May 2021 – International Road Federation

Delivering Impact Via Private Sector Road Safety Coalitions

The TOTALEnergies Foundation and the International Road Federation (IRF) have entered into a partnership aiming at establishing private sector road safety coalitions in a number of countries around the world. The objective: federate private sector stakeholders to work together, in close collaboration with international institutions, NGOs, and local authorities in order to improve road safety via hands-on, impact-oriented, and scalable activities.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that road crashes claim 1.35 million lives and injure 50 million people worldwide annually. Accordingly, the United Nations has set the ambitious target of reducing road traffic deaths and injuries by at least 50% from 2021 to 2030.

"At TotalEnergies, safety is a core value that is embedded in all of our processes, because it ensures our long-term sustainability as a business. With a presence in 130 countries, we work in partnership with local road safety players, such as NGOs, local authorities, and schools. By pulling now private sector strengths and resources together via these in-country coalitions, we can all maximise our impact" commented Abdoul-Wahab (in charge of Road Safety department in Total Foundation).

As a result of the ongoing collaboration with the IRF, the TotalEnergies Group and other private sector companies active in Tanzania have already entered into a partnership to use their combined knowledge and experience to reduce road crashes in the country. “All founding members of the Tanzania coalition (TotalEnergies, Bolloré, Lafarge-Holcim, Coca-Cola, Super Star Forwarders, Vodacom) believe that one road crash victim is one too many and are committed to reducing the number and severity of road crashes” said Jean-François Schoepp Managing Director of TotalEnergies Tanzania. “It is with this in mind that the members have adopted a set of values and principles “The Coalition Charter” that define and elaborate a collective commitment towards the reduction of road crashes”, he added.

The signed Coalition Charter was handed over to the Hon. Eng. Dr. Leonard Chamuriho, Minister for Works & Transport, The United Republic of Tanzania in the margins of a National Road Safety Workshop organized in the framework of the UN-funded project Ten Step Plan for Safer Road Infrastructure. “I take this opportunity to thank TotalEnergies and the other founding members of the private sector Road Safety coalition for their commitment and for leading by showing the way to other companies,” said the Minister in his official address.

“We are delighted to coordinate this work and to pro-actively engage the private sector into collaborative and coordinated initiatives. This will help us collectively to step up efforts to reach the targets set by the new Decade of Action” commented Susanna Zammataro, IRF Director General at the launch. There are four initial priority areas of work identified by the Tanzanian private sector coalition: education and awareness; drivers’ training ; vehicles’ standards and inspections; infrastructure. The initiative coordinated by the International Road Federation (IRF) and supported by the TotalEnergies Foundation is open to new members who share the same principles as defined in the coalition charter.

Beside Tanzania, IRF is already at work for the launch of private sector road safety coalitions in Senegal, Pakistan, and Morocco.

For more information, please contact the International Road Federation at info@irfofficial.org

Funded by:

TotalEnergies Foundation encompasses the citizenship initiatives conducted every day worldwide by our sites, our affiliates and our corporate foundation. Through this global program, TotalEnergies aims to contribute to development in our host communities and regions, alongside our partners. With a special focus on young people, our four priority areas of action are road safety, climate, coastal areas and oceans, youth inclusion and education, and cultural dialogue and heritage. Our social engagement is integral to our ambition to be a world-class player in the energy transition.

www.totalenergies.com

The International Road Federation (IRF) is a global, independent, not-for-profit organisation with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Active since 1948, IRF is a membership-based organisation, representing leading corporate and institutional players drawn from the road and mobility sectors worldwide. Its mission is to promote the development of roads and road networks that enable access and sustainable mobility for all. Its approach is centred on key strategic components of knowledge transfer & information sharing, connecting people, businesses, and organisations, and working on policy & advocacy.

www.irfofficial.org

by Mao Macatangay

IRF Open Letter in support of UN Global Road Safety Week

Low speed streets save lives and are the heart of any community. 30 km/h (20 mph) speed limits where people and traffic mix make for streets that are healthy, green and liveable, in other words, streets for life.
UN Global Road Safety Week

This week marks the 6^th UN Global Road Safety Week and the kick-off of a new Decade of Action for Road Safety. This is the global moment to amplify ongoing campaigning efforts to secure political commitment and drive change for low-speed communities.

Low-speed, liveable streets are essential and urgent. In support of this year’s campaign #Love30 #StreetsforLife, the International Road Federation (IRF) calls for urgent action on speed with an Open Letter.

IRF Open Letter

Get involved

Access Road Safety Knowledge Resources:

by Mao Macatangay

THE FIA SMART CITIES GLOBAL START-UP CONTEST AND IRF’S NEW START-UP LABEL JOIN FORCES TO SUPPORT INNOVATION IN MOBILITY

The International Road Federation (IRF) and its new Start-Up Label will collaborate with the FIA Smart Cities Global Start-Up Contest to identify and support start-ups with high impact potential to accelerate innovation in the mobility sector across the world.

Created in 2017 as part of the FIA Smart Cities initiative aiming to help cities define new models for more sustainable urban mobility, the FIA Smart Cities Global Start-Up Contest selects each year 18 finalists and four winners among promising mobility-focused start-ups from the Americas, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. Powered by MassChallenge, it gives the finalists a platform to grow their network and visibility by connecting them to key mobility stakeholders in multinational corporates, government, and public institutions.

For the Season 5 of the Contest, the IRF will give the finalists an exclusive opportunity to obtain its new Start-Up Label designed to support high-potential mobility start-ups, help them showcase their credibility, and further build trust with their clients, investors, and employees.

As a jury member, the IRF will contribute to select the Contest winners but also identify the participating start-up(s) that will be awarded with the IRF Start-Up Label. In doing so, the IRF will pay a special attention to start-ups focusing on innovations in the areas of road financing and economics; intelligent transportation systems (ITS); cooperative, connected and automated mobility (CCAM); and road safety, road efficiency and sustainability.

Laureates of the IRF Start-up Label will benefit from IRF’s official endorsement for three consecutive years. During the first year, they will gain professional mentoring on a topic of their choice provided by IRF experts. Start-ups will also be invited to participate in IRF networking events, providing them exposure to relevant stakeholders. During the second and third year, the IRF will assist with bespoke actions aligned with start-ups' priorities.

"We are excited about this initiative and delighted to work with the FIA to get closer to the start-up community. Innovation is a key aspect of the mobility sector, and we want to help start-ups with novel ideas to exploit their value proposition to the maximum, and achieve the best possible market fit,"
IRF President, Bill Halkias

“This Label represents an excellent complement to the FIA Smart Cities Global Start-Up Contest. It offers entrepreneurs support to further develop and accelerate the adoption of their innovative ideas for a safer, more sustainable and inclusive urban mobility,”
FIA President, Jean Todt

IRF Start-up Label
"We support innovation by fostering trust"

Learn more

by Mao Macatangay

Phase 2 of the LEARN project kicks off in Senegal

The Global Alliance of Road Safety NGOs and the IRF have kicked off the second phase of the LEARN project in Senegal thanks to support from the Total Foundation. Stakeholders from local government, NGOs, road agencies and the civil society took part in a two-day workshop on data and road safety. The training took place on 13^th and 14^th April 2021 and focused on practical guidance and support to the Senegal multi-stakeholder coalition formed during the phase 1 of the LEARN project.

The LEARN project aims at enhancing the knowledge, skills and actions of a selected group of road safety professionals and stakeholders via hands-on trainings in African countries. Participants invited to take part in this project are selected based on their expertise and fundamental role in road safety, transport infrastructure and education. The initial step of this project consists in the provision of training on data to familiarise the key stakeholders with the tools, techniques and skills necessary to assess the issues related to road safety. The long-term objective is the creation of multi-stakeholder coalitions in African countries to improve road safety policies and interventions.

Kenya and Senegal were the first two African countries selected for this project in 2019. In these two countries, the first phase of the project was particularly successful with the provision of training sessions, the creation of an action plan to tackle road safety around schools and the establishment of a Kenya Partnership for Safe School Zones as well as a Senegal Partnership for Safe School Zones (P4SSZ).

The Total Foundation is supporting the second phase of the LEARN project aiming at supporting the road safety coalitions already established in Senegal and Kenya move their first steps and implement pilot projects to improve road safety around a number of schools in each country. The second phase of the project also aims at scaling up the LEARN approach in four new African countries: Cameroon, Togo, Uganda and Zambia.

Delivered by:

With the support of:

by Mao Macatangay

Nine women appointed to the IRF Board of Directors

At its annual meeting held on 20th April, the IRF General Assembly has appointed nine women to the IRF Board of Directors.

In order to increase diversity – and in particular gender diversity – from now on each company/organisation being represented in the Board will have to nominate at least a female representative. A bold step in the history of the Federation and in the sector.

The IRF extends its warm welcome to these nine professionals who have already been actively involved in the Federation over the past years.