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Schneider Electric accelerates IT channel decarbonisation
Fri, 6th Oct 2023

Schneider Electric has introduced Zeigo Activate - a new subscription-based software as a service (SaaS) solution for channel partners, designed to help them accelerate climate action.

Partners can utilise Zeigo Activate to calculate, measure and analyse carbon emissions, then set accurate, achievable decarbonisation goals and build a tailored strategy to improve sustainability.

Schneider Electric has also been named a Champion in the first edition of Canalys Sustainable Ecosystems Leadership Matrix, primarily for its achievements in driving sustainability across the partner ecosystem and throughout its organisation. 

Schneider Electric was awarded Champion status for its position as a leading vendor in sustainability and ESG, its diverse portfolio of sustainability and energy solutions, and its training, expertise, and support for partners seeking to build and develop decarbonisation strategies.

Accelerating channel decarbonisation

Zeigo Activate is a subscription-based SaaS solution for small-and medium-sized partners. Intuitive, standardised and easily scalable, it enables partners to calculate and track energy-related emissions, to set a customised implementation roadmap to minimise environmental impact, and connect to solution providers specializsng in energy efficiency and renewables.

With regulatory changes sweeping across industries globally, sustainability is at the forefront. Zeigo Activate allows simplified data collection to help partners build their energy consumption profile and track their carbon emissions baseline progress, which results in them being able to follow their roadmap to decarbonise. 

This guided-journey simplicity is key for an SME partner experience who have time pressures on using complex software and limited sustainability expertise. This ensures decarbonisation is not a barrier anymore as a personalised roadmap of actions is designed to reduce their emissions, such as energy efficiency projects and renewable energy opportunities. Then partners can connect directly with reputable vendors for the competencies that the project requires and start implementing their customised roadmap seeing estimated costs, savings, and return on investment. 

Zeigo Activate joins two of Schneider Electrics digital sustainability solutions and services, designed to meet the carbon reduction needs of businesses of any size or scale. They include Zeigo Power, which allows European users to digitally tender renewable energy Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), and Zeigo Network, which connects like-minded companies on the journey to decarbonisation and has more than 600 corporate members globally.

"Channel businesses continue to face a host of energy and sustainability challenges, but despite a turbulent macroeconomic environment, ESG, energy efficiency and ecosystem decarbonisation remain key areas of focus for partners," says David Terry, VP, IT Channels, Schneider Electric, Europe. 

"Through Zeigo, partners can access a suite of world-class SaaS tools and identify specialist businesses that helps them reduce energy consumption, emissions, and costs, as well as strategic processes to accelerate business sustainability journeys."

Champions for Channel sustainability

Schneider Electric has also been crowned a Champion in the first edition of Canalys Sustainable Ecosystems Leadership Matrix for demonstrating the highest levels of excellence through its commitments to sustainability in the channel, compared with industry peers. Key assessment criteria included sustainability leadership, corporate sustainability strategies, transparency on data, progress and transformation, and channel partner sentiment.

Schneider Electric was named a champion for its efforts to decarbonise operations at a corporate level, the growth of its sustainability solutions portfolio, and its tools to help customers and partners track and reduce carbon emissions and optimize energy usage. 

Further, in the last year, the company has responded to energy crises by focusing on energy efficiency, assisting partners by providing support in developing energy assessments and audits for customers, and initiatives such as its new mySchneider IT Partner Program, Sustainability School for partners and Sustainability Impact Awards celebrating partners and suppliers who embrace sustainability. 

Schneider Electric also released a Lifecycle CO2e TradeOff tool, the first of its kind for accurately estimating the total carbon footprint of data centers including Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions.

"Schneider Electric has demonstrated leadership in the last year in supporting its partners to develop their sustainability strategies and support their customers in making progress towards meeting their sustainability objectives," says Rachel Brindley, Senior Director, Channels, Canalys. 

".A vendors position in the Canalys Sustainable Ecosystems Leadership Matrix is based on channel partner feedback, industry leadership in sustainability and Canalys analyst assessments," she says. 

"Champions have demonstrated the highest levels of excellence in driving the channel ecosystem forward in environmental sustainability specifically while progressing on their own corporate sustainability strategies."

Building a sustainable channel

"At Schneider Electric, we remain committed to ESG and to creating solutions that recognise the critical role partners have in decarbonising not only their own operations but also help customers meet and exceed their own targets," says Terry.

"By leveraging our expertise in corporate sustainability practices, energy management, automation, electrification, and digitalisation, we help partners to strategise and take proactive action via energy assessments, tools, and services; digitise and harness the power of data and predictive analytics to optimise efficiency and reduce costs; and decarbonise via digitalisation and electrification."