By Carol Koech Strategy Director, Sustainability & Thought Leadership – Schneider Electric International Operations

In this, the second article in my blog series focusing on East Africa’s sustainability journey, I’ll be taking a closer at how the region has navigated (this journey) whilst also focusing on Schneider Electric’s continued and important role.

There is no doubt that the last few years has seen sustainability take centre stage across various sectors in the region.  From dedicated conferences focused on specific industries to broader discussions encompassing energy, it's evident that East Africa is on a journey towards fostering sustainable development.

Here, it’s important to look at how Schneider Electric has been involved.  We undoubtedly have a s strategic understanding of various segments and industries’ sustainability challenges and goals.  

Whether it's the food processing sector, where digitisation and energy measurement have all-prevailing roles, or other industries aligning with specific Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Schneider Electric endeavours to play a guiding role in these sectors' journeys.

Schneider Electric at work in East Africa

Scheider Electric assists companies’ across-industry and sectors. By digitising processes and implementing energy measurement tools, these companies are gaining valuable insights into their energy consumption, paving the way for more efficient and sustainable operations. 

For example, at a prominent Food and Beverage (F&B) supplier, we have implemented our EcoStruxure Power Monitoring Expert (PME) which has led to optimised and energy efficient operations as well as  improved power quality, enabling the company to meet industry benchmarked ISO standards for energy management, environmental management, GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions, and life cycle assessment.

Furthermore, our Access to Education goals, implemented throughout the globe, is firmly aligned with the UN’s SG 4 Goal: Quality Education.  We are providing Access to Education solutions to the region that aim to enhance education, providing access to quality learning. 

SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy is one the main pillars in the globe’s sustainability journey, and various East African industries are now transitioning to prosumer status, where they are generating and consuming their own energy.  Here, Schneider Electric is again offering solutions that enhance access to affordable and clean energy.

The Kisii Konya Oroiboro Project (KIKOP) is a perfect example of how Schneider Electric is providing critical access to energy.  Today, the Nyagoto Dispensary maternity ward and Matongo Women’s Clinic, situated in Kisii county, and forms part of KIKOP, benefits from consistent power supply thanks to the installed Schneider Electric solar plants which allows the clinics to go off-grid, mitigating any of the dire consequences that result from an interrupted power provision.  

Globally, Schneider Electric has provided 35 million people with electricity access, trained 328,000 people in the field of electricity, and partnered with 25 companies.  

Schneider Electric is also involved in initiatives that play important role in driving the sustainability momentum:  For example, we have supported the Kenyan Association of Manufacturers, Energy Management Awards (EMA) for number of years and in 2023, we introduced the Digitisation Award category, to celebrate and champion initiatives that drive digital transformation in country’s industrial sector.