In earlier posts I’ve highlighted the work of Emerson’s Dr. Ana Gonzalez Hernandez to help producers achieve their sustainability goals. Ana is since November last year a Sustainability and Decarbonization Manager in Emerson Corporate’s Advanced Design Center. In this new role, she helps shape Emerson’s own Sustainability and Decarbonization strategy and supports the development of solutions that enable customers to materialize their lower-carbon transitions.
Emerson has embraced sustainability as a business imperative and has recognised that we have a role to play in the global effort to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and to manage energy effectively. As part of the initial steps in our Sustainability Strategy, Emerson has set a goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions over the next decade. Emerson has committed to reducing GHG emissions by 20%, normalized to sales, across over 200 of our global manufacturing facilities by the year 2028. This target was developed in partnership with environmental experts to demonstrate progress toward reducing emissions while accounting for growth and changes across its dynamic global business.
Specifically:
- We have set a goal of reducing our greenhouse gas emissions intensity metric, based on global sales, by 20% by 2028 – from our current intensity level of 37 to 30.
- We are using the emissions intensity target approach (metric tons of GHG emissions per sales dollars) to allow for sales growth and changes in our business portfolio.
- The intensity metric allows us to grow and be an economically sustainable business for all stakeholders as we seek to manage our carbon footprint.
- We will be measuring the carbon footprint of more than 200 manufacturing facilities worldwide.
- We are using 2018 as our baseline year. In 2018, the 200-plus manufacturing facilities worldwide that are in-scope for measuring GHG emissions intensity reduction progress had combined Scope 1 (direct) and Scope 2 (indirect) GHG emissions of 664,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MT CO2e).
- Emerson will continue reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) its annual Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions for both manufacturing and non-manufacturing locations – which we have been doing since 2006.
To support Emerson in achieving these carbon reduction targets, Adam Glassl, Global Energy Planner, works directly with Emerson’s largest manufacturing locations to customize strategies for enhanced energy management. Adam facilitates onsite events, known as Energy Treasure Hunts, to engage factory employees in identifying low-cost and no-cost energy reduction opportunities, along with capital projects capable of driving further savings.
He also educates site employees of the cost of energy waste, both financial and environmental, with the intent of making energy management a day-to-day activity for all members of the factory staff. Energy Treasure Hunts at the manufacturing facilities for Micro Motion products in Boulder, Colorado and Ridge Tool products in Elyria, Ohio have identified energy savings of around 10%. The Twin Cities manufacturing facilities for Rosemount products will participate in Energy Treasure Hunts later this Spring with the goal of generating comparable results.
I’ll be sharing updates from Ana and Adam as we move forward down this path and as we help our customers achieve their sustainability initiatives.
Visit the Corporate Social Responsibility section on Emerson.com for more on this and other initiatives to improve our way of life.
