How to reconcile sustainable growth and development?

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I know what you’re thinking: another one of those marketing guys who works for a big company and talks to us about ecology! At a time when more and more people are becoming aware of the fate of the planet and its resources, at a time when eco-anxiety is becoming the new disease of our century, but also at a time of super profits and the acceleration of our lifestyles, the question arises: how can we reconcile our convictions with the reality of our actions? How can I legitimately write to you when the borderline with greenwashing is easily crossed by private international companies whose identity is to make ever more profits? How can you tell the difference between marketing communications that tell you what you want to hear and truthful and sound information? The answer simply lies in the actions a company can take in terms of content and form.

When a company is recognized for the quality and robustness of its products and is a leader in its market, it must adopt exemplary and proactive behavior, particularly regarding the environment. To stay at the forefront of its sector, and with a view to sustainable growth, it is possible to make a commitment to innovation. These innovations can take several forms.

Firstly, traditional innovation focuses on products and solutions, with launches including customization, which can be explained by the possibility of customizing a product that is perfectly adapted to customer needs and that respects the logic of just what is needed.

With such proposals, it is possible to avoid over-consumption, which could result, for example, in the purchase of several generic products to achieve a function that a customized product will enable. This type of offer can also be seen as a guarantee of honesty rather than moralizing, as it necessarily requires in-house investment and is proof that what is proposed to customers is also implemented in the factories.

Secondly, determined innovation from an environmental point of view to reduce energy footprints by using our resources efficiently. In concrete terms, this means using non-allogenic, recycled, and bio-sourced plastics.

But, responding to these innovations does not mean that it is to the detriment of a longer product life. First of all, mechanical life. Assessments on the number of uses before failure have shown that Schneider Electric’s XB4 push buttons last approximately 40% longer than the average top 5 market leader offers. The advantages are obvious: a product with a long service life will be changed less often. Beyond the ecological impact, this is an asset for users who are prepared to pay a little more for a product that is more resistant and offers long-term peace of mind.

Then, there’s electrical life. Any energy saving, however small, will have a significant impact if the products are sold in very large quantities. This is the case for contact blocks installed behind control units.

That’s why it’s vital to work on the energy efficiency of these contacts. Thanks to the reduction in contact resistance, the devices manufactured each year save 6,000 tons of CO₂ over their lifetime compared with machines not equipped with these optimized contacts. This reduction in carbon footprint can be an element of differentiation for customers.

Last but not least, the advantage of this type of product is its modularity and, by extension, its repairability. Without having to completely dismantle the product, only the defective part needs to be replaced, and at a lower cost.

Over and above these substantive considerations, which will enable an informed audience to verify whether a company is genuinely concerned about the environment, the impact of certain more formal decisions should not be minimized.

While changing a packaging color may seem anecdotal and a typical example of greenwashing, it has the effect of using cognitive biases that raise awareness of the aforementioned actions. On closer examination, we can also see that by not adding extra color and shine, we avoid the associated chemicals, energy consumption and pollution. As it happens, this type of unbleached packaging contains at least 83% recycled materials and uses no single-use plastics in its design.

At Schneider Electric, we work to ensure that our products use materials that are increasingly respectful of people and the ecosystem. 60% of our components (by weight) contain at least 20% recycled materials. And our plastics and metals will be further improved.

If there were only one concrete example of a product that is in tune with the logic of the times, i.e. combining concern for the environment with the need to make life easier for our customers, it would be our new, more compact contact blocks with push-in technology.

With this product, we use less plastic, the smaller buttons fit better into the environment of users looking for aesthetic appeal, and the push-in wiring technology saves time and money for installers. The products are lighter, and their carbon footprint during transport is reduced.

Please note that this innovative range simply replaces our previous spring-loaded quick-connect range, not adds to it. This is to avoid users drowning in a plethora of duplicate offers, which would needlessly multiply polluting means of production.

Find more information on our website Harmony push buttons and signaling devices | Schneider Electric Global (se.com)