Successful digital transformation requires people who actively drive it forward.
With the strategic pillar PEOPLE, we at SPIE are continuously developing our digital culture. For us, digital culture means that digital technologies are firmly embedded in our employees’ workflows, communication, and mindset. After all, a digital mindset is essential for the successful integration of new solutions.
Digital technologies have revolutionized the way we live and work – digital culture is the driving force behind it.
Clarissa Hack, Head of Digital Transformation, SPIE Germany Switzerland Austria
A strong digital culture not only fosters innovative digital solutions but also enhances the company’s agility and resilience. Cross-team collaboration enables efficient knowledge and idea sharing. Moreover, a well-established digital culture helps attract top talent and retain it long term. In doing so, we follow a customer-centric approach, consistently aligning our efforts with our customers’ needs and placing them at the heart of everything we do.
SPIE employees have a digital mindset and actively promote the implementation of digital solutions.
Our digital culture is built on three key aspects: the digital individual, collaboration within SPIE, and external interaction. We actively engage with internal and external stakeholders and additionally rely on:
- programs and training,
- digital tools,
- digitalization partnerships,
- platforms and infrastructure
to drive digitalization forward.
Together, we are driving digital transformation forward
Mastering the shift to a digital world is only possible together. That’s why we count on a strong organization that identifies and brings digital use cases to life.
Digital Group Committee
The Digital Group Committee coordinates the strategic framework across all countries. It enables rapid progress through synergies as well as the transfer of know-how and best practices.
The Digital Group Committee meets three times a year. Between these meetings, selected topics are addressed in dedicated working groups. Currently, these include 'Strategy & Communication,' 'Digital Trust,' 'Digital Insights and Benchmarks,' 'Digital Culture,' and 'Data'.
The Digital Group Committee at the showroom of our partner VDL (represented by Raoul Rosendaal, Head of Business Development VDL Groep)
Members of the Digital Core Team at the SPIE Germany Switzerland Austria management conference in January 2025.
#DIGITAL Core Team
The Digital Core Team defines the strategic direction of our digitalization activities and coordinates cross-departmental projects. The team serves as the central interface between our operational units and the central departments of Digital Transformation and IT.
#DIGITAL Multipliers
Representatives from all operational areas, together with the central Digital Transformation department, form an internal SPIE network. Its aim is to further strengthen our digital culture and drive digital transformation. In collaboration with customers, new digitalisation ideas are developed in workshops. The resulting use cases and business plans form the basis for proof-of-concept projects in the most promising areas. The #DIGITAL multipliers then initiate and support these pilot projects, with our central IT team involved from the outset.
Another key focus for the #DIGITAL multipliers is actively communicating digital initiatives to consistently reinforce our digital culture.
#DIGITAL Multipliers at the Design Thinking Training 2023
Team Digital Transformation
Our Digital Transformation team, led by Clarissa Hack, serves as the central point of contact for all digitalization initiatives. Digital trends and technologies at SPIE are evaluated in collaboration with the operational units and the IT department for practical use cases. We work closely with our innovation lab, ARENA2036, where prototypes can be developed and tested. Through various measures, we also strengthen our digital culture.
Ecosystems driving acceleration
We deliberately leverage networks and ecosystems. By broadening skills, perspectives, and collaboration, we work with customers and partners to advance our use cases towards implementation — and shorten time-to-market in the process.
SPIE leverages innovation platforms such as ARENA2036, the EUREF Campus, and the Future District Alliance to enhance its innovation capabilities. By participating in these platforms, SPIE can develop new technologies and concepts that drive digital transformation. Collaboration within these networks fosters the exchange of ideas and provides access to the latest research findings. Moreover, we develop sustainable solutions for the challenges of tomorrow.
ARENA2036 is a research platform for the mobility of the future. In Stuttgart, technology companies and scientific institutes collaborate on future-oriented topics related to production and lightweight construction within the context of Industry 4.0. The research hall offers 10,000 square meters of gross floor area with 160 office and production workstations and is located on the campus of the University of Stuttgart.
SPIE uses ARENA2036 as an innovation lab. Since the beginning of our partnership in 2018, we have developed strategic initiatives such as digital building twins and created practical solutions for predictive maintenance, IoT process optimization, and sustainability reporting. Collaboration within the ARENA2036 ecosystem accelerates our digital transformation and reduces the time-to-market for concrete solutions. Our current focus is on use cases involving AI and robotics, the industrial metaverse, and energy efficiency through hydrogen technologies. These are being developed together with the ARENA2036 community as proofs of concepts.
ARENA2036 is also a place for lived, cross-border collaboration:
SPIE employees from Belgium, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Poland, and Switzerland work together on use cases in technical facility management. We develop our digital solutions in collaboration with customers and partners. In today’s connected world, partnerships are essential for success.
Selected Developments at ARENA2036
Predictive Maintenance for Air Handling Units
The use of advanced sensors and algorithms minimizes downtime, reduces maintenance costs, and extends the lifespan of equipment.
SPIE relies on Holobuilder for Digital Twins
HoloBuilder increases efficiency and transparency at SPIE through 360-degree imaging and digital twins. Ideal for room and equipment documentation, defect reports, and remote support. User-friendly and intuitive to use.
Optimization of the Start-up Process - OCR Plate Reader
For optimal asset recording in facility management, SPIE uses the Plate Reader at project start. The OCR technology for automatic capture and evaluation of nameplates and asset data increases efficiency, reduces errors, and works offline.
In November 2024, SPIE Germany Switzerland Austria moved to EUREF-Campus Düsseldorf as its new corporate headquarters. The EUREF Campus aims to promote innovative solutions in the fields of energy, sustainability, and mobility, providing a platform for companies, research institutions, and start-ups. As part of the EUREF community, SPIE actively engages in this forward-looking environment to drive digital innovations and sustainable projects. In our new SPIE Experience Center, we showcase our service portfolio through cutting-edge technologies and offer insights into innovative facility management solutions at EUREF Campus, which SPIE has been entrusted to operate .
Our Innovations at the EUREF-Campus
BIM as Single Source of Truth: Holistic Approach for the EUREF-Campus Düsseldorf
Optimized management and utilization of the EUREF Campus Düsseldorf through BIM: centralized data management, increased efficiency, improved communication, and direct exports of furniture and equipment plans.
Energy Manager
Energy Manager developed by SPIE is a cloud-based tool for analyzing and optimizing energy consumption. It provides transparency, helps reduce costs and CO2 emissions, and supports Industry 4.0 through flexible use via web browsers.
SPIE relies on Holobuilder for Digital Twins
HoloBuilder increases efficiency and transparency at SPIE through 360-degree imaging and digital twins. Ideal for room and equipment documentation, defect reports, and remote support. User-friendly and intuitive to use.
What does the future neighborhood look like?
SPIE is part of the Future District Alliance: a network dedicated to promoting sustainable urban development and innovative solutions. By collaborating with various partners from industry, academia, and public institutions, SPIE helps integrate digital technologies and sustainable practices into urban environments.
Our expertise in digital infrastructure and intelligent building technologies enables us to develop forward-looking concepts that not only improve the quality of life for citizens but also enhance the efficiency and resilience of cities.
By participating in the consortium, SPIE underscores the importance of collaboration and innovation in shaping vibrant, sustainable, and smart urban ecosystems.
1 Team - 2 Innovations - 3 Months
Combining expertise: In three months, an international expert team at ARENA2036 created innovations for technical facility management.
Since we often face the same challenges across countries, six strategic committees have been established to work together at group level. On behalf of the TechFM Group Committee, the ID Team (Innovation & Digitalization) was created. It is made up of experts from all SPIE national companies involved in technical facility management: France, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Poland, and Switzerland.
In 2023, the team developed innovations over a three-month period for the first time, focusing on the topics of Predictive Maintenance, Start-up Process, IoT-FM Connect Platform and Eco-Reporting at ARENA2036. The recipe for success: during this time, participants focused exclusively on the “Innovation Challenges,” supported by agile coaching from our subsidiary bridgingIT. The result speaks for itself: four pilot-ready solutions and the SPIE Innovation Award for innovative methodology.
We’re proud that in 2024, a new ID Team with eight participants dedicated three months at ARENA2036 to advancing the Predictive Maintenance project and developing an Energy Efficiency GPT.
After their on-site project phase, the ID Team members act as multipliers for the innovations developed and support pilot projects within their respective national companies. The implementation of all pilot applications is planned at the SPIE Group headquarters in Cergy.
ONE SPIE ID-Team 2024
The ID Team concept was honored with the SPIE Innovation Award in 2024
Strengthening our digital culture
With our diverse range of offerings, we enable our employees to actively embark on the journey of digital transformation.
In collaboration with the SPIE Academy, we offer comprehensive training programs that provide practical solutions for individual daily work and the challenges of digital transformation – for example, through our #DIGITAL webinars. Additionally, specific training sessions are offered via our IT department, such as on Robotic Process Automation (RPA). Our e-learning portal, S.M.I.L.E., is available to all employees for all digital learning content.
Good ideas pay off: Employees can submit planned or already implemented digital solutions as well as general improvement suggestions through idea management and receive rewards for them.
The aim of the one-day training is for participants to cultivate a positive mindset toward the use of digital solutions. They will also become familiar with practical digital tools for everyday work at SPIE and learn how to effectively integrate them into their own workflows. The training is divided into three parts:
- Digitalization Strategy and Digital Culture: Participants will get to know SPIE Germany Switzerland Austria’s digitalization strategy and understand why a digital culture is essential for the transformation process.
- Technology Deep Dive: Participants will explore digital technologies such as digital twins, RPA, and computer vision, and have the opportunity to try out selected technologies themselves.
- Practical Exercise: A simulation game focused on implementing digital solutions into their own processes and business areas.
Shaping digitalization and redefining leadership – these are the key topics addressed by the leaders participating in the Digital Leadership Program.
What kind of mindset is needed to remain future-ready in rapidly changing times? What kind of impulses move us forward?
The program provides inspiration and selected methods to lead successfully—today and in the future. Leadership here is understood as a triad of self-leadership, leading others, and leading the business.
This innovative program runs over a twelve-week period. It combines impulse videos with compact sessions of no more than 90 minutes. In addition, peer meetings provide opportunities for sharing experiences and fostering cross-functional networking.
Digitalization is driving new and fast-paced trends that call for agile responses. Values are shifting, and new tools must be learned and mastered. Our "Digital Mentoring" program focuses on exactly these topics. Since 2018, we have been connecting digitally experienced employees (mentors) with those who have less digital experience (mentees). Being the expert is not a question of age or position—what matters is the willingness to share knowledge and experience.
The program focuses on digital skills, knowledge sharing, and networking—in true ONE SPIE spirit. In addition to the one-on-one mentoring, the project team offers engaging web conferences throughout the year on topics such as Office 365, Robotic Process Automation, and ChatGPT. Other sessions cover social media platforms (e.g., Viva Engage or LinkedIn), Office tools, and smartphone tips and tricks. The aim is to create personalized learning experiences that fit seamlessly into employees' daily work. Everyone is welcome to take part. Registration is handled via the SPIE Academy.
Real-world use cases: Implementing the digitalization strategy and embedding it into operational units is a challenge with over 20,000 employees across Germany, Switzerland, and Austria alone. To broadly share our successful use cases, we launched series of webinars in 2021.
In short online sessions of 60 minutes each, we present an up-to-date digitalization project or use case from various business areas to our employees on a monthly basis. This approach connects experts across all departments, fostering new impulses and synergy effects through exchange. The featured projects come from the following technology fields:
- „Smart Services: IoT, Data Analytics & AI“,
- „Automated Processes“,
- „Digital Twins, AR & VR"
- „Robotics“.
The Digital Transformation team aligns each project within the digitalization strategy and organizes the webinar series.
Ideas for digital solutions are submitted centrally at SPIE. As part of our SPIE Idea Competition, the top three proposals are selected and awarded once a year by an internal jury. Going forward, idea management will be institutionalized through the SIOUX system.
In 2024, the following ideas were honored at ONE SPIE on Tour:
1st Place: AI- and RPA-based digitalization of delivery notes and external maintenance reports
2nd Place: AIWA, an AI chatbot for our IT Service Desk
3rd Place: Rescue trailer for the High Voltage Business Unit
Award Ceremony for the Best Ideas
