gatc LP was very excited to be part of the 12th SWISSMEM ”Industrietag” in Zurich, Switzerland on June 19th, 2018. The annual event carried the theme “Shaping the Future – Using high-tech from the industry for a sustainable economy”. More than 1300 participants from business, politics and research contributed to this informative event. We thoroughly enjoyed many conversations about the role companies can play to achieve a more sustainable economy.
They keynote speakers included, among others, Joe Kaeser, CEO of Siemens and Ignazio Cassis, Federal Council and Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), who presented innovative solutions to reduce the CO2 emissions and to more efficiently use raw materials.
The Swiss mechanical engineering, electrical and metal (MEM) industry is focused on innovative technology that will lead to an efficientusage of natural resources andto the reduction of harmful emissions. As the global environmental challenges continue to grow, the industry has taken it upon themselves to contribute to a more sustainable world economy. By constantly improving their production processes and producing environmentally friendly products and technologies, the Swiss MEM is trying to leave an ecologically friendly footprint behind. In Switzerland alone, the SWISSMEM member companies have lowered their energy consumption levels by 45 percent since 1990. During the same period, they have been able to reduce their CO2 emissions by 59 percent. However, their biggest impact is made abroad, as 80 percent of Swiss MEM products are exported. The Swiss MEM industry member companies are active all over the world and include names like Siemens, ABB and Liebherr.
Together, the member companies employ more than 512,000 employees worldwide, compared to 325,000 in Switzerland. By reducing CO2 emissions abroad to the same extent that has been done domestically, the SWISSMEM industry can have a large impact on reaching international climate goals. The Paris agreement is an example of a bilateral climate agreement that focuses on lowering energy consumption, the efficient use of raw materials and reducing CO2 emissions, which are all important features of the Swiss MEM industry’s products.
An interesting innovation was presented by Dr. Christoph Gebald, Co-CEO and Co-founder of Climeworks. They have developed a type of air vacuum cleaner, which can capture CO2 from the air and instead produce carbon-neutral hydrocarbons fuels and materials. As of today, they have a pilot version installed in Switzerland, which is capturing CO2 emissions equivalent of 900 cars per day.
In addition to the ecological components, the term sustainability also includes social aspects. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a prioritized feature for SWISSMEM member companies, as they set high standards for their own, individual principles and sustainability regulations. Since gatc LP has clients in numerous different industries, it is of great importance to us to incorporate all aspects of sustainability into our work for our clients.
The 12th industry day of SWISSMEM emphasized that our actions today can demonstrate entrepreneurship and a service to society at the same time. Entrepreneurship, if done properly, is the greatest tool we have for a more sustainable global economy.
In our 35 year history we’ve worked with many different Swiss companies, but are still always amazed by the level of ingenuity and innovation this rather small country produces. As a service provider to international companies in the U.S., we don’t look for just for new clients, but clients that can make an impact – and Switzerland certainly delivers on that.