Sonepar: You have given the name “Blue Way” to Sonepar’s sustainable development plan. Why?
M.L.: We wanted to identify an approach that is specific to Sonepar.
“Blue”:
• Blue is the color of Sonepar.
• Blue is the color of an electrical arc.
• Blue is the color of the Earth as seen from outer space.
• Blue is the color of water and the sky.
“Way” suggests a manner of being, a direction, a path or road to follow. In addition, our code name needed to be easy to understand in many countries.
Sonepar: How would you define sustainable development?
M.L.: Sustainable development implies the two-fold need to preserve our environment (natural resources) and improve the quality of life (creation of wealth). It is therefore growth in comfort, security and wealth that is shared by ourselves and future generations. Sustainable development must view the effects of this growth with optimism and realism. As Saint-Exupéry once said, “We do not inherit the Earth…we borrow it from our children.” It is up to us to respect what we have received, to improve it of course and, above all, to ensure that we do not destroy it.
Sonepar: What actions are you taking to promote sustainable development?
M.L.: For the past two years, Sonepar has made its internal and external stakeholders increasingly aware of the issues concerning sustainable development as they relate to its business, including:
> Its role as an advocate of innovative energy-saving solutions.
> Its role as a pioneer in bringing new concepts and products to the market.
> Its role as an intermediary between the manufacturer and the installer in response to the need to improve product impact (packaging, transport).
This approach is linked to a number of initiatives, including the creation of a CD-ROM and a contest that challenges 2,000 worldwide associates (in 29 countries) to come up with concrete new ideas aimed at improving the energy efficiency of the entire electricity chain. Starting at the end of the year, 20 of the ideas chosen will be implemented in all of Sonepar’s companies.
Sonepar: Why has Sonepar made a commitment to sustainable development?
M.L.: Sonepar has practiced sustainable development for many years. It is by no means a current trend. Nor is it a communications tool. There is an old saying among Sonepar’s shareholders: “What counts is what lasts and what lasts is that which knows how to adapt.” I feel that we are totally committed to sustainable development. What is perhaps a little more recent is a stronger desire to facilitate and share a way of being and acting with a larger number of people. Our international size and number of associates require us to be even more responsible. We must continue to contribute to this great endeavor through our know-how, our personal conduct and our expertise by sharing our cultural values. A large number of initiatives have been undertaken in various countries. Some are original and even groundbreaking, and others quite simple, but all of them represent an important contribution that is particularly meaningful to me. For us, actions speak much louder than words and it is not on words – of which there are plenty – that we are focusing our efforts.
Sonepar: Do you think that sustainable development is an issue that all companies in all sectors will need to deal with?
M.L.: Yes, it is an issue that concerns all companies in the short, medium and long term. This is due in part to legislation, which requires that companies comply with the law, but mainly to companies’ awareness of the future impact of their activities on our environment, the greenhouse effect, the implications of climate change, pollution, and their use of energy as consumers. Sustainable development is not the domain of certain individuals: it is truly everyone’s business.
