The Planet & Society barometer continues to grow and shows a very satisfying score of 6.33/10 in Q4 201

OREANDA-NEWS. Schneider Electric announces today its non-financial results for the fourth quarter of 2015. Using 16 indicators from the 2015–2017 Planet & Society barometer, Schneider Electric measures on a quarterly basis its ambitious commitment in terms of sustainable development. Reaching a total score of 6.33/10 at the end of December 2015, Schneider Electric exceeds its year-end barometer target of 4.5/10.

The non-financial results by indicator are as follows:

Gilles Vermot Desroches, Sustainability Senior VP at Schneider Electric, comments: "Almost all indicators continued good growth. This quarter, we note that the indicators 'Towards zero waste to landfill', '100% of products in R&D designed with Schneider ecoDesign WayTM' and '120,000 tons of CO2 avoided through maintenance, retrofit and end-of-life services' continue to grow. They provide evidence of our ability to respond quickly to new challenges, in line with our commitment to sustainable development made on the eve of the Paris Conference on Climate Change (COP21). We demonstrate to all our stakeholders that we are on track to turn carbon neutral at all our sites in 15 years. Note also that for the fifth consecutive year, Schneider Electric has been part of CDP’s 'Climate A list', the most performing companies in the fight against climate change. With a score of 100 out of 100, Schneider Electric also is listed in the Disclosure index of CDP for the quality of its information on its carbon emissions and energy consumption."

In Q4 2015, 15 out of 16 indicators have been published and audited, 13 indicators boosted the overall barometer score, and a new indicator has been integrated with a satisfactory score. Namely:

• “The percentage of employees working in countries with Schneider gender pay equity plan.”
  Highlights of this quarter:

On the Planet pillar:

• The “10% energy savings” indicator, with a result of 4.5%, demonstrates Schneider Electric's ability to mobilize and its willingness to exceed its target of 3.5% per year defined as part of its new commitments for sustainability presented on the eve of the Paris conference on climate change (COP21). This is one of those indicators that will play an important role in the Group's commitment to carbon neutrality at all its sites by 2030.
• The indicator "Towards zero waste to landfill" increased by 10 sites in Q4 2015. At the end of 2015, it amounts to 64 sites. This indicator relates to production and supply chain sites, which must be able to recover more than 99% of metal waste and more than 97% of non-metallic waste. In a transparent approach, the sites that do not produce industrial waste are excluded from the audit. As a result of this initiative, at Group level, the industrial waste recovery ratio reached 91% at the end of 2015, versus 87% at the end of 2014. This is explained by a reduction in waste generated as well as better reuse and recycling, particularly with regard to thermoplastic and metal waste.

On the Profit pillar:

• The indicator “120,000 tons of CO2 avoided through our maintenance, retrofit and end-of-life services” confirms its progress, and, at the end of 2015, Schneider Electric achieved more than a third of the goal. This is explained by the geographical extension of this service, now available in 17 countries (previously 15) on 4 continents, and by strong growth in refurbish activities.
• The indicator on the Ethics and Responsibility internal assessment continues to grow with a score of 88%, versus 72% in Q3. The ambition to have all entities passing the assessment in 2017 reflects the commitment to measure and optimize procedures for responsible operation across the whole Group.
• The percentage of new large customer projects with a quantification of their CO2 impact” will be measured and audited in Q4 2016.

On the People pillar:

• 85.6% of employees individually received at least one day training in 2015 compared to a target of 85%. The average has been 28 hours per person. This excellent result reflects Schneider Electric’s engagement to offer its employees the opportunity to develop their skills through various formats adapted to each group of people: short online courses, pathways to internal or external certification, serious games, educational games, mixed in-person and online courses. For two years, the Group also has been organizing a “learning week” in October: managers and experts share their knowledge, while employees learn and collaborate in a relaxed and congenial atmosphere. The Group wishes to support all its employees so that they can be recognized as professionals.
• The number of underprivileged people trained in energy management exceeds 100,000 and continues to grow. It demonstrates Schneider Electric's commitment to training in order to accelerate social and economic development. In line with identified local needs, the Group expects an acceleration and amplification of projects in 2016, with the ambition to cover the 35 States of Sub-Saharan Africa.

 

About Schneider Electric
Schneider Electric is the global specialist in energy management and automation. With revenues of €27 billion in FY2015, our 160,000+ employees serve customers in over 100 countries, helping them to manage their energy and process in ways that are safe, reliable, efficient and sustainable. From the simplest of switches to complex operational systems, our technology, software and services improve the way our customers manage and automate their operations. Our connected technologies will reshape industries, transform cities and enrich lives. At Schneider Electric, we call this Life Is On.