Gwenaelle Avice Huet, EVP of Europe Operations, Schneider Electric

What role do you see corporates playing in scaling industrial champions?

Large companies play a pivotal role in scaling industrial champions by driving innovation, fostering sustainable practices, and helping them align business growth with broader environmental and social goals. This is a big focus for us at Schneider Electric; we closely engage with our partner network to shareour expertise and digital tools to help them achieve sustainable growth.

With their enhanced R&D capabilities and significant resources, large corporations can pioneer the development and scaling of sustainable technologies. This includes solutions in renewable energy and energy efficiency, which are critical for achieving net-zero goals. By offering these advancements to startups and smaller enterprises, corporates can empower these organizations to decarbonize their operations more effectively. Additionally, providing digital tools and platforms to enhance sustainability efforts will enable smaller companies to meet rising environmental expectations while remaining competitive.

In sum, large companies can act as catalysts for the growth of industrial champions by promoting sustainable innovation, sharing knowledge, and helping their partners navigate increasingly complex regulatory environments. This collaboration not only strengthens the resilience of value chains but also supports Europe’s broader climate and sustainability goals.

How is Schneider Electric fostering the growth of industrial unicorns within and outside of its partner ecosystem

I strongly believe in leading by example. At Schneider Electric, we are committed to engaging our partner ecosystem to decarbonize and showing them that sustainability is a business opportunity. We have established a range of initiatives to empower partners with the tools and knowledge to accelerate their sustainability journeys.

Through SE Ventures, our corporate venture capital fund, we nurture and invest in startups pioneering new technologies and business models for a more sustainable future. With over $1 billion in committed capital, we aim to unlock growth pathways for industrial, energy, and sustainability startups globally.

Another great initiative is our annual Sustainability Impact Awards, which celebrates the contributions of our partners, suppliers, and customers in creating a more digital and electric world. So far, we have had 12 global winners who have shown tremendous leadership, one of which is Henkel, which has reduced scope 1 and 2 emissions by 61% through deploying energy efficiency tools and electrifying its operations.

We also offer training programs like our Sustainability School, a free online platform available to companies worldwide, regardless of size. This was initially developed for Schneider Electric employees, but we decided to launch it externally as an educational resource, understanding that SMEs often lack the knowledge and tools to set targets and benchmark their environmental impact. The program covers a range of topics including energy efficiency, renewables and circular economy, ultimately teaching businesses that sustainability and growth go hand in hand.

How important are partnerships between corporates, start-ups, and players like InnoEnergy in building these industrial champions?

Partnerships are crucial in helping businesses unlock innovation and sustainability, which are building blocks to becoming industrial champions.

Under our Energize program, for example, 12 global pharmaceutical companies have collaborated to engage hundreds of suppliers to decarbonize the pharmaceutical value chain. This first-of-its-kind program will make renewable energy more accessible for suppliers and empower them to make positive change through collaboration.

In a rapidly changing business landscape, speed is essential. Partnerships can accelerate the development and deployment of new technologies by combining the strengths of larger and smaller players. Corporates bring resources, industry knowledge, and established market presence, while start-ups contribute agility, innovative ideas, and fresh perspectives. Put together, it creates fertile land to develop sustainable technologies and deploy them at scale.

Collaboration is also essential in building a robust and sustainable business ecosystem. The more parties involved, the wider the positive impact we can create. This is why it’s so important for corporations to engage their value chain in decarbonization. As corporates, start-ups, and organizations like InnoEnergy work together, they can drive systemic change, promoting sustainable practices throughout the value chain and encouraging other stakeholders to adopt similar approaches.

The topic of TBB this year is economic growth, geopolitical resilience and clean energy transition: trilemma or opportunity? How does your company integrate decarbonization into its strategy while maintaining profitability and competitiveness on a global scale?

Decarbonization is at the very core of our strategy, and for us, it has been an enabler for profitability and global competitiveness. We ingrain sustainability and circularity from research and design, right through to manufacturing and distribution. For example, we design our products with circularity in mind, offering repair and retrofit services to extend their life while using sustainable packaging to minimize waste. As a result of these commitments, we’ve delivered a positive long-term impact for the communities in which we operate, achieved record revenues, and have been recognized by TIME and Statista as the most sustainable company in the world.

We have also set concrete goals to achieve carbon-neutral operations in 2025 and net zero CO2 emissions across our entire value chain in 2050, and we are on track to meet them. As well as decarbonizing our own operations, we pay an equal focus to customers, partners, and suppliers to help them achieve profitability and sustainability. Research also shows that integrating strong environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles into growth strategies leads to outperformance in terms of growth, profitability and shareholder returns. What we hope to show businesses is that decarbonization can become a catalyst for innovation, greater efficiency, lower costs and business growth. Ultimately, it is an opportunity to tap into new markets, attract conscientious consumers and strengthen long-term resilience.