# Get inspired: Schneider Electric

Featured case studies


### Supplier Engagement

With over 70% of participating suppliers new to decarbonization and two thirds from small and medium scale segments, one of the biggest challenges of The Zero Carbon Project (TZCP) – Schneider Electric’s supplier decarbonization initiative - was overcoming the fear of the unknown and ensuring suppliers’ active participation in their decarbonization. Schneider Electric addressed this by providing suppliers with simple, easy-to-use tools and removing all access and psychological barriers.Schneider Electric deployed an extensive supplier support framework which focused on capacity building, access to digital tools, experience sharing and onsite implementation support.

Phase 1: Quantify Supplier Carbon FootprintThroughout 2021 and 2022, Schneider conducted a series of customized technical trainings, demonstrations, TZCP community calls, and clarification webinars. These focused on quantifying GHG and decarbonization. The Schneider team identified allies within the suppliers’ organization and securing support from leadership to kickstart the journey. Detailed explanations with templates and links to emission factors were provided as a step-by-step guide to collate activity data and GHG computation. Subsequently, a Digital Emission Calculator (DEC) and a digital portal (Zeigo Hub), hosting all trainings and other resources were launched in mid-2022 to automate and expedite the GHG quantification process.Phase 2: Identify Supplier Emission Reduction PotentialThe next phase of the decarbonization journey focused on helping suppliers to identify their emission reduction potential. To achieve this, a series of regional workshops (Accelerate Zero Carbon Days) were organized and provided tailored support by identifying applicable decarbonization levers to adopt emission reduction targets. These workshops brought together suppliers and technical experts to explain the different avenues of emission reduction, various solution providers, and to support execution. To ensure suppliers we prepared to get the most out of the workshops, Schneider provided them with a toolkit covering decarbonization levers, energy efficiency diagnostic templates, solar calculators, and a decarbonization playbook etc. to create a customized decarbonization action plan. A key feature of these Accelerate Zero Carbon Day workshops were 1:1 deep dives with experts. These insights, in combination with access to experts and implementation partners, resulted in significant improvement in the understanding and emission reduction targets adopted by the suppliers.To further support the small and medium scale suppliers, Schneider Electric provided free access to its proprietary Zeigo-Activate tool, which helps companies build their own decarbonization roadmap. Schneider also piloted a sustainable supply chain finance program with a major financial institution for suppliers in select countries to provide financial incentives for suppliers that demonstrate exemplary decarbonization leadership. At the end of 2022, Schneider Electric launched a program to improve access to renewable energy and is working to create cohorts of suppliers to ensure access to renewable energy instruments.