Sustainability is not an option. It is a necessary requirement for a growing and thriving society. To avoid today’s challenges becoming a burden to future generations, both new thinking and hard work are required. Collaboration is a fundamental prerequisite for success.
“There are so many companies, institutions and researchers that are in favor of building a sustainable future and there are many discussions and debates taking place in many arenas. “’Sustainable future’ has become a natural part of our vocabulary, which bodes well for the future,” says Jenny Larsson, Managing Director and Head of Sales & Marketing for ABB's Power Grids business in Sweden (1 January 2020).
Jenny has become known as a thought leader on key energy issues. With several top positions under her belt, Jenny is a familiar face in high profile forums and steering groups. Already as a young and determined teenager she started to carve a clear path forward. Gävle-girl Jenny was supposed to be a doctor, but as a 12 year-old, she noticed the consequences of Chernobyl and changed tracks to become an engineer: instead of healing, she would make sure that people did not become ill. Now she is dedicating her professional life to solving energy issues. After many years at Vattenfall, Jenny came to ABB Power Grids last year and in this article shares more about what inspired her to join ABB Power Grids.
“I have always been drawn to companies that are at the forefront of the sustainable agenda. It is extremely enjoyable to be part of a company that is playing a big role in driving the energy transition and shaping a sustainable future,” says Jenny Larsson.
New energy landscape
The energy conversion Jenny talks about is accelerating at a high pace. The rate of investment in the grid is record high and more renewable solutions are seeing the light of day. In Sweden, the government has set a target of 100% of renewable electricity production in 2040 and by 2045, Sweden will be fossil-free. Jenny thrives in the middle of the ‘energy storm's eye’ – and the hunger to make a difference has perhaps never been greater than now.
“In all the arenas where I met customers and politicians we discuss how to collaborate on partnership and pilot projects. There is a keen interest in new technologies and innovation that can drive the development towards more sustainable societies,” exclaims Jenny.
In the transition to sustainable energy supply, ABB’s technologies play a significant role. ABB Power Grids offers solutions that reduce customers' environmental impact through, among other things, improved energy efficiency and increased productivity. Jenny regards ABB Power Grids as well positioned in the new and emerging energy landscape – especially due to its portfolio of digital solutions.
According to Jenny, “digitalization and sustainability go hand-in-hand and it is digitalization that helps us to make the transition to sustainable energy supply. ABB Power Grids has products, systems and solutions for customers in many industries on the energy side, but also in industry and we are also contributing to the transformation of transportation and infrastructure sectors.”
Diversity is needed
To create a sustainable society, more than one energy conversion is needed. Diversity is an important piece of the puzzle, which Jenny fully advocates. It was, among other things, the commitment to diversity that made her the first person to receive the award ‘Power Woman of the Year’ (2016), as recognised by Kraftkvinnorna, the Swedish association for women in the Swedish power industry.
"To be sustainable, innovation, cross-border cooperation, new business models and partnerships are essential. Diversity is a precondition for success. We cannot always continue to recruit the same kind of people, but instead we need to enrich ourselves in terms of skills, experiences, ethnicity and gender,” says Jenny.
ABB in Sweden has stated that they will recruit more young talents and more women during 2019 and on this note, Jenny is passionate about building an inclusive corporate culture where everyone can thrive and flourish. She underlines the importance of ‘daring to break structures – even at the top of male dominated technology companies.’
“We must be creative and for example, generate rotation even in the management positions,” asserts Jenny. “A person who has held the same role for many years might develop more if he or she went on to do another role. And please do not say that there are ‘no female applicants’ – just look elsewhere! Companies that understand how important these questions are make the necessary changes happen.”
ABB Power Grids is committed to driving for inclusion, diversity and gender equality across its business.
