Ad Valoris speaks with Thierry Lassus, Head of the Mobility Division at Hitachi Energy

Interviewed between two meetings, the very dynamic Geneva-based head of Hitachi Energy, who took over ABB Sécheron SA’s factories, shares with us the values and mission of the Japanese giant serving the decarbonization of transport.

Targeting three sectors—energy providers, industries, and transport—Thierry Lassus and his teams offer cutting-edge electrical solutions to equip… everything that moves. How does Thierry Lassus view Hitachi Energy’s social responsibility in its local presence?

Ad Valoris. How is CSR implemented within Hitachi Energy’s Geneva division?

Thierry Lassus. The pursuit of harmony at work is a historical hallmark of our group. In nearly 120 years of development, Hitachi has always sought to meet market needs according to a DNA summed up in a simple motto: “Harmony, sincerity, and a pioneering spirit!” These values drive us to act with fairness and to take responsibility for ourselves, our colleagues, and our company.

Our core business is the active principle of our environmental awareness: from research to production, we are committed to energy efficiency and sobriety. Our code of ethics never sacrifices societal impact to profitability: we are stakeholders in a present and a future that must, by definition, be sustainable.

How does your CSR policy materialize on a daily basis?

We aim for employee well-being within a framework of continuous development: encouragement of training, knowledge sharing, and high-quality infrastructure tools.

We believe that our social responsibility should not be limited to our internal processes, and that it can serve as an inspiring model for younger generations. To this end, we regularly open our doors to students to exchange with them, share our experience, and listen to them. It is inspiring to discover their innovation potential and their commitment to growth aligned with ecosystem restoration.

Hitachi’s Geneva industrial facilities rely on clean energy from Swiss hydroelectric plants. Our installations are powered by a large photovoltaic park; we provide charging stations for our employees and are working on a green hydrogen production project, which will soon replace the natural gas currently used in our workshops.

We are progressively transforming our site toward energy autonomy and carbon neutrality, encouraging employee multimodality, and selecting partners who share a commitment similar to ours.

What underpins your organizational intelligence?

Our charter places business objectives and the conditions in which they are achieved on an equal footing. Hitachi pursues a mission whose ultimate purpose is to preserve the planet’s natural resources.

I personally believe that duties and responsibilities exist at every hierarchical level: the strategic core must defend a clear philosophy, provide an efficient working environment, offer attractive career perspectives, and embrace change.

We expect employees to genuinely adhere to the company’s values and go beyond their job descriptions to contribute to that collective brainpower so conducive to creativity. If today we hold global leadership positions, such as in traction transformers, this is not solely the product of our engineering: it is also because we cultivate systemic thinking and remain attentive to macro- and microeconomic signals that guide us in the right direction.

Hitachi’s organizational success therefore rests on the talent of its employees and the shared awareness of building a promising present and future for younger generations.

“The pursuit of harmony at work is a historical hallmark of our group. For nearly 120 years of development, Hitachi has consistently strived to meet market needs guided by a DNA summed up in a simple motto: Harmony, sincerity, and a pioneering spirit!”

Thierry Lassus