Inside Schneider Electric’s Sustainability Impact Report

For many years, Schneider Electric has been considered one of the world’s most sustainable companies.

Naturally, the France-based energy management giant wears this reputation as a badge of honour.

The first pages of the company’s latest Sustainability Impact Report are adorned with its accolades and commendations, sending a message that says: ‘this is what we do, and this is how we do it’.

The report is an impressive one, with Schneider demonstrating real progress towards its 2025 targets through an overall sustainability score of 7.95 out of 10.

The company has helped customers save and avoid 697 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions (approaching its target of 800 million tonnes) while making substantial progress in reducing emissions from its top 1,000 suppliers' operations, now at 42% against a 50% target.

The report is structured around six long-term commitments, which are:

• Climate
• Resources
• Trust
• Equal
• Generations
• Local

The report details progress against all these targets, but shows particularly strong performance in climate initiatives and gender diversity.

“As an Impact Company, at Schneider Electric, we're steadfast in creating meaningful and lasting impact for our customers, partners, communities, and the planet for today and tomorrow,” says Chris Leong, CSO at Schneider.

“This quarter, we've hit the ground running with remarkable achievements – our innovative energy solutions have enabled customers to save and avoid nearly 700 million tonnes of CO₂, we've provided 56 million people access to clean energy, and more than 928,000 people have been equipped with skills in energy management.”

Resource management and trust

In resource efficiency, Schneider reports 40% green material content in products and 80% of packaging now free from single-use plastic.

These figures represent significant progress from baseline but remain short of the company's 2025 targets of 50% and 90% respectively.

The report highlights strong performance in trust metrics, with 66% of strategic suppliers now providing decent work to employees.

Employee confidence in reporting unethical conduct stands at 83%, moving toward the 84% target.

"14 years of unwavering commitment to business integrity, recognised by our inclusion in Ethisphere's Top 100 World's Most Ethical Companies in 2025," the report notes.

Gender diversity and community impact

Schneider has long been a company that has led the way when it comes to diversity and inclusion, something which current Chair and former CEO, Jean-Pascal Tricoire instilled during his long and successful tenure in charge.

The company still promotes these values today and has made substantial gains in gender diversity, exceeding some of its 2025 targets already.

The company reports 41% female representation in hiring against a 50% target, while leadership team diversity has reached 32%, exceeding the 30% goal.

Front-line management diversity stands at 31%, progressing toward the 40% target.

The company has provided access to green electricity to 56 million people, surpassing its 50 million target.

"By signing the Rise Ahead Pledge, Schneider Electric is expanding access to essential services and fostering socio-economic development, particularly through its focus on energy poverty and impact investing in underserved markets," the report states.

Global recognition

The quarterly report highlights multiple external validations of Schneider's sustainability efforts.

The company ranks "#1 in Europe, Top 10 worldwide in 2025 Carbon Clean 200 list of publicly traded companies that are leading the way with solutions for the transition to clean energy."

Schneider's Wuxi factory in China earned recognition from the World Economic Forum as the company's fourth Sustainability Lighthouse for emissions reductions and circular economy advancements.

Additionally, Sustainalytics rated Schneider as a "Top-Rated ESG performer out of more than 5,000 companies."

Likewise, Sustainability Magazine ranked Schneider at #2 in our Top 250 Companies edition, back in November 2024.

Local initiatives

The report demonstrates Schneider's commitment to local sustainability initiatives across multiple regions.

In Malaysia, employees received zero-waste training and conducted beach clean-ups, while UK operations launched STEM educational programmes with the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation.

In the US, the company partnered with Habitat for Humanity to develop solar-powered homes.

"Schneider Electric US partnered with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Nashville to develop a solar-powered home, reducing energy costs and enhancing sustainability, thereby empowering families and benefiting the community," according to the report.

All in all, this report goes to show that Schneider is not slowing down when it comes to sustainability.

In fact, it is accelerating toward its sustainability goals, and long may that continue.

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