Corporate leaders are increasingly working to lower their emissions profiles. Three such companies are General Electric, Procter & Gamble and Time Warner Cable. These three companies provide good examples of corporate emissions reduction efforts that includes setting ambitious goals for the future. A growing number of companies realize that emissions reductions and other sustainability efforts make sense as we move ever closer to new regulatory regimes.
As reported earlier this year GE GHG emissions were reduced 31 percent from the adjusted 2004 baseline. GE has achieved measurable progress on nearly 40 environmental, social and governance goals and metrics including freshwater use which is down more than 42 percent from the 2006 baseline.
According to its 2014 Sustainability Report, GE invested more than $2 billion in research and development for Ecomagination and healthymagination innovations. They have invested massively in clean-tech research and development, including $15B in Ecomagination R&D, since 2005. The company is on track to meet the commitment of $25B in total investment by 2020. An estimated 1 million GE volunteer hours were contributed in 2014 and they are working hard on communications to ensure that they keep the public informed.
P&G’s has set new GHG reduction goals in partnership with World Wildlife Fund. In addition, P&G is joining the Climate Savers program, sponsored by WWF.
Procter & Gamble has pledged to reduce absolute greenhouse gas emissions from its facilities by 30 percent by 2020, against a 2010 baseline. The consumer goods company has currently reduced absolute emissions by almost 4 percent against that baseline. P&G says it plans to achieve its new goal by maintaining a focus on energy conservation and increasing its use of renewable energy.
P&G is to be credited for its science based approach to reducing its emissions. They have factored the latest science from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in the development of a stretching target of 30 percent.
Time Warner Cable has pledged to reduce its carbon intensity 30 percent by 2016 year end compared to 2015. TWC says it will focus reduction efforts on fleet management and energy efficiency that will include strategic partnerships with the EPA Clean Cities Clean Fleets program. The company also says it will aim to reduce cooling power consumption, pursue LEED elements in all new buildings and seek new renewable energy opportunities. This is in addition to it already considerable achievements. Previously TWC announced it achieved a 38 percent carbon intensity reduction, surpassing the 15 percent two-year goal set in 2012.
TWC’s efforts also extend to water management. They have pledged that by 2016, TWC plans to complete its first water footprint analysis with the goal of developing a water-usage reduction plan.
