APC 2010 Annual Report Download - page 15

2010 REGISTRATION DOCUMENT SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC 13
2010 IN BRIEF
On October 1, 2010 IBM and Schneider Electric announced a
new smarter buildings solution to improve energy performance
for buildings across an organisation. By pooling their expertise,
IBM and Schneider Electric are helping organisations reduce
energy operating costs up to 30% as well as realise environmental
responsibility goals through active energy management practices.
The new IBM and Schneider Electric smarter buildings solution
also enables the benefi ts of connectivity to the smart grid for
electric utility demand response programs for physical security,
lighting, ventilation and heating.
On October 18, 2010 Schneider Electric delivered 6 universal
charging spots for electric vehicles (EV) to Total Belgium’s Plug
to Drive experimental network of service stations. In providing
a universal and complete EV charging spot, Schneider Electric
answered to Total Belgium requirements with the opportunity
to choose between a normal recharge and a fast recharge,
regardless of vehicle type.
Governance
On April22, 2010 the Supervisory Board of Schneider Electric SA
re-elected Mr Henri Lachmann as Chairman of the Supervisory
Board. It appointed MrLéo Apotheker as its Vice-Chairman. It also
renewed MrClaude Bébéar in his functions as non-voting Director.
On July1, 2010 the Supervisory Board appointed Ms. Dominique
Sénéquier as a non-voting member. Her nomination as Board
member will be proposed at the 2011 Annual Shareholders’
Meeting.
On October 19, 2010 the Supervisory Board decided to co-opt
Mr Anand Mahindra as a member of the Supervisory Board, in
place of MrJames Ross who had decided to resign from his offi ce
for personal reasons.
Employees
On March 29, 2010 Schneider Electric announced a capital
increase reserved for employee members of the company savings
plan (Plan d’Épargne d’Entreprise) and a capital increase reserved
for entities created for the benefi t of employees of the Schneider
Electric Group. This issue will strengthen ties with employees by
giving them a stake in the Group’s future growth and performance.
On November20, 2009 Schneider Electric was awarded the special
prize for “Communication with employee shareholders” awarded
by the French Federation of Employee Share Owners (FAS). This
distinction is a tribute to the close, long-standing relationship
established with employee shareholders over the years through
regular, informative communication initiatives both in France and
abroad.
Corporate Social Responsibility
On April27, 2010 Schneider Electric announced the launch of the
MiCST collaborative project, aiming to generate electricity produced
by solar energy through an innovative process, in partnership with
11 French organisations. The MiCST (Thermal Solar Micro-Plant)
project consists in designing and manufacturing an innovative
solar plant, using sunlight to heat an energy supply powering a
thermodynamic machine able to drive an alternator that produces
ten electrical kilowatts. The solution will be designed to provide
energy to off-grid areas.
On June 14, 2010 Schneider Electric announced its strategic
sponsorship with 2010 Solar Decathlon Europe which challenges
students from top universities from Europe, America and Asia to
design, build and operate energy effi cient, solar-powered houses.
On July1, 2010 Schneider Electric signed an agreement to support
professional training in construction within the framework of the
post-emergency rebuilding of Haiti following the earthquake which
hit the country in January2010. The agreement was signed with
the French Ministry of Education, the Haitian Ministry of Education
and Professional Training, the NGO Aide et Action and Quisqueya
private university. The agreement includes founding three Centers
of Professional Excellence and an Educational Reference Centre,
to provide training in professions related to electricity, woodwork,
building and public works. This construction school will train over
2,000 youngsters over twoyears, as well as local teachers.
On July21, 2010 the Schneider Electric Award was received by a
team from the UCD Michael Smurfi t Graduate Business School in
Ireland for their Solar Change project as part of the Shanghai 2010
Award for “Entrepreneurship and the Sustainable City” organised
by HEC Paris University and the Tsinghua University School of
Economics and Management during the Shanghai World Expo.