebrated the graduation ceremony for the Zaïo-Nexans class. This is a second-chance school that helps young people who have dropped out of school and enables them to train in solar and photovoltaic professions.

Internally, the Fondation underwent a major change with the departure of its General Delegate, formerly a Board Member, Bertrand Julian, who can now enjoy a well-deserved retirement. Mary Malone successfully took over the role, ushering in a new era for our organization.

Julien Hueber, Nexans CEO since October 2025, has become as well Fondation Nexans president at the same time.

Once again in 2025, the Nexans Fondation reaffirmed its commitment to sustainable and inclusive electrification. We will continue this mission in 2026 with our volunteers, partner associations, and all those willing to take action.

As we move into 2026, the Nexans Fondation extends its best wishes for the new year. Happy New Year to all!