How strategic partnerships are turning decarbonisation in enterprise value

Across industries, the decarbonisation challenge moves from intent to execution. In a recent online expert session hosted by WORKTECH Academy and Signify, a panel of experts from Signify, Pineapple CoRE, Schneider Electric and Atlas Copco outlined how partnership models are accelerating progress by blending technology, finance and operational know-how.

The conversation underscored that net-zero is no longer a sustainability side project, it is a business strategy with measurable returns. As Rupert Snuggs, co-founder of Pineapple, explained, the partnership model ‘turns fragmented pilots into portfolio programmes’ by uniting financial, technical and delivery expertise under one umbrella. For clients, this structure de-risks projects and allows them to scale improvements across dozens of sites rather than tackling one building at a time.

Where to start

Clark Morrow of Signify highlighted why lighting remains the most effective entry point for decarbonisation. Upgrading to LEDs with intelligent controls can deliver 80-90% energy savings and pay back in as little as two to three years. Beyond efficiency, lighting is now a data infrastructure: sensors embedded in luminaires provide insights on occupancy, safety and comfort, creating a platform for more advanced optimisation. ‘It’s impactful, simple and cost-effective – often the door-opener to a bigger plan,’ he said.

Andy McKenzie from Schneider Electric emphasised that meaningful action starts with understanding the baseline. Many organisations still lack clear data on their electrical systems, with studies showing that 97% of sites have incomplete infrastructure records. Digital metering and twin modelling help close this gap, offering a risk-free environment to test upgrades such as solar, batteries or EV charging before major investment. ‘When you can model outcomes, you can make confident, investor-grade decisions,’ McKenzie noted.

Measuring performance

From the end-user perspective, Rich Bennett of Atlas Copco shared how portfolio approaches are already delivering results. Through sub-metering and performance tracking, one of its UK sites identified £400,000 in annual energy savings, creating a clear case for deeper electrification. Financing options structured by partners like Pineapple helped unlock the capital to implement those changes.

A recurring theme across the discussion was the power of finance as an enabler. With traditional ROI thresholds too short for many sustainability projects, partnership models tap into new forms of capital – from green and infrastructure funds to pension and insurance investments – allowing businesses to move faster without straining operational budgets.

The panel identified a ‘sweet spot’ for impact: mid-sized organisations with enough scale to benefit from coordinated action but limited internal capacity to manage complex programmes. For them, integrated partnerships provide the missing orchestration between ambition, data and delivery.

Ultimately, decarbonisation is about building smarter, more resilient and more valuable assets. As partnership models mature, sustainability and profitability are no longer competing priorities – they are becoming one and the same.

The panel prompted a wider discussion around how to make strategic partnerships more impactful to reach a shared goal of decarbonisation. The conversation will continue at the upcoming WORKTECH London conference on Wednesday 19^th November, where you can listen to this panel of experts dive further into their experiences and expertise. Find out more here.

Watch the full panel here: