Rockwell Automation 2023 sustainability report highlights progress and outcomes

By OEM Update Editorial January 25, 2024 11:00 am IST

Rockwell Automation, Inc. releases its 2023 Sustainability Report, showcasing progress in sustainability initiatives, ESG goals, and community partnerships, emphasizing a human-centric approach to technology for positive impact.

Rockwell Automation, Inc. published its 2023 Sustainability Report detailing the company’s sustainability progress and outcomes, and how Rockwell is partnering across the manufacturing industry and communities worldwide to create sustainable impact and change.

In India, Rockwell undertook initiatives including solar light installation projects in schools, environmental projects including sapling distribution and sponsoring robotic and STEM education programs. Most recently the company detailed how it is helping to modernize farming practices in rural India in partnership with ISAP India Foundation.

“We’ve been improving the efficiency of industrial processes for more than 120 years, which includes making the most of scarce resources,” said Rockwell Automation Chairman & CEO Blake Moret. “Today, our technology and expertise help manufacturers in diverse industries address the complex challenge of making high-quality products at scale while minimizing negative impacts on the environment.”

Smart manufacturing technologies play a critical role in driving Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) and sustainability success. Survey results from the company’s 8^th annual State of Smart Manufacturing Report indicate the driving factor for manufacturers to pursue sustainability and ESG policies and programs is to improve efficiencies, confirming that sustainability is critical for operational improvement and profitability. 

Rockwell Automation’s 2023 progress on its ESG journey

In addition to showcasing how Rockwell supports customers’ sustainability efforts with its innovative, sustainable products and solutions, the report also highlights the company’s ESG initiatives and programs that are making Rockwell more sustainable while at the same time fostering a culture that empowers employees to operate safely, sustainably, and responsibly.

In 2020, Rockwell announced its goal to be carbon neutral by 2030 (Scope 1 and 2 emissions). The report discusses the company’s work toward this goal, and includes information about Rockwell’s Scope 3 emissions baseline, explaining that indirect emissions from its value chain represent 99% of its Scope 3 carbon footprint.

The report highlights new 2023 ESG initiatives, including:

• UN Global Compact: The company joined the UN Global Compact and the report discusses the eight UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) on which Rockwell believes it can have the greatest impact.
• The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi): Rockwell joined this partnership between the United Nations Global Compact, Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), World Resources Institute (WRI), and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), which is designed to address corporate climate action.
• Product Design for Sustainability: The creation of a new team responsible for the integration of sustainability design principles, measurement criteria, and requirements into common product development processes.

Partnering to build sustainable communities

Advanced manufacturing is creating demand for people who have the knowledge and skills to optimize technology, yet workforce and skill shortages continue to impact companies across every industry. The 2023 Sustainability Report underscores the work the company is doing to help create a skilled, engaged workforce that is comfortable using these tools, and the importance of partnering across government, educational institutions, and industry to develop needed workforce skills, now and in the future.

“In a time when workforce and skill shortages impact manufacturers in every industry, enabling people to become comfortable with the newest technology and giving them opportunities to upskill along the way can be the difference between success and failure,” said Moret.

He added, “When a human-centric approach is applied to technology implementation, we see improvement in nearly every aspect of the manufacturing operation—from efficiency to worker safety—delivering results that have a positive impact on both the bottom line and sustainability.”