By Ahmed El-Besary, Vice President, Channel Sales & Marketing. Anglophone Africa, MEA at Schneider Electric

2023 was marked by increased emphasis on digital tools and its impact on companies’ sustainability goals, with the energy management and automation industry working hard to tangibly demonstrate its benefits. In fact, according to the Schneider Electric report The Path to Net Zero Buildings digital and electric solutions can cut carbon emissions in office buildings by up to 70%.

Similarly, vendors have proactively driven digitisation and sustainability across their channel programmes, realigning it to incentivise and encourage partners to embrace this digital transformation and subsequent sustainable practices.

However, to support the channel successfully, vendors are equipping their partners with the necessary knowledge and tools to effectively navigate, and be successful, in this terraformed digital landscape.

Sustainability integration in partner programmes 

Incorporating sustainability initiatives such as our EcoXpert partner programme allows our channel partners to gain the requisite industry knowledge and skillsets needed to digitise for a more sustainable future. 

The programme has been designed to educate, support, and create opportunities for collaboration. This not only enhances partners' sales prospects by enabling them to offer tailored solutions but also drives long-term profitability by tapping into the expanding market.

It is also this mindset that will stand partners in good stead, going forward. There is no doubt that customers will continue to evolve and so will their demand for digitised solutions that realise their sustainability goals. 

This shift towards digitisation and sustainability not only benefits individual partners but also reinforces vendors' positions as frontrunners in the industry. By driving positive change, these vendors contribute to creating a more sustainable future for all. 

Vendor leadership

Leading by example is a relevant today as it was 50 years ago.  The vendor community must continue to lead the way towards a more sustainable future. Multinational technology vendors must fulfil their environmental commitments and empower channel partners with the knowledge, tools, and solutions necessary to achieve sustainability goals.

Also, vendors are expected to deliver transparent sustainability reports, measurable progress in decarbonising supply chains, and diverse portfolios of sustainable and efficient products and solutions. By meeting these demands, vendors strengthen their reputation as innovative, responsible, and climate-conscious companies.

The energy management and automation industry's approach to driving digital transformation and sustainability within channel partner programmes sets an important example for other sectors.  

By equipping partners for the digital landscape, integrating sustainability initiatives, and meeting customer demands, vendors are not only enhancing their partners' success but also contributing to a more sustainable and resilient future.  

Lastly, our partners play an invaluable role in enabling Schneider Electric to meet its sustainability goals such providing 50 million people access to clean electricity, train one million people, and support 10,000 entrepreneurs by 2025. In Africa, our Access to Energy programme has connected more than 25 million people, trained 28,000 people in 90 plus training centres situated in 27 countries.