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CEO Sustainability Series | Yannick Lothou, Managing Director, GMS AGS Singapore (Group Mobilitas)

As part of the Sustainable Business initiative, the French Chamber of Commerce in Singapore presents a leadership interview series where we invite CEOs and key executives to discuss crucial management qualities that drive successful sustainable transformation

 

Question 1. What has your company’s sustainability journey been like so far?

Like most companies on the sustainability journey, we have found that some sustainability measures are easier to implement than others.

Changing all the lightbulbs in the office to low-power LEDs is easily done at relatively low cost compared with adapting our fleet of moving trucks to run on biofuel in some countries or changing to electric trucks in some other countries.

In France for example we do prioritize the use of the cargo train or rivers transports to lower our Carbon footprint.

In Singapore we do encourage video surveys instead of physical survey when it comes to calculates & estimate the volumes of client’s household goods to export worldwide.

We also recycle most of our packing materials around the world.

This kind of changes not only requires a greater financial outlay, but it would also have to be implemented in stages so as not to affect customer service.

Nevertheless, we are not deterred by measures that require more effort to implement. They simply require more consideration. All steps towards sustainability, however incremental, are good. We just need to take the long view and remain committed to our sustainability goals.

 

Q2. Could you please tell us more about your partnership with PLANÈTE URGENCE?

Planète Urgence is an NGO that specialises in combatting global deforestation by planting trees in countries whose ecosystems have been damaged by climate change or human activity. Through reforestation, the NGO aims to protect endangered biodiversity, promote sustainable local community development, and raise environmental awareness.

The AGS Group has partnered with Planète Urgence on its Environment & Development Programme since 2009, sponsoring the planting of trees in various locations around the world. To date the group has sponsored 292 000 trees in Haiti, Mali, Madagascar, and Indonesia.

 

Q3. How do you see expectations and attitudes towards sustainability changing among your employees, customers, and partners? and what is the impact on your organisation?

We see that sustainability is becoming more important to everyone: employees, clients, and partners. This reflects what is happening in global society as more and more people experience the effects of climate change.

As such, we are assessing how we can make our daily business practices even more sustainable.

As a company that prides itself on supporting the local community, it is our moral imperative to reduce our impact on the environment. 

 

 

 

This interview was conducted with Yannick Lothou, Managing Director, GMS AGS Singapore (Group Mobilitas) French Foreign Trade (CCE)

November 2022 | French Chamber of Commerce in Singapore

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