In its first year as a standalone company, Xylem Inc. has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index. Xylem is one of 340 companies recognized on this year’s World Index and one of 140 companies on the North America Index.
Launched in 1999, the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (DJSI) are the first global indexes dedicated to tracking the financial performance of the world’s leading, sustainability-driven companies. The DJSI follow a best-in-class approach by including companies across all industries that outperform their peers over a range of sustainability metrics.
“This is major recognition of our sustainability work, including our solid Environment, Safety and Health (ESH) program and our corporate citizenship and social investment Watermark program,” says Cathrin Stock, Xylem Water Solutions’ Sustainability Manager and a member of the Xylem Sustainability Steering Committee. “Being recognized as a leader in sustainable development will also make Xylem an attractive company and help us attract and retain talented employees.”
Water is, of course, a key sustainability area for a leading global water technology provider such as Xylem. Another key area is energy efficiency. Some ten years ago, an analysis of the environmental performance of Xylem’s submersible pumps showed that energy consumption accounted for more than 95 percent of their environmental impact. Since then, Xylem has focused on developing more energy-efficient products, thereby benefiting both the environment and its customers.
“I believe a major strength in our sustainability work is the fact that we don’t limit it to our own operations,” says Stock. “We include in the scope how our products are used, which is often the most significant area for improvement, and this also contributes to enhanced sustainability performance for our customers.”
Xylem’s largest business, Water Solutions, provides life cycle assessments for products that generate 90 percent of its revenues in order to provide customers with information on environmental impact. Xylem plans to introduce this best practice to all of its businesses and major product lines.
Click here to read more about Xylem’s sustainability work
Click here to learn more about the Watermark program