The world’s natural resources are at risk, and we are faced with the challenges of climate change, a growing global population and increasing urbanization. As a leading global water technology company, Xylem is committed to solving water issues. The company outlined its progress on these issues in its recent 2015 Xylem Sustainability Report.
A sustainability framework with four key areas
“Xylem actively addresses the inherent linkages between water, climate and sustainability,” said Patrick Decker, President and CEO of Xylem, about the report. “Our sustainability framework encompasses four key areas – our product offerings, our operations, external engagement, and organization and culture – and allows us to effectively and seamlessly integrate sustainability into our core business operations.”
More from Patrick Decker on the Xylem Sustainability Report:
Progress on five-year sustainability goals
The Xylem Sustainability Report includes an update on Xylem’s ambitious five-year sustainability goals, which include driving improvements in energy efficiency of specific product lines, as well as reducing water use by 25 percent and greenhouse gas emission intensity by 20 percent. In addition, Xylem aims to bolster the impact of Xylem Watermark, the company’s corporate citizenship program, through increased employee involvement and donations.
Research on cutting emissions for the global wastewater sector
Xylem’s 2015 report Powering the Wastewater Renaissance showed how emissions could be significantly reduced in the global wastewater sector. The report found that the adoption of currently available, high-efficiency technologies can reduce electricity-related greenhouse gas emissions in the sector by up to 50 percent. The report also showed that 95 percent of these emissions reductions would either pay for themselves, or even result in savings that could be channeled into additional sustainable upgrades.
Updates on Xylem’s sustainable products and services
In 2015, Xylem increased its portfolio of energy-efficient solutions with the introduction of pumps that cut energy consumption by nearly 25 percent, and low-speed mixers that can reduce energy consumption by half. Xylem also added a Condition Audit to its TotalCare services offering, which provides customers with information on how to maximize the efficiency of their systems.
Reporting with a focus on materiality
The Xylem Sustainability Report also has a new focus on materiality, highlighting issues that have the most significant and material impact on the company’s business performance and stakeholders. The report focuses on 17 material issues that are organized into five categories: Strategic Business Model, External Engagement, Environmental Stewardship, Our People, and Governance. You can learn about these issues in the report’s Materiality Matrix. These material issues are in line with the Global Reporting Initiative’s G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines.
Read more about the report here: www.xylemsustainability.com
Or download a PDF here.