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Since 2005, Schneider has saved its customers 120 million tons of CO2 emissions and given 30 million people much-needed access to energy.
Schneider Electric was named the world’s fourth greenest company in Corporate Knight’s annual Global 100 ranking for 2022—the index of the world’s most sustainable corporations. According to their Global 100 Guide, the ranking is based on 24 KPIs including resource management, financial management, clean revenue & clean investment, and supplier performance. Learn more in this press release from Schneider Electric.
Schneider Electric is proud of this recognition, but we couldn’t do it alone. An important factor in our success has been our partnerships with like-minded companies around the world. As Digital Channel Sales Leader, I’ve proudly helped drive our partnership efforts throughout the Middle East and Africa. As a follow up to an interview with Amel Chadli, Schneider Electric’s VP Strategy & Digital Energy for Middle East & Africa, in this interview I share my thoughts on the future of sustainable cities and green technology, and why collaboration is so important to success.
Q: You have spoken a lot about the buildings and cities of the future. Do you see us making great strides in sustainable energy over the next few years?
A: Yes, I think there will be rapid progress, especially in areas that have lagged behind in energy infrastructure, such as the Middle East and Africa where my work is focused. Africa as a continent is losing 2% of its GDP per year because of wasted energy. It is also the fastest growing continent. There will be hundreds of African cities with more than one million inhabitants by 2025. This combination of energy waste and growing population is causing a dramatic shift to renewable energy and access to clean energy. It’s not just happening in Africa. It’s a global trend, but the issues are especially cute in this region.
Q: Why are collaborations and partnerships so important to make this happen?
A: The role of partnerships and collaboration is critical to renewable energy. We are there to disrupt with innovative solutions, but the way we do it is through partnerships with technology companies, systems integrators, installers, and others in the energy industry who share our sustainability goals. Nobody can do it alone, but our resources multiply when we join forces. Together with our business partners, we are able to provide an energy solution that is practical, reliable, and sustainable.
Our partner program connects more than 50,000 peers and nearly 5,000 partners worldwide and gives them access to Schneider Electric’s technology and services. Partners can use these resources, including our EcoStruxure technology platform, as needed to match their customer’s needs. From the customer point of view, it’s about having more options to get the best solutions and the most specialized expertise, including challenging environments like hospitals, hotels, and data centers.
Q: What are the keys to successful collaboration? How does Schneider Electric ensure effective partnerships?
A: Partners are in our DNA. We have been working with all kinds of partners for many years— electricians, systems integrators, and so on—and we have built an ecosystem that enables them to be successful independently. Our role is to provide the best-of-breed technology and expertise to help partners grow their business, and we work on a local level to expand the customer base. With these tools, we enable the success of our partners who are able to continue to succeed of their own accord. And the benefits are well-recognized in the market. Through our EcoXpert™ Partner Program, we have been recognized as a 5-star partner program by CRN for several consecutive years, ensuring that the values of Schneider Electric are happening for everyone. All of this translates into better energy management solutions for our shared customers, and that’s the real point of what we’re doing.
Q: What are your goals for the future?
A: Now we are looking to the future, going forward with our partners, so that we can be more local, more efficient, and more sustainable. I am an optimist, so I think that we can make an impact in different environments. Dubai, where I am based, reduced carbon emissions by 33% in 2020. In Dubai, we use lots of energy, A/C, water treatment, and so forth. It is not easy to live in the desert with access to drinkable water. Even cities without populations like Dubai can work toward easing carbon emissions. This is why I am optimistic about sustainability—it’s not just a fancy word anymore, it’s something we can make happen.
Q? Would you like to share any final thoughts?
A: At Schneider Electric, we have made long-term commitments to sustainable energy solutions. We have the opportunity use our technology and global reach to create Buildings of the Future, and partnerships are the key. By nurturing and growing this ecosystem of partners and suppliers, we can turn our goals into reality. I invite you to learn more about how Schneider Electric – and our EcoXpert partners – are contributing to this sustainability journey throughout MEA. Take a peek at the November 2021 Smarter, greener, happier article, which we participated in with the Tech For Good publication (pp 8-27).
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Sustainability is the future our partners play a big role in working towards achieving our goals. I invite you to learn more about Schneider Electric’s corporate sustainability efforts.
