CEOs look back on eventful 2024, look forward to a better 2025
(Seventh of a series)
1. GEORGE YOUNG JR.
Chair and CEO,
General Milling Corp.
and HUBERT YOUNG
Vice chair and Treasurer,
General Milling Corp.
In 2024, we started the General Milling Corp. (GMC) strategic transformation journey.
The GMC board of directors was expanded to include three independent directors and new members with strong and diverse backgrounds.
They are now developing the new corporate charter of the company, optimizing the various opportunities available.
We have established a new management team, including a new president and chief operating officer, a chief finance officer and a chief human resource officer. While the next generation leaders of the family members begin their management development track.
[In 2025], we look forward to further professionalizing GMC as we add more new members to the management team, such as the head of sales and head of manufacturing operations.We will keep moving forward to drive more business development opportunities through strategic partnerships that leverage innovation and best practices.
We will streamline business processes to deliver on critical [key performance indicators]. We are excited about the new possibilities ahead with a growth mindset driving the company.
2. IREEN CATANE
Country President,
Schneider Electric Philippines
We have achieved several significant milestones that have positively impacted our business.
On a global scale, we were honored as the Most Sustainable Company in 2024 by TIME Magazine and ranked #1 in Global Supply Chain by Gartner. Locally, we were recently recognized as the national winner for Gender-inclusive Workplace, and Leadership Commitment by the UN Women Empowerment Principles (WEPs) Award.
Last year, we inaugurated our enhanced Smart Distribution Center in the Cavite Economic Zone where we invested P86.5 million to set new standards in sustainable logistics.
Our center is now equipped with our own Industry 4.0 technologies. With the transition, we have recorded a 14-percent increase in production growth and 13 percent in energy savings. Up to 80 percent of finished goods are also now transported inbound and outbound by a fleet of EV trucks.
I am equally proud of our progress in the corporate citizenship front focusing on youth and education.
Schneider Electric established SE learning labs at Dualtech Training Center and six technical vocational institutes in Marawi City.
We have forged a partnership with the Philippine Science High School (PSHS) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) through the Tulong Pisay Project.
Part of the partnership is the SE equipment donation to seven PSHS campuses and free access to Schneider Electric University content for DOST’s Starbooks kiosks.
We continuously invest in developing innovative solutions that deliver measurable results in line with our Schneider Electric Sustainability Impact (SSI) score.
At the end of the third quarter of 2024, we achieved a 36-percent reduction of our suppliers’ operational CO2 emissions globally through our Zero Carbon Project. Our Global Supply Chain (GSC) Hub in Cavite is an active contributor to this project.
Since 2023, we have been collaborating with 50 local partners and suppliers in their own transition so we can shift to an end-to-end carbon neutral value chain.
We are happy with our accomplishments so far and are committed to do more to bring us closer to our ambition of championing meaningful progress at scale for all.
This year promises to be even bigger as we celebrate our 30th anniversary in the Philippines.
You can expect that Schneider Electric will continue to partner with the local business sector and the Philippine government on their digital transformation journey.
As an IMPACT first company, we take pride in our ability to drive continuous progress in the Philippines. Our cutting-edge technologies and expertise serve as agents for global transformation.
But it is through effective collaborations that we can make a bigger impact collectively and empower a future where every Filipino can thrive.
