Xylem leveled up Sustainability and Social Impact in 2022 with a focus on operationalizing our strategies, driving deep accountability, and executing throughout our organization.
Specific actions include:
- Expanding our sustainability-linked compensation programs beyond senior executives
- Using diverse candidate slates and unconscious bias and inclusion training to advance our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) ambitions
- Greening our vehicle fleet
- Investing a portion of our cash on hand with financial institutions that support underserved communities in which we operate
- Partnering with customers to advance Net Zero commitments
These accomplishments build on prior progress of including key sustainability metrics in our quarterly business reviews, broadening senior leadership compensation tied to sustainability goals and expanding KPI-based green finance structures.
As we entered 2023, we finalized an innovative new revolving credit facility tied to three Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) reflected in our 2025 Sustainability Goals – moving away from reliance on more general third-party rating services. These KPIs include Scope 1 & 2 emission reduction, our product “handprint” to reduce customer GHG emissions, and the percentage of supplier spend reporting key sustainability information via EcoVadis.
We know that innovation and technology are powerful forces in addressing water scarcity, affordability and resilience to climate change, but they are only as good as the people developing, commercializing and scaling them. Quite simply, delivering results depends on our people. And investment in their development and well-being is the backbone of an engaged, skilled and high-performing workforce.
To that end, we expanded resources, tools and flexibility to our employees so they can bring their best to work each day. In the U.S., this included expanding paid parental leave and implementing “Flexible Time Off,” empowering employees to take the time off they need, when they need it, with leaders setting the example. Globally, we continue to focus on making wellness resources more prominent and accessible, investing in training and upskilling, including through skills-based volunteering with our Watermark partners and other key stakeholders, and accelerating internal mobility. We also took steps to improve the tools our employees need to better serve our customers and communities, whether from the office, remotely or in hybrid settings. We still have work ahead, but remain focused on attracting and retaining the best talent to solve global water challenges.
We are excited to advance and scale our impact through the pending combination of Xylem and Evoqua. Following the pending closing of the transaction, we will be even better positioned to create a more water-secure and resilient world.
Claudia Toussaint
Chief People and Sustainability Officer
Xylem