Sphera & Johnson Electric: Preparing for the Future of Global Sustainability Reporting

Fernando Lopes is a seasoned sustainability and EHS (Environment, Health & Safety) leader with over 25 years of global experience across the automotive and manufacturing sectors. Currently serving as Head of Sustainability and EHS at Johnson Electric in Hong Kong, Fernando has spearheaded transformative initiatives that align corporate strategy with international sustainability frameworks, including the UN Global Compact, GRI, SASB, and the Science Based Targets initiative.

Since joining Johnson Electric in 2021, Fernando has led the company through a remarkable sustainability transformation. Under his leadership, Johnson Electric achieved 100% renewable electricity usage across all global operations by FY25/26 — a milestone reached a full decade ahead of the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) schedule. The company earned recognition from EcoVadis, in ranking in the top 1% among their industry, and was most recently awarded Standard & Poor’s highest sustainability ranking among Chinese auto component companies. These achievements reflect Fernando’s strategic vision and commitment to embedding sustainability into every facet of the organization.

Throughout his career — notably during his tenure at Delphi Technologies — Fernando has led multidisciplinary teams across 55 global sites, driving measurable improvements in safety culture, emissions reduction, and sustainability reporting. His leadership resulted in industry-leading benchmarks, including a Lost Workday Rate 27 times lower than the EU average and recognition from CDP, Ecovadis, and other global rating agencies.

Fernando holds a Master of Science in Electronics and Telecommunications Engineering and multiple certifications in sustainability and EHS auditing. Fluent in Portuguese, English, and Spanish, he brings a multicultural perspective to his work and is passionate about embedding sustainability into core business operations to create long-term value.

Stefan Premer is Senior Director within Sphera’s Consulting Organization, where he leads the Corporate Sustainability Consulting department. He manages teams focused on ESG and corporate sustainability strategy, advising organizations on evolving sustainability requirements, regulatory developments, and reporting frameworks such as CSRD and IFRS.

Stefan has deep expertise in climate strategy development and corporate carbon accounting, including quantified transition planning and climate risk modelling. He has supported companies in developing and operationalizing sustainability strategies, automating sustainability processes, and implementing large-scale strategic sustainability projects across sectors.

At present, Stefan is an ISO committee member for “Quantification and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions and removals at organizational level,” contributing to the GHG Protocol update, as well as “Greenhouse gas and climate change management and related activities – Mitigation.”

Stefan is based in Zürich, Switzerland, and holds an M.Sc. in Business Administration, specializing in Strategy and Management in International Organizations, from Linköping University in Sweden.