Timothée Macé Dubois : “Sustainability is profitable.”

Interview with Timothée Macé Dubois, Head of Institutional Affairs at Schneider Electric since 2023, and co-founder of the Circular Fashion Federation. He is passionate about energy, circular economy, and ecological transition issues. Timothée is convinced that industrial renewal will come through a revolution of our societal model.

As Head of Institutional Affairs, you represent the group at climate events and with associations (for example, recently at Climate Week in NY). What are your major battles or messages that you convey ?

Absolutely, one of my main tasks is to organize Schneider Electric’s participation in international climate events such as Climate Week in New York and COP. At Schneider Electric, we want to move away from the famous “inaction triangle”; we believe that businesses are best positioned to drive change towards a more sustainable world. Schneider Electric, ranked 7th most sustainable company in the world in the “2024 Global 100” by Corporate Knights, must demonstrate leadership and be a driving force for transition!

The messages we convey at these events are manifold.

Firstly, electrification and digitalization are key to achieving sustainability. To ensure a more sustainable and resilient future, we need efficient, low-carbon, and intelligent energy: this is what we call Electricity 4.0. Energy demand represents 55% of the potential carbon footprint reduction of energy by 2050; it is a priority to address it!

We also convey messages of responsibility and commitment. As an “Impact Enterprise,” Schneider Electric has defined a climate strategy that encompasses all stakeholders, from employees to supply chain partners, customers, as well as local communities and institutions. For example, our “The Zero Carbon Project” aims to halve emissions from our top 1000 suppliers, and we are committed to helping our customers save or avoid 800 million tons of CO2 by 2025. Our action on our Scope 3 emissions would be impossible without digital technologies to know, make visible, and track data, measure emissions, and build a decarbonization roadmap. Moreover, Schneider Electric was one of the first companies in the world to have its Net-Zero targets validated by the SBTi with the new “SBTi Corporate Net-Zero Standard” in August 2022.

Lastly, our fight is also for a just transition because the transition we envision must not leave anyone behind. We place great emphasis on promoting education, skills development, access to energy, etc. In 2024, 600 million Africans still lack access to electricity; we fight, with our solutions and messages, to reduce the planet’s carbon footprint while contributing to everyone’s inalienable right to access quality energy and digital technology. The Group has committed to providing access to green electricity for 100 million people in underserved areas by 2030.

What action are you most proud of within Schneider Electric ?

Good question! My greatest pride is already to have joined this large French industrial group, which places sustainability at the heart of its business strategy. Helping consume less energy and better energy, supporting our clients and suppliers in reducing their emissions, that’s our bread and butter! For Schneider Electric, sustainability is profitable.

Furthermore, among the projects I have had the honor to participate in, managing Schneider Electric’s participation in COP28 in Dubai was a real professional milestone. Organizing this event involved nearly 8 months of close coordination with various stakeholders, internally (all Schneider departments, from business to communication, from our consulting branch to our Sustainability Research Institute™, not to mention our subsidiaries and country management teams, were involved), but also externally, notably with UNFCCC, UN Global Compact, WBCSD, and other coalitions or NGOs.

During COP28, Schneider Electric participated in numerous roundtables, discussions, and events to shed light on existing technologies and concrete solutions to meet our climate and sustainability goals. Special emphasis was placed on the issue of Education and Skills, as we will struggle to electrify the world without electricians! Finally, we were able to renew our partnership with the Solar Impulse Foundation, very close to Schneider Electric as it promotes clean, economically viable, and environmentally positive solutions!

On a broader note, the final drafting of the Global Stocktake including “transitioning away from fossil fuels” is encouraging, but it is not an end in itself, it is the beginning of a long journey. The “triple up / double down” – doubling our efforts in energy efficiency and tripling renewable energy capacities -, reiterated during COP28, is the essential means to ensure this transition.

So, it was an important moment, demonstrating not only our commitment to climate action but also our ability to positively influence the global dialogue on sustainability.

You also co-founded the Circular Fashion Federation two years ago, what prompted this creation ?

The creation of the Circular Fashion Federation (CFF) in April 2022 was motivated by the desire to bring together the entire circular fashion ecosystem, from upstream to downstream in the lifecycle. Today, we have more than 230 member companies: collectors, recyclers, digital solutions or marketplaces, brands, major retail and luxury groups, repairers, upcyclers, resellers, etc. The sector needs synergies to grow, and that’s the whole purpose of the CFF!

We unite these actors around a common goal: we need to amplify the socio-environmental impact of our sector in the long term. This approach is part of a vision of transparent, responsible, and fair fashion, fundamental values ​​that the Federation strives to promote.

As co-founder, my role was to build the Federation’s advocacy, defend the interests of our member companies, and promote the adoption of circularity in public policies. This involves ongoing awareness and dialogue with decision-makers to recognize the importance of circular fashion and its potential in terms of sustainable development, reindustrialization, and innovation. We advocate for numerous measures (Circular VAT, Circular Tax Credit, penalties for less virtuous products, awareness and training, consumer information, regulation of fast fashion, etc.) gathered in our Common Program for Circular Fashion.

In a context of resource scarcity, and as the textile industry accounts for 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, the economy and fashion must become circular!

Can you introduce the resources it provides to companies to move towards more sustainable fashion ?

The Circular Fashion Federation, although relatively young with less than two years of existence, has already put in place a multitude of resources to support companies in the sector in their transition to more sustainable fashion and to promote circularity values ​​in public debate.

Among our key initiatives, we have published a White Paper, our Common Program for Circular Fashion, the latest edition of which was released in September 2023. It brings together 15 proposals for measures to address the concrete challenges faced by all actors in circular fashion and to build a fashion industry that is fairer, more sustainable, and more responsible. In this regard, we have also developed a booklet detailing the regulations applicable to companies in the sector, a valuable tool for navigating the complex legislative and regulatory landscape. We provide our members with monthly institutional and regulatory monitoring.

To animate and strengthen our community, we have published a map of circular fashion actors, we distribute a monthly newsletter on sector news, we have set up working groups, and we organize webinars, informal meetings between members, and afterworks. Anything that can contribute to sharing experiences, creating synergies, and strengthening ties can contribute to the development of circular fashion.

Finally, one of the highlights of our calendar is the organization of Circular Fashion Day, which takes place once a year at the French Institute of Fashion (IFM). This day is

a unique opportunity to exchange best practices, discover the latest innovations, and strengthen the network of professionals committed to circularity.

It is a voluntary effort that takes up a good part of my free time, but what a joy to see all the work accomplished in less than 2 years!