Schneider Electric has been recognised by the World Economic Forum for its groundbreaking green initiatives at its Wuxi factory in China.

The acknowledgement, disclosed in a statement on Monday, highlights the commitment of the global leader in energy management and automation to sustainability and innovation in reducing environmental impact.

The WEF, which co-founded the Global Lighthouse Network with McKinsey & Company in 2018, described the network as a community of 189 production facilities and value chains globally.

It noted that the network leverages Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies to enhance productivity, supply chain resilience, customer centricity, sustainability, and talent development.

Schneider Electric’s Wuxi campus, an electronics manufacturing centre that produces key products for its Energy Management and Industrial Automation units, achieved net-zero emissions for Scope 1 and 2 in 2022, eight years ahead of its target.

The company stated that the factory had reduced Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 90 per cent, Scope 3 emissions by 65 per cent, and water usage by 15 per cent over two years.

These achievements were attributed to AI-powered eco-design, a closed-loop CO2 tracking platform with suppliers, machine learning models for energy efficiency, and new circular business models developed with customers.

Schneider Electric’s Chief Supply Chain Officer, Mourad Tamoud, said, “The Wuxi campus and our other Sustainability Lighthouse facilities across the globe underscore our commitment to our sustainability goals and how essential our supply chain operations are to realising them.

“Investing in the right technologies at scale and pace, investing in our people’s development, and engaging with our partners, suppliers, and customers is critical to making progress, not just in sustainability but also in operational efficiency, flexibility, agility, and our customers’ experience in working with us.”

Head of the Centre for Advanced Manufacturing and Supply Chains at the World Economic Forum, Kiva Allgood, noted, “Across our global lighthouse network, digital technologies are revolutionising production ecosystems.

“From AI-driven control towers to zero-code workflows, Lighthouses exemplify sustainable innovation, setting benchmarks millions can follow to drive transformational change across the entire ecosystem.”