Data Centre Strategy to Help Schneider Electric Decarbonise

Schneider Electric is accelerating its global decarbonisation strategy by targeting Scope 3 emissions across its supply chain network. 

The company is working with thousands of suppliers worldwide through educational programmes, digital tools and collaborative procurement models that help reduce indirect emissions and enhance sustainability across industries, including the data centre sector.

Through this approach, Schneider aims to make its entire value chain more efficient, resilient and climate-conscious, aligning with growing demand for sustainable digital infrastructure.

Tackling Scope 3 emissions

As a global leader in energy management and automation, Schneider Electric continues to integrate electrification and digital solutions into the design of sustainable infrastructure, from industrial sites to smart buildings and data centres.

The company’s Scope 3 initiatives target emissions generated indirectly by suppliers, a complex category that represents the majority of a firm’s overall carbon footprint.

By combining education with technology and regional insight, Schneider provides suppliers with the means to lower its own Scope 1 and 2 emissions – covering direct energy use and purchased electricity – while enabling Schneider to reduce its Scope 3 impact.

This creates a collaborative pathway where decarbonisation is delivered at scale across entire supply networks.

Suppliers gain access to resources, localised market intelligence and shared procurement schemes that make renewable energy adoption more accessible. Schneider’s goal is to streamline carbon reduction across every tier of its ecosystem, helping partners set science-based targets and adopt circular business practices.

John Powers, Vice President of Strategic Renewables at Schneider Electric, highlights the importance of collaboration.

“To decarbonise global supply chains at scale, we need more than commitments; we need collaboration, innovation and practical tools tailored to regional realities,” he says.

“This expansion reflects our belief that every supplier, in every geography, should have access to the insights and partnerships needed to accelerate their climate journey.”

Expanding reach through global programmes

More than 50 brands and 2,700 supplier companies have already improved their sustainability performance through Schneider’s programmes.

Collectively, suppliers have procured more than 752,000MWh of renewable electricity through Energy Attribute Certificates (EACs), supporting measurable progress toward lower-carbon operations.

Schneider’s portfolio of initiatives includes several tailored collaborations:

• The Catalyze Programme: Brings corporate sponsors and suppliers together to accelerate renewable energy adoption through group purchasing models. It continues to grow, forming new multi-buyer cohorts to expand global access to renewable energy.
• Energize: Originally designed for the pharmaceutical industry, now supports the broader healthcare sector, backed by 25 corporate sponsors. It guides companies through the transition to clean energy within complex, multinational supply chains.
• LEAP: The Levi Strauss & Co. Energy Accelerator Programme (LEAP), in partnership with Schneider, aims to help LS&Co. suppliers achieve a 42% reduction in emissions by 2030 through renewable energy access.
• REnew: A collaboration between PepsiCo and Schneider Electric, has delivered its first supplier Virtual Power Purchase Agreement (VPPA) in the United States, with expansion plans for other regions.

Each programme demonstrates Schneider’s ability to bridge corporate sustainability goals with real-world energy transition projects, linking global brands to cleaner and more reliable power sources.

Empowering suppliers through education

Education remains a cornerstone of Schneider Electric’s decarbonisation model. #

Through its digital platform, Zeigo Hub, the company provides organisations with step-by-step guidance on building sustainable supply chains. 

The platform includes interactive modules on greenhouse gas accounting, target setting, energy efficiency, electrification and circularity – equipping suppliers with practical skills to reduce emissions at both operational and procurement levels.

Schneider is also expanding renewable electricity education, offering live webinars translated into more than 60 languages to ensure accessibility for global participants.

These resources enable suppliers to develop regional expertise and implement consistent climate strategies regardless of geography.

The company’s North Yorkshire facility serves as an example of its integrated approach, combining low-carbon manufacturing with sustainable logistics and renewable power use. This model demonstrates how industrial and data centre operations can transition to cleaner, more efficient systems through direct supplier engagement and shared innovation.

Schneider’s global supply chain initiatives are already driving measurable outcomes. By helping suppliers adopt renewable energy and optimise resource use, it not only reduces its own Scope 3 emissions but also strengthens the broader ecosystem of sustainable industry.

Through technology, education and collaboration, Schneider Electric continues to prove that decarbonising complex supply chains can be both achievable and scalable – laying the groundwork for a more efficient, low-carbon data infrastructure worldwide.