Community skills and entrepreneurship
Our community skills and entrepreneurship programmes benefit local communities where we operate by creating employment opportunities and contributing to economic development, while adding value to our supply chain.
In 2020, 19,319 people participated in and 1,017 businesses were supported by our skills development and entrepreneurship programmes, leading to the creation of 1,805 jobs.
We work with governments, educational institutions and international organisations on technical and vocational education and training programmes. These programmes help people develop skills that are useful for their communities and local economies, as well as for businesses like ours. In Malaysia, Shell’s ProjekLINK programme in Miri, Kota Kinabalu and Bintulu has trained 1,170 young adults in local communities to become qualified welders.
Entrepreneurship
Shell has two entrepreneurship programmes implemented globally – Shell LiveWIRE and Shell StartUp Engine. In 2020, the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic posed significant challenges to local enterprises. We continued to support entrepreneurs by providing virtual training on supply chain management, cash management, fund-raising and e-commerce.
Shell’s LiveWIRE programme helps entrepreneurs turn their ideas into reality and operates in 19 countries. Around the world, Shell LiveWIRE trained 2,224 people and supported 984 businesses, while 1,312 jobs were created. In 2020, 99 Shell LiveWIRE-supported businesses entered our supply chain.
Innovators in Brazil used rays from the sun for a filter to purify rainwater.
In 2020, we organised a virtual Shell LiveWIRE Top Ten Innovators competition for alumni. Brazilian start-up Safe Drinking Water for All won the Local Prosperity prize with its Aqualuz technology to increase access to clean water and sanitation. Aqualuz is a low-cost device which uses a filter to purify rainwater using rays from the sun.
A special COVID-19 award went to an enterprise from Pakistan called Edvon, which developed a robot that helps sterilise hospitals, takes patients’ temperatures and detects if people are wearing masks.
Pakistan’s Edvon robot is designed to help the fight against COVID-19.
In Australia, Shell’s QGC Business Navigator programme, affiliated to Shell LiveWIRE, provided local entrepreneurs with business advisory services and grants to assist them in reopening after COVID-19 restrictions. Through the programme, several businesses have started to jointly develop tourism ventures.
Shell StartUp Engine is a global innovation programme for entrepreneurs in the energy industry and supports early-stage start-ups in areas such as renewables, energy storage, smart grids and electric mobility. It is delivered in the UK, France, Singapore and the Netherlands. In 2020, 30 start-ups received support.
