Schneider Electric India unveiled its “Innovation Yatra” initiative yesterday, setting forth on an ambitious journey across more than 60 cities in India over the next six months, this journey ultimately concluding in the South of India. This expedition aims to showcase Schneider Electric’s significant contributions to the economic and social advancement of the nation. It will also illuminate Schneider’s sustainable solutions available today, enabling organizations to attain their sustainable development objectives while igniting a sense of urgency and awareness.

The Innovation Yatra is a stride towards carbon neutrality, featuring a green truck by BharatBenz. This vehicle, unlike conventional trucks with compression-ignition engines, leaves a minuscule carbon footprint. Its convertible design ensures manoeuvrability, while solar panels from Schneider Electric’s own brand, Luminous, power its journey. The truck’s interiors boast eco-conscious recycled materials. To offset emissions, Schneider Electric has invested in solar and wind projects across states like Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, and more through the prestigious organization ‘The Gold Standard.’

Rajat Abbi, Vice-President, Global Marketing and Chief Marketing Officer, shed light on the extraordinary effort to achieve carbon neutrality, stating, “In a campaign spanning 60+ cities over the next six months, carbon neutrality presented a formidable challenge. We tasked our in-house consulting division, Schneider Sustainable Business Division, with assessing the campaign’s carbon emissions. We considered various factors, including the number of people we aim to reach, the cities we plan to cover, customer and employee participation, and the attendees’ transportation modes.”

The mobile hub encompasses various zones, including an Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled zone and digital offerings like smart home devices. It also showcases Schneider Electric India’s five core commitments made during its 60-year journey. These commitments encompass contributions to the digital India mission, skill development, investments in the startup ecosystem, the pursuit of sustainability, and their service portfolio.

The truck also houses a Green Yodha Sustainability Zone, stemming from Schneider Electric India’s Green Yodha campaign initiated 1.5 years ago. This campaign unites stakeholders from diverse backgrounds to discuss and accelerate their sustainability endeavours. Abbi explained, “The concept of Green Yodha is about becoming more responsible, more efficient, understanding our responsibilities, and playing our part.” Schneider Electric India has extended its reach from influential figures like Amitabh Kant, the G20 Sherpa, to top CEOs, all serving as Green Yodhas. The initiative even plans to transcend national borders, expanding globally under the name ‘Impact Makers.’

Schneider Electric India’s Innovation Yatra aspires to touch the lives of over 20 million stakeholders, spanning citizens, corporations, policymakers, and institutions. The goal is to sensitize these diverse groups to the imperative of sustainability across more than 60 cities and to transform ten thousand stakeholders into Green Yodhas. The customized truck is set to embark on its journey from the Garden Galleria Mall near DLF Mall of India in Noida on October 9th, marking its first stop in Northern India before heading to the East.

In the pursuit of galvanizing urgency for a sustainable future, Abbi emphasized, “India can achieve Net Zero by 2070 if we act decisively now. Failure to transform our plans into action could thwart our 2070 goal. Our nation is evolving rapidly, and the energy demands are forecasted to surge two to threefold in the next five years, which inevitably translates to an increase in emissions.” The Innovation Yatra’s mission is clear: to inspire action and ignite change on the path to a sustainable and responsible future.