APC 2014 Annual Report Download - page 64

2SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
GREEN AND RESPONSIBLE GROWTH DRIVING ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE
In addition to the external assessments, we have defined Schneider Electric has also made available for all its customers and
«off-limit» situations which are: stakeholders, its position regarding conflict minerals. It can be
found on its website.
environmental pollution;
l
Furthermore, Schneider Electric launched an update in2013 to the
employee safety risks;
l
carbon impact analysis of company purchases (as part of the
child labor.
l
Group’s carbon footprint). Schneider Electric has used this
These situations have been identified as material issues in our approach to raise awareness on the importance of this subject
supply chain and unacceptable for a Schneider Electric supplier. among purchasers and certain suppliers in the most relevant
Each buyer is expected to be alert to detect any problem areas purchasing sectors.
related to sustainable development themes when visiting a Another example is Schneider Electric’s commitment to support
supplier’s site. Off-limit cases must be addressed immediately or the small and medium enterprises network. This support is given
escalated using the specific defined process. through an approach to work adapted with certain suppliers. In
To support this approach, training was made available to France, Schneider Electric is a major player of the International
purchasing teams: basic training on the ISO26000 standard for all SME Pact and recently ranked 2nd for best supplier-customer
purchasers is now part of the standard purchaser curriculum; and relationship in France. Among the selection criteria used were the
more advanced training on how to challenge our recommended respect of contractual clauses and payment terms and the overall
suppliers during the business reviews (whether assessed by a third quality of the dialogue between parties.
party or not). On May6, 2014, Schneider Electric France obtained the
For off-limit situations, Schneider Electric favored a practical «Responsible Supplier Relations» label for a period of three years
training approach, based on case studies, to ensure that (subject to satisfying the annual monitoring assessments).
purchasers have a clear understanding of situations that are Finally, by the very nature of its activity, the Group continually
unacceptable per the Group’s standards. This also includes how to encourages its ecosystem (including customers and suppliers) to
react if such a situation is encountered. implement energy efficient solutions.
Rollout of eco-responsible initiatives Global Supplier Day 2014
Schneider Electric is rolling out several eco-responsible initiatives A global Supplier Day was organized in Shanghai
with its suppliers. inSeptember2014 for «preferred» Group suppliers. This Day
For example, Schneider Electric has chosen to go further than the emphasized the importance that Schneider Electric places on
European REACH and RoHS regulations. The approach is aspects linked to sustainable development. During this event,
therefore rolled out in the Group over the whole product portfolio Schneider Electric once again rewarded the highest-performing
and all suppliers, regardless of their geographic origin. To support suppliers, particularly in the environmental and social responsibility
the REACH and RoHS projects, Schneider Electric has category, for which a trophy was awarded. This year, a workshop
implemented a Data Collection process supported by a dedicated was specifically dedicated to environmental aspects. During this
team to gather required information from its suppliers. This has workshop, Schneider Electric shared its vision and expectations on
allowed it to significantly reduce its response time to collect such environmental issues. This event was a source of rich exchanges
information and therefore be quicker to respond to its customers’ and demonstrated the importance that our suppliers attach to
inquiries. sustainable development.
Ethics and Responsibility 2.4
As a global company, Schneider Electric believes that its importance of placing responsibility at the heart of its corporate
responsibility goes beyond compliance with local and international governance.
regulations and is committed to conducting its business ethically, The Group currently has around 170,000employees worldwide.
sustainably and responsibly. Following the Group’s various acquisitions, it has been able to
The Company is constantly interacting with all the stakeholders integrate this exceptional professional and cultural diversity. Driven
throughout the world: its borders are expanding, its environment is by Group values, the Responsibility&Ethics Dynamics program
changing ever faster, its activities are becoming globalized and its forms the basis of common references and processes. Schneider
social responsibilities are growing. Electric’s mission therefore takes its meaning from engaging with
individuals and organizations in order to help them get the most
The challenge is to gain and maintain the highest confidence of its from their energy from the perspective of sustainable and
customers and –in a wider sense– its stakeholders. To support responsible development.
each employee in this approach, the Group emphasizes the
62 2014 REGISTRATION DOCUMENT SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC