Here’s How Schneider Electric Became Number One for Sustainability
The Earth’s temperature has risen by 0.14° Fahrenheit (0.08° Celsius) per decade since 1880. However, the rate of warming since 1981 is more than twice that: 0.32° F (0.18° C) per decade.
While the planet has certainly gone through periods of climate change in the past – eight cycles of ice ages and warmer periods – it is now warming at a rate not seen in the past 10,000 years. Scientists are now in near complete agreement that the current rate of warming is a direct result of human activity which has seen unprecedented production of atmospheric gases which have trapped more of the Sun’s energy within Earth’s system.
We are now seeing the effects of this process in global disasters such as wildfires, floods, typhoons, and others and direct action is required immediately if we are to slow this degradation of our planet before it is too late.
Schneider Electric
Evidence has shown that the individual action of citizens – recycling, energy saving, etc. – has a minimal effect on global warming and the onus must fall to governments and large corporations to make the kind of changes which are required to avert disaster.
As a leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, Schneider Electric announced its own ambitious sustainability goals in Q4 2021 and has been making steady progress towards achieving them as we’ve moved through 2022. In fact, Schneider Electric was recognized as the world’s most sustainable corporation by Corporate Knights.
"As an impact company, we are making a unique difference and have raised the bar with our 2025 sustainability commitments,” said Schneider Electric Chief Strategy and Sustainability Officer, Olivier Blum. "Our first year’s results are encouraging and set the path towards our 5-year goals. Teams from across the company have collectively stepped up and we are engaged on sustainability on all fronts”
Schneider Electric has made such impressive progress on these goals by collaborating with both suppliers and customers – as well as establishing a culture of sustainable practice within its own four walls – to pursue decarbonization goals, deliver new levels of energy efficiency, and reduce emissions at every possible level of the organization. Schneider Electric finished 2021 with an SSI score of 3.92 out of ten, exceeding expectations by going beyond the 3.75 target set for this first full year of the five-year program, and has its sights set on beating that achievement in 2022.
Sustainability as Culture
Just some of the achievements made by Schneider Electric over the last two years include:
- In 2021, Schneider’s EcoStruxure solutions helped customers reduce their carbon emissions by 84 million tons which amount to 347 million tons saved or avoided since 2018.
- In October 2021, Schneider Electric launched the Energize program, to increase access to renewable energy for the supply chains of ten global pharmaceutical companies.
- Since kicking off The Zero Carbon Project in April 2021, Schneider Electric continues to work closely with 1,000 of its top suppliers to halve their operational carbon emissions by 2025.
- Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxureTM solutions helped customers and suppliers make significant decarbonization progress and reduce their CO2 emissions by 381 million tons since 2018. In June, Schneider Electric and Hitachi Energy agreed to collaborate on green electricity solutions for renewables, data centers, mining, and other sectors of industry.
- Schneider Electric just expanded its biodiversity pledge to use only deforestation-free wood across its supply chain and operations by 2030.
- Schneider Electric provided +1.1 million people with access to green electricity in Q2 2022, bringing it to +6.4 million since January 2021.
- In 2022, 82% of Schneider employees feel confident to report unethical conduct. A substantial progress since last year (+1pt) in its commitment to provide a trusted environment and Speak Up culture.
- Schneider Electric launched its Sustainability School to educate employees on climate and social issues and encourage them to act and deliver impact in every aspect of their lives.
- Schneider Electric’s teams in countries and regions continue to play a specific role in ensuring the maximum impact of their locally led sustainability initiatives, including projects in France, USA, China, and India.
Aside from pushing sustainability at all levels of its operation, Schneider Electric has also been making roads in promoting equal opportunities, diversity, and inclusion, as well as supporting the people and communities it operates within and serves.
Final Thoughts
As you can see Schneider Electric is well on its way to achieving its sustainability goals in 2022, having surpassed them in 2021. The planet needs these efforts and more if we are to successfully mitigate the worst effects of climate change and ensure the planet remains habitable for the generations to come.
You can hear VP of Digital Services for North American Operations, Alban Cambournac speak at Field Service Palm Springs 2023, being held in April at the JW Marriott Desert Springs, Palm Springs, CA.
Download the agenda today for more information and insights.