Diversity Equity and Inclusion Lighthouses 2025

Below: MagicPattern/Unsplash Schneider Electric  External effort  Gender parity in the green economy Empowering women through green skills training, investments in technical school upgrades, and support for female entrepreneurs in green ventures to drive the energy transition in Senegal, Mali and Niger.  Company stats –150,000 employees  –$35.9 billion annual revenue  –Senegal, Mali and Niger; headquartered in Rueil-Malmaison, France  –Energy Technology and Utilities Initiative context and objective In 2019, Schneider Electric and the Schneider Electric Foundation, in partnership with Plan International and a consortium of stakeholders, launched the Economic and Social Development of Women through Renewable Energies in the Sahel (DESFERS) initiative. This programme aims to empower women socioeconomically in rural areas across Senegal, Mali and Niger, where restrictive social norms and traditional gender roles often limit women’s economic participation. This collaborative approach ensures building a strong ecosystem of support by leveraging collective expertise and specialized partnerships. DESFERS provides green skills training, investments in technical school upgrades and entrepreneurship support for women entering the region’s growing renewable energy sector. The initiative is part of the Youth Education & Entrepreneurship programme and Schneider Electric’s global commitment to train one million youth, especially women, to take part in the energy transition by the end of 2025. Impact highlights  –7,204 women have received green skills training since 2021.  –5,155 women-led green enterprises have been generated.  –21,000 women gained improved access to renewable energy solutions and credit facilities. 25 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Lighthouses 202525