Schneider Electric Joins World Economic Forum Initiative to Accelerate Industrial Digital Transformation

Schneider Electric Joins World Economic Forum Initiative to Accelerate Industrial Digital Transformation

(IN BRIEF) Schneider Electric has joined the advisory board of the World Economic Forum’s new Lighthouse Operating System initiative, an open-source framework designed to help manufacturers scale digital transformation and operational excellence. Developed using insights from the World Economic Forum’s Global Lighthouse Network, the Lighthouse OS provides manufacturers with a structured blueprint focused on digital innovation, sustainability, workforce development and operational performance. Schneider Electric is contributing expertise gained from more than 120 smart factories and distribution centers as part of the collaboration. The initiative aims to help manufacturers move beyond isolated digital pilot projects by offering a practical and scalable transformation framework applicable across the industrial sector.

(PRESS RELEASE) RUEIL-MALMAISON, 7-May-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — Schneider Electric has joined the advisory board of the World Economic Forum’s Lighthouse Operating System initiative, a new global effort designed to help manufacturers accelerate digital transformation through an open-source operational framework based on real-world industrial best practices.

The initiative, developed by the World Economic Forum in collaboration with manufacturers, technology companies and consulting firms, aims to provide industrial companies with a practical and scalable blueprint for modernizing operations. The Lighthouse Operating System, or Lighthouse OS, is intended to help manufacturers overcome one of the industry’s most persistent challenges: scaling successful digital transformation projects beyond isolated pilot programmes.

According to the World Economic Forum, many manufacturers have already invested heavily in digital technologies, but relatively few have successfully implemented transformation initiatives across entire operations. The result has been a widening gap between highly advanced manufacturing sites and the broader industrial sector.

The Lighthouse OS framework is designed to close that gap by translating operational methods used in some of the world’s highest-performing factories into a structured system that companies of all sizes can adopt. The framework draws on eight years of insights from the World Economic Forum’s Global Lighthouse Network and is intended to provide a self-guided path toward operational excellence without requiring organizations to build complex systems from scratch.

The operating system is built around six core principles, including adaptable processes, connected workflows, end-to-end synchronization, embedded sustainability, workforce learning and accelerated digital capability. These principles are organized across five operational maturity levels, enabling companies to evaluate their current position and scale transformation efforts progressively.

Unlike standalone digital tools or isolated automation systems, the Lighthouse OS is designed as a comprehensive operating model that combines sustainability, digital innovation, workforce development and operational performance into a single integrated framework.

Schneider Electric said its contribution to the initiative is based on more than two decades of industrial transformation experience across its global manufacturing operations. The company currently operates more than 120 smart factories and distribution centers and has received nine World Economic Forum Lighthouse recognitions for advanced manufacturing excellence.

Federico Torti said many manufacturers struggle not with ambition but with establishing a consistent and scalable transformation pathway. He noted that the Lighthouse OS converts years of operational experience from leading factories into a framework that can realistically be applied across the broader manufacturing industry.

Cecile Vercellino said Schneider Electric’s practical experience with large-scale industrial transformation is embedded directly into the framework. She explained that the company has firsthand knowledge of the challenges manufacturers face when trying to move from isolated digital pilots to system-wide operational change and is already applying Lighthouse OS principles across its wider industrial ecosystem.

The initiative has been launched as an open and evolving collaboration that will continue to develop through pilot programmes, industry feedback and additional partnerships. Manufacturers, technology providers and public-sector organizations are being encouraged to participate and contribute to the framework’s ongoing development.

The project reflects growing global interest in creating standardized approaches for industrial digital transformation as manufacturers face increasing pressure to improve efficiency, sustainability, resilience and workforce capability in an increasingly competitive and technology-driven environment.

Further reading: Why industrial transformation requires a new operating system – Schneider Electric Blog

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SOURCE: Schneider Electric