A more electric and digital world is the key to tackling the climate crisis, said Spyros Raptis, General Manager of Schneider Electric, who also stressed the need to redefine our relationship with energy, which is responsible for over 80% of global carbon emissions.
– How does Schneider Electric contribute to the energy and digital transition aiming for a greener footprint in Greece?
A more electric and digital world is the key to tackling the climate crisis. Together with our customers and partners, we are building the New Electric World by providing “smart energy” in the markets of Buildings and Homes, Data Centers, Industries as well as Infrastructure Projects. At Schneider Electric, we call this Electricity 4.0, a term that describes the convergence of electricity with the digital world on a large scale and is the fastest route to cleaner, more intelligent and efficient energy.
Today, there is an urgent need to redefine our relationship with energy, which is responsible for over 80% of global carbon emissions. Electricity is the most efficient form of energy and is also the best way to get rid of carbon.
At the same time, digitization makes energy more “intelligent”, turning the invisible into the visible, achieving greater efficiency and elimination of energy waste. 60% of the energy produced is essentially lost along the way. Energy efficiency is often overlooked, despite being one of the best and fastest ways to reduce carbon emissions.
In this environment, Schneider Electric contributes decisively with technologies that are already available in the Greek market, providing measurable and sustainable results to businesses. Our solutions are developed on the open, interoperable IoT platform EcoStruxure and include interconnected products, local control, software and services.
– What is the role of the IoT in this area and how does Schneider Electric contribute to the creation of smart and energy efficient buildings?
Buildings represent the largest percentage of energy consumption and therefore here are the greatest opportunities to reduce energy waste. Digital technologies can save up to 30% energy with a short payback period and prove to be much more effective than a conventional savings approach, such as replacing windows. The reason is that by digitizing energy management we gain access to information about our energy consumption and we can take action to improve it immediately. This way we achieve the maximum level of efficiency of the building without sacrificing the comfort of its user.
In Greece, we have already implemented a number of key projects in the context of digitization and energy upgrading of buildings, such as the Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, the Orbit office building, the Metropolis and Agemar.
– ESG is now a central issue for the operation and operation of businesses. For Schneider Electric, how is the ESG culture expressed in practice?
Sustainability has always been central to our company. When we introduced our first sustainability barometer in 2005, we were one of the few companies to adopt ESG themes in our strategy. However, ESG commitments cannot be one-off. Ours are reaffirmed and strengthened every three years. Our new Sustainable Development Program announced last year sets ambitious goals, such as 1) Carbon neutrality in our activities by 2025 and the overall productive chain by 2040, 2) Increasing gender diversity at all hierarchical levels, 3) Education for over 1 million disadvantaged people on energy management issues.
Recognized by the Corporate Knights Global 100 index as the most sustainable company in the world for 2021, we are strengthening our commitments locally. For Greece we focus on providing more opportunities for the new generation, educating students in new technologies but also giving many internship opportunities in our company. At the same time, we support iconic buildings in Athens, such as the Benaki Museum, with pilot projects for energy saving and efficiency. We also support the environment, such as by planting trees in areas affected by recent fires.
Finally, in addition to our own actions, the solutions we propose to our customers contribute to achieving greater sustainability and efficiency in their own operations. Globally, 72% of our company’s revenue already comes from green solutions, ie products, software and services that have a positive impact on the environment, efficiency, reducing carbon emissions, the circular economy, etc.
– In addition to the widespread penetration of digital technology, how much has the pandemic changed culture, but also the role of leadership of an organization?
It is worth mentioning that at Schneider Electric we had already invested before the pandemic in our internal digital transformation and in a flexible space and way of working. The pandemic, however, really acted as a catalyst in the further penetration of digital technology and in the redefinition of all work issues with our primary concern being staff safety.
In the new regularity, the way and the workplace as well as the relationships between companies, customers and employees have changed dramatically. At Schneider Electric we believe that new ways of working with an emphasis on digitization, flexibility, decentralization, hybridity and well-being, have come to stay. The question here is how quickly and flexibly you can adapt to keep up with developments. And while most of our employees prefer a hybrid office-to-home work model, we know that this requires careful planning and impeccable collaboration to succeed.
The role of leadership in this area is to protect our culture for high performance. As leaders, we must set a good example in adopting new ways of working, as well as the part of trust and empowerment of our people if we want to play a leading role in the market.
– What emotions does the CEO position itself cause and how do you manage them?
In the new environment we experience, we all work constantly under the feeling of uncertainty and this in itself causes a lot of stress. A CEO nowadays is primarily responsible for the health and safety of his associates and then for the smooth and uninterrupted operation of the company, aiming at optimal customer service. To decide quickly, calmly and soberly, to cultivate trust and develop its people to contribute to the company’s vision.
If your “suit” falls large or narrow, then it is a source of pain. If it suits your character, then it is a source of satisfaction and energy.
Source: Capital

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