Schneider Electric Brings Together Industry Leaders to Accelerate Actions Toward Sustainability

• 27 Oct 2023
• TM Team
• 0 Comments

Schneider Electric, the leader in the digital transformation of energy management and nextgen automation, recently organized a CXO connect as part of its Green Yodha initiative aimed at attracting prominent industry leaders for a dialogue on accelerating actions towards sustainability. Acknowledging Amritkaal as a pivotal moment in India’s economic and social progress, Schneider Electric advoca­­ted for industries and corporations to adopt a more electric and digital strategy, accelerating the nation's journey towards a more sustainable future.

While India has emerged as a leader in mitigating the climate crisis, its key contributors to carbon emissions include sectors like industry, buildings, and transportation, accounting for 46%, 28%, and 16%, emissions respectively. This is where electric and digital technologies can emerge as game-changers. The swift adoption of existing digital and energy-efficient technologies at ­­scale has the potential to curtail carbon emissions significantly. 
 
The event, which was part of the organization’s ‘Green Yodha’ Impact makers sustainability drive, saw attendance of prominent industry leaders including Siddharth Sharma, CEO – Tata Trusts, Praveer Sinha, MD & CEO – Tata Power, Santosh Iyer, MD & CEO – Mercedes Benz India, Vinod Javur, COO – Digital Edge DC, and Parag V Chepe, Executive Director – Thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions.

Emphasizing the role of India Inc. in driving the country’s sustainability journey, Mr. Deepak Sharma, Zone President and MD & CEO, Schneider Electric India, said, “Today, sustainability has transformed from a mere superficial metric into a fundamental metric of rationality. It stands as a key differentiator in driving business continuity, longevity, and agility. Sustainability should be embedded across operations, an all-electric - all-digital world is critical for reducing carbon emissions significantly. Aligned with this, Schneider Electric conceptualised its flagship Green Yodha sustainability initiative to rally like-minded businesses, organisations, governments, and individuals to take collective actions in the fight against climate change. Initiatives like these are a nudge in that direction. The pursuit of sustainability can only be achieved through increased collaboration, creating an ecosystem committed towards driving positive climate action.”
 
Highlighting the need to increase awareness and actions around sustainability, Mr. Rajat Abbi, Vice President, Global Marketing, Chief Marketing Officer, Greater India, Schneider Electric said, "With our Green Yodha campaign, we have forged an ecosystem of eco-warriors driving vital climate action. Our mission is to accelerate sustainability and nurture community-driven decisive climate action. Our Green Yodha drive has been successful in resonating with citizens, big corporations and MSMEs alike, including government bodies and industry giants. As we move ahead, our vision expands—to unite nations, corporations, and citizens.
 
Through thought leadership forums such as these, we aim to unite industry leaders and thought drivers to join hands and chart a Sustainability Roadmap. Our holistic approach extends beyond a conventional campaign; it's a conscious call for a greener, brighter future, built on sustainability, innovation, and collective action.”

An array of crucial topics were deliberated at the event, shaping the discourse on India's future trajectory:

·       India's Climate Leadership: In a world approaching dangerous tipping points, India stands at a pivotal juncture. With 75% of the country’s districts vulnerable to climate risks, India is on the brink of surpassing human survivability limits due to extreme heat. The stakes are high, jeopardizing the country’s development aspirations in education, healthcare, and gender equality. Despite the low per capita greenhouse gas emissions, India is preparing for the worst by leading in net-zero ambitions. Shifting the discourse from mere mitigation to tangible impacts is essential. Climate inaction could cost the Indian economy $35 trillion by 2070, while proactive measures could add $11 trillion. Therefore, this is not just a responsibility; it is an opportunity for India to set new global benchmarks.

·       Power companies need to innovate to stay relevant: Leaders underscored the significance of sustainability and the imperative for energy transition, emphasizing that it is not just about words but tangible actions, such as real-time monitoring of energy consumption patterns using data and analytics. Focus on providing consumer-friendly solutions, which includes decentralization of power generation to empower villages, cities, and clusters, is vital. In alignment with the government's ambitious goals, the power sector needs to play a pivotal role in capacity addition and energy storage. Both industry and government need to collaborate, and everyone must become a Green Yodha to safeguard the planet.

·       Making data centers sustainable: It is critical to embed ESG principles at the core of a company's values, even for startups in their early stages. Companies should employ innovative solutions like SPLC technology, which has efficiently cooled data centers, thereby reducing power and water consumption. Key steps toward achieving operational excellence include automation, real-time tracking, and AI integration. It is important to decarbonize data centers, which can be done through powering them with renewables, implementing green building practices, and adopting a comprehensive approach to digitize their carbon footprint. By embracing practices like going green, sourcing green, and building green, there is a potential to eliminate the need for offsets, thereby embodying ESG principles and fostering an innovative ethos.

·       Sensitization is a necessity in the automotive sector: There is an urgent need to underline the importance of sustainability amongst the Indian partners and customers. While the Government of India has taken steps by offering incentives such as GST benefits, a crucial imperative remains to instigate a paradigm shift in customer mindset. Emphasizing the importance of bringing together dealers, partners, and customers in the journey to sustainability, companies must make efforts to educate employees on the shop floor about best practices.

·       Decarbonizing Industrial Solutions: The topmost priorities in the endeavor to decarbonize and steer the energy transformation toward a sustainable future include the strategic emphasis on green hydrogen, green ammonia, and the decarbonization of cement production. These pillars serve as key drivers in mitigating carbon emissions. To effectively address these challenges, working closely with stakeholders and customers is paramount, fostering a collective approach toward sustainable solutions. Additionally, the leaders voiced that a dedicated focus on innovation is crucial to developing sustainable products that also serve the purpose of being commercially viable.

Schneider Electric remains resolute in its commitment to decarbonizing every aspect of the Indian economy through initiatives like these. Become a #GreenYodha today and Join the Good Fight!