Schneider Electric has been recognised by the World Economic Forum as a Future of Inclusion Lighthouse for its senior talent programme, a global initiative for employees in later career stages.
The programme helps experienced staff shape the next phase of their working lives through personalised development and role options linked to their goals. It supports employees who want to take on greater responsibility, stay on their current path, move into different work, share knowledge with colleagues or prepare for retirement.
Launched in 2021 as part of Schneider Electric's broader people strategy, the initiative is built around four personas: Accelerate, Continue, Pivot and Transition. Support includes upskilling, reskilling, mutual mentoring, coaching, knowledge transfer, new contractual arrangements and post-retirement collaboration.
The programme now reaches most of its target workforce. As of 2025, 93% of Schneider Electric employees in later career stages were based in countries where they had access to career development support through the scheme.
Schneider Electric also reported higher employee engagement and more career conversations among experienced workers, although it did not provide detailed figures. It said the approach combines a global framework with local adaptation, allowing countries and business units to tailor support to their labour markets and workforce needs.
Demographic pressure
The recognition comes as employers across many sectors face ageing workforces, tighter labour markets and longer average working lives. Businesses are under growing pressure to retain institutional knowledge while creating clear career pathways for employees nearing traditional retirement age who may still want to work, retrain or reduce their hours gradually.
Schneider Electric linked its programme to these broader shifts, arguing that age inclusion can strengthen resilience as companies manage skills shortages and generational change. Intergenerational collaboration is a central part of the initiative, particularly through mentoring and knowledge-sharing between experienced employees and younger colleagues.
The programme sits within Schneider Electric's Sustainability Impact 2030 strategy, where age inclusion forms part of the group's longer-term social agenda. According to Schneider Electric, progress is measured through key performance indicators and reviewed by leadership teams across countries and entities.
Recognition model
The Future of Inclusion Lighthouse Programme is run by the World Economic Forum's Centre for the New Economy and Society. It identifies company inclusion initiatives that the forum considers practical and proven, with the aim of sharing them more widely among business and public-sector leaders.
Recognition places Schneider Electric among employers the forum says have established inclusion efforts with evidence of implementation across organisations and geographies. In this case, the focus was on career support for experienced talent rather than a broader diversity initiative spanning multiple employee groups.
Charise Le, Chief HR Officer at Schneider Electric, addressed the recognition in a statement.
"We are honoured to be recognised as a Future of Inclusion Lighthouse for our experienced talent program," said Charise Le, Chief HR Officer at Schneider Electric.
"At Schneider Electric, we see experience is a powerful driver of resilience, innovation, and inclusion. By enabling our people to shape the next stage of their careers, we are creating more equitable opportunities, strengthening collaboration across generations, and ensuring critical expertise continues to create value for our people, our customers, and our business," Le said.