Schneider Electric Joins World Economic Forum’s Lighthouse Operating System Advisory Council to Accelerate Global Industrial Digital Transformation
Published on 05/07/2026 at 17:18 by Publicnow
Schneider Electric, a leader in energy technologies, is enhancing its collaboration with the World Economic Forum by joining a growing coalition. This coalition brings together manufacturers, consultants, and technology partners to accelerate industrial digital transformation on a global scale. Together, these stakeholders are advancing the Lighthouse Operating System (Lighthouse OS), a framework based on proven and replicable methodologies designed to help manufacturers modernize their large-scale operations.
Most manufacturers have invested in digital transformation, but few have applied it on a large scale. Pilots succeed, then stagnate. Benefits are only accessible at a local scale. The gap between the world’s most advanced factories and the rest of the industry continues to widen. A new framework launched today aims to bridge this gap.
The Lighthouse Operating System is a practical and open-source model that translates proven practices from the world’s most successful industrial sites into a structured roadmap that all manufacturers can follow. Built on information gathered over eight years by the Global Lighthouse Network, the Lighthouse Operating System was developed by the Center for Advanced Manufacturing and Supply Chains of the World Economic Forum, in collaboration with machine manufacturers, end users, and leading consulting companies. It provides companies with a clear path to achieve true operational excellence from their current position, without starting from scratch or relying on specialist teams.
A model based on concrete implementation
The Lighthouse Operating System is built around six fundamental operational principles, structured over five levels of operational maturity: adaptable and robust processes, connected and transparent flows, end-to-end synchronization, integrated sustainability, a learning organization, and optimized digital and data capabilities. Companies can assess their current situation, identify priority areas for focus, and evolve at their own pace.
Unlike standalone digital tools, the operating system is designed at the system scale: it combines digital innovation, sustainability, employee development, and operational excellence in a unique and coherent model that offers measurable and replicable performance gains.
Schneider Electric: an experience offered from the early stages
Schneider Electric brings its direct experience of transformation to the initiative. The company has spent over twenty years perfecting an operating system that is now the foundation of its position in the Gartner Supply Chain ranking and the recognition of nine factories as World Economic Forum Centers of Excellence. These foundations, built on advanced digital systems, AI-driven automation, and sustainable design practices, form the basis of the Lighthouse OS framework.
Federico Torti, Head of Technology and Innovation at the World Economic Forum, stated, “Many manufacturers aspire to transform themselves, but they lack a coherent strategy to do so in a consistent and large-scale manner. The Lighthouse Operating System directly addresses this issue: it transforms the learnings that the world’s most successful factories have gained over years of concrete operational experience into a practical framework that any manufacturer can apply. It aims to make performance from centers of excellence a realistic goal for the entire industry, not just its most advanced players.”
Cecile Vercellino, Senior Vice President of Services, Industrial Automation at Schneider Electric, said, “Schneider Electric has experienced this transformation in over 120 smart factories and distribution centers. We know what works, where companies face roadblocks, and what it takes to move from isolated pilots to real system-wide change. This direct experience is integrated into the Lighthouse Operating System. Our Group is already applying these principles across our entire ecosystem and achieving measurable results.”
An open, evolving initiative
The Lighthouse Operating System is designed to evolve. As global pilot projects progress and community feedback shapes subsequent iterations, the initiative actively invites manufacturers, technology providers, and public sector partners to contribute.
To learn more or join the collaboration, visit: initiatives.weforum.org/lighthouse-operating-system/home
Attachments: – Original document – Permalink
Disclaimer: Schneider Electric SE published this content on May 07, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on May 07, 2026 at 15:17 UTC.
