International. The world's sustainability challenges in 2013 gave Ingersoll Rand an opportunity of monumental proportions. Climate change was becoming a global focus with a majority of countries committed to the Paris Agreement. In many countries, renewable energy reached cost parity with fossil fuels.
Companies first initiated work within their supply chains to address environmental, social and governance (ESG) challenges. Diversity and inclusion became a global imperative, while positive impact on the community became a central need for businesses; and investors increasingly assessed the ESG characteristics of the companies they invested in.
In this context, Ingersoll Rand publicly committed to making business sustainability the essence with which the company operates. Serving customers and engaging employees. Identifying the company's categories in its operations and supply chain, with customers, the products and services it offers and with its own people, and where we work and live.
How do you do it?
• Operating ethically and transparently.
• Cultivating a sustainable and innovative supply chain.
• Optimizing natural resources in its operations.
• Innovating to deliver economic value and optimal performance throughout the life cycle of your products.
• Building a winning values-based and inclusive culture
• Creating shared value, contributing more to society than is taken from it.
To define the path to 2020, it has set ambitious and specific targets in each of these categories, and is on track to achieve them before the end of 2019.
Climate Commitment
One of the most visible parts of its 2020 sustainability goals has to do with the Climate Commitment to help solve the planet's unsustainable demand for energy resources. This is in response to the United Nations global climate challenge, issued to the private sector in 2013.
Since then, it has worked hard to deliver, making products more environmentally friendly, using less energy than was used in 2013.
• 21 million tons of CO2 were avoided from its customers, equivalent to 3.7 coal-fired power plants.
• Two years ahead of schedule in our climate commitment reduced its own operating emissions by 45 percent.
• Achieved a reduction in energy intensity by 22 percent.
"In 2013, we decided to be a leader in sustainability, starting with our Climate Commitment," said Paul Camuti, Senior Vice President of Ingersoll Rand and Chief Technology and Innovation Officer.
"By the numbers it's been an incredible story, but the most exciting thing is that now, when we evaluate a proposed course of action, we do so through a sustainability lens that reflects our company's strategy and vision. We ask ourselves: 'Is it a resource- and energy-efficient solution that creates value for our customers? Will it reduce our environmental impact as an organization? Will it contribute to a better world?' Much more than climate and energy, our journey to sustainability has extended beyond our work on climate and efficiency in our operations, it has spread across our supply chain, our workforce and our communities."
Diverse and inclusive is sustainable
Women hold nearly 22 per cent of their managerial positions and four of the 12 members of the Board of Directors are women. In fact, it has more women on its Board of Directors than the average company on the Russell 3000, the benchmark index for women on boards.
In March 2017, Ingersoll Rand joined the Paradigm for Parity coalition. By joining, she reaffirmed her commitment to achieving gender parity in her global corporate leadership structure by 2030 and remains committed to fostering diversity and inclusion in the workplace through the Action for Diversity & Inclusion Executive Directorate.
Citizenship is sustainable
Ingersoll Rand is also one of seven industrial companies with special funds dedicated to helping their employees during assistance in the event of disasters and other personal crises. Since 2017, its people have donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to help their co-workers and have volunteered for more than 40,000 hours for housing and shelter projects.
According to Paul Camuti, the external recognition Ingersoll Rand has achieved over the past six years is a sign that sustainability efforts are making a difference. "For eight consecutive years, Ingersoll Rand has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World and North America Indices, or DJSI. The continued positioning in this series of indices shows progress towards our sustainability goals and our position as an ESG leader among similar companies."
"Sustainability is intrinsically linked in a top-tier company," Paul said. "That's why we will continue to innovate and invest in new products, services and solutions to help our customers achieve their own sustainability goals. We will continue to invest in new ways to reduce our environmental footprint, we will continue to invest in our people and our winning culture. We will continue to foster new ideas to continue as a diverse and engaged organization. In all these ways and more, we will continue to create a more sustainable future for the next 10 years and for many."
