Innovation

As one of the world’s largest producers of energy-efficient, resource-saving technologies, Siemens emphasizes approaches to energy and sustainability management. They believe that our younger generation is the key to future sustainability and public awareness. Siemens' I-Green Education Campaign is an education project provided to children of migrant workers in schools to increase their awareness of environmental protection. The project is designed to help children get practical eco-friendly knowledge and skills through a lot of fun activities, interactions, and simple scientific experiments. Meanwhile, it also cultivates their interest in scientific technology. Ms. Yang said, “The kids find the scientific experiments so amazing.”

The purpose of the I-Green Education Campaign is more than providing education about environmental protection. It is also important on a cultural level. The difficulties the children of migrant workers face in fitting into city life are not only at the economic level, but also at the values level. It is essential to have a more balanced value of environmental protection, which is co-decided by people from the city and countryside. Ms. Yang added, "Just as a principal from one of these schools said, 'The project helped our students to connect more with the outside world. And by living an eco-friendly lifestyle, our children could take this responsibility and create a beautiful future life together.'”

Inspiration

Energy management and environmental protection have been some of the main targets for sustainability at Siemens. These days, one challenge for river protection is the continuing discharge of waste by the people living along the rivers due to the rapid development of rural economies and an inherited mindset. Meanwhile, people in urban areas have already realized that sustainable development offers better long-term benefits, after years of pursuing development at the expense of the environment. Ms. Yang said, “It actually reflects the value difference between developing areas and developed areas.”

Therefore, Siemens started to realize that education about environmental protection is important, especially for people in rural areas. However, reducing the gap between town and country is essential to make it really work. That is why they chose the children of rural workers in cities as a target population. These children are like a bridge between town and country. Helping them increase their environmental awareness has a profound significance. In 2009, Siemens launched its I-Green Education Campaign. Thousands of volunteers from Siemens and some universities have participated in this educational project. Ms. Yang emphasized, “It is a two-way fusion process instead of a one-way charity.”

Overall impact

Short-term effects: The migrant school kids receive optimized energy-efficient school buildings and equipped labs. They also gain hands-on knowledge and skills in environmental protection. They have more interest in science and higher environmental awareness. So far, more than 20,000 migrant school kids have been helped through this project. With the knowledge and skills learned from this education project and especially the interaction with volunteers, the children are helped to blend into city life more easily. Moreover, the project broadens their horizons. As Ms. Yang said, “For many of them, it is their first contact with a multinational corporation as well as the concept of environmental protection.” Volunteers in this project gain a better understanding of the people of rural areas and have opportunities to contribute to and learn from them.

Long-term effects: The migrant schoolkids are a large and increasing population these days. After the kids improve their environmental awareness, they can influence their parents and those relatives who are still in rural areas. In the future, due to their profound understanding of both populations, they will contribute significantly to the establishment of a more balanced value co-created by people of urban and rural areas. With better educational opportunities, compared with their peers in rural areas, these children have a better chance of contributing to the development of urban areas as well as rural areas in the future.

Siemens is now focusing on launching this project along the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, which are important, yet less developed, areas. Strengthening technical and environmental education will promote the development of these areas.

Business benefit

As a business producing energy-efficient, resource-saving technologies, Siemens believes that sustainability is critical to the company's development. Their sustainability initiatives are an essential aspect of successfully implementing the Siemens Strategy Program Vision 2020+.

Education on energy-efficient and resource-saving technologies will make more people familiar with the concept, approaches, and products of Siemens. As more people become aware of energy efficiency, more people will be interested in purchasing energy-efficient products.

Siemens is happy to help others. Volunteers from Siemens will bring the pleasure back to their workplaces and be grateful for what they have in life compared with those from less developed areas. Moreover, teaching is a good way of learning. They will understand their company values better than before and be proud of their jobs. This increases their loyalty to the company.

Social and environmental benefit

This education project will help conserve energy and the environment. It will benefit each person in every society. Children involved in this project are receiving a better education through an improved study environment, better equipped labs, and well-educated volunteer teachers from urban areas. It helps them not only blend into city life more easily, but also have better career opportunities later in the city.

Families of the children will learn the new concepts and knowledge about environmental protection from the kids. They will get to know about lifestyles different from those in their countryside homes. Even relatives and friends back in the rural areas could have a chance to be influenced by these kids during holidays and vacations.

Volunteers from Siemens and college students will have the opportunity to understand the people from rural areas. They will help them and learn from them at the same time. Most importantly, they can be very happy while helping others and feel that life is more meaningful.

This project will contribute to reducing the inequity between developing areas and developed areas by bring these two populations together.

Interview

Wen Yang, Project Manager for VPI at SMRE