APC 2009 Annual Report Download - page 5

2009 REGISTRATION DOCUMENT SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC 3
MESSAGE FROM JEAN-PASCAL TRICOIRE
PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
We also invest constantly in R&D and innovation. In 2009, our R&D
investment was close to 5% of our sales, in line with our 2008
investment. Our outstanding R&D teams form a global community
of around 7,500 in 25 countries and 50 different sites. With them,
we develop EcoStruxure, the architecture of effi ciency, which we
then support with offers that are energy effi cient, open, connected,
and easy to use.
Sustainable development is at the core of our strategy. By essence,
energy management is a key contributor to CO2 emission reduction.
Beyond that, we are committed to sustainable development in our
ethics, environmental practices, and engagement in every society
where we operate. In this domain, I am particularly proud of what we
do with BipBop, a holistic programme geared at bringing electricity
to the 1.6 billion of the planet’s population who are deprived of it,
innovating with dedicated products for the bottom of the pyramid,
inserting underprivileged youngsters in careers as electricians, and
helping entrepreneurs to set up their business.
People, above all, are at the heart of every transformation we
accomplish, every service we provide, and every benefi t we deliver.
We believe diversity is a major asset for business, and therefore strive
for gender and nationality balance in every place we operate. We
are relentlessly attentive to the health and safety of our employees.
Their energy, intelligence, and well-being are fundamental to our
success. We want to make Schneider Electric a place where they
love to work.
The effort and commitment of everyone associated with Schneider
Electric made our achievements possible in 2009, despite the
downturn. We are very thankful for the support of all stakeholders
of our Group: our customers, our employees, our shareholders, our
suppliers and the communities with which we closely interact. On
every major call we had to make, we also benefi ted from the strong
and demanding support of our Supervisory Board.
In 2010, we should benefi t from improving market conditions in the
new economies, and in several of our market segments. However,
we expect the market environment in mature countries to remain
uncertain. We will continue our strategic transformation with our
company programme One. We will accelerate our move in energy
management, drive quality in both products and solutions offerings,
and all this with the leadership of our fi ve businesses.
We will continue to develop Schneider Electric at the centre of the
S mart G rid technologies: renewable energies, supply-demand
optimisation , energy effi ciency, electrical vehicle, and intelligence
and communication everywhere. These changes will revolutionize
the way people distribute and control energy, from power plant to
plug.
More than ever, we are committed to helping our customers make
the most of their energy. With them, all over the world, we are
pioneering the era of Intelligent Energy.