Industry stands at the threshold of a clean revolution. Breakthrough approaches to producing steel, cement, fuels, chemicals, and other resource-intensive products are moving beyond pilot projects into full-scale operations. These innovations are transforming supply chains, strengthening economies, boosting security and unlocking trillions of dollars in global investment opportunities.
Engineering for Change and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, present the first in the CATALYZE Series of discussions on the energy transition and the future of industry. Through the video clips below, we explore why decarbonization is critical to ensuring sustainable operations and profits, and why the transition to clean industry is inevitable.
Two clean industry insiders join us to discuss the issues: Alain Lefevre, Co-Chair of ASME CATALYZE and Sustainability Strategy Director at Schneider Electric, and Sophie Meerstadt, Associate Director of the Mission Possible Partnership .
Mission Possible Partnership tracks the progress toward cleaner production in seven major industries, and Ms. Meerstadt brings us up to date. She also discusses bottlenecks her team has identified through their work with developers on the ground.
Mr. Lefevre co-authored the whitepaper Sustainability Meets Growth: A Roadmap for SMEs and Mid-Sized Manufacturers, and he draws out points on sustainability as a competitive advantage for small and and mid-sized manufacturers. His talk also highlights practical applications of clean industry through the experience of a Schneider plant, exemplifying what is happening and what is possible.
What we cover
- The Momentum Behind Clean Industry: Over 80 clean industrial plants are already operating worldwide, with 900+ projects in development across 70 countries. The technologies work, the projects exist, and scaling up is the next critical step.
- The Third Pillar of the Energy Transition: Discover how clean industry complements efficiency and renewable power to complete the global energy transformation.
- The Role of Engineers in Driving Change: Understand the engineering and economic forces shaping this shift—and why engineers are central to building an unstoppable industrial transformation.
Tracking Progress toward Cleaner Industry
Sophie Meerstadt at the Mission Possible Partnership describes her organization’s work tracking the progress toward cleaner production in seven major industries.
A Q&A with Sophie Meerstadt
How many clean industry projects are needed before you can call it a revolution? How is industry addressing the bottlenecks in advanced manufacturing and clean production? Is China outpacing the world in clean industry?
Sophie Meerstadt, Associate Director of the Mission Possible Partnership answers our questions in this webinar video clip.
Real-World Applications of Clean Industry
Alain Lefevre at Schneider Electric points to practical examples of clean industry from the experience of a Schneider plant.
A Q&A with Alain Lefevre
How do AI and smart tech integrate with advanced manufacturing and clean industry? How can advanced manufacturing careers attract new graduates? How are manufacturers tracking emissions across their entire supply chains?
Alain Lefevre at Schneider Electric, answers our questions in this CATALYZE Series webinar video.
Looking Ahead: ASME CATALYZE
These webinar videos provide context for ASME CATALYZE, a two-day summit on June 17–18, 2026, at Newlab in Detroit, Michigan. CATALYZE will convene engineers, investors, and industry leaders to explore how to build, fund, and scale sustainable industrial systems. Register now and join us in June!
Presenters
Iana Aranda is the President of Engineering for Change and Managing Director of Sustainability in the Engineering for Sustainable Development division of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. In these roles, Ms. Aranda leads cross-functional efforts to develop sustainability business strategy focusing on advancing engineering knowledge, enhancing technical workforce readiness, facilitating the energy transition, and accelerating innovation to improve the quality of life for people and the planet. She also oversees ASME’s emerging climate technology and sustainability stakeholder engagement groups.
Alain Lefevre is Co-Chair of ASME CATALYZE and Sustainability Strategy Director for Schneider Electric’s Industrial Automation Global Strategy Team, focusing on integrating sustainability into go-to-market strategies and operations. He is a part-time fellow with the World Economic Forum on the Industry Net Zero Accelerator and a Member-at-Large on the ASME Committee on Sustainability.
Sophie Meerstadt covers the role of Associate Director at Mission Possible Partnership (MPP), an alliance focused on supercharging the decarbonization of some of the world’s highest-emitting sectors in heavy industry and transport. As part of the leadership team, Sophie runs the central Technical Expertise & Strategy team that guides MPP’s work from a technical standpoint, and the Sector Insights team which provides updates on the clean industry pipeline twice per year.
Before joining MPP, Sophie worked in Boston Consulting Group’s Energy and Climate & Sustainability practices for 7 years, including a 2-year MBA at Columbia University. She worked on complex energy transition projects, for example on grids, renewable generation, biogas, terminal decarbonisation, food transition, and plastic pollution. She also worked in Systemiq’s Energy practice on topics such as the energy transition in Africa, and a green market intermediary for clean fuels. Sophie graduated summa cum laude in Finance from the university of Groningen in the Netherlands.
