OUR COMMITMENT TO THE ENVIRONMENT
At Johnson Controls, we’ve been dedicated to protecting the environment since our invention of the electric thermostat in 1885, which provided a fundamental shift in the energy efficiency of buildings. Now, all over the world, our products and services empower customers and communities to consume less energy and conserve resources.
Climate policy and engagement leadership
Johnson Controls recognizes the importance of engaging with world leaders and other leading organizations in fighting climate change and takes seriously its important role as a thought leader on critical sustainability issues.
- In March 2022, our CEO George Oliver was invited to the White House by President Biden. During the meeting, Mr. Oliver discussed Johnson’s Controls’ plans to scale up heat pump production and encouraged the Administration to implement polices in the United States to incentivize building electrification.
- Johnson Controls proactively engages with policymakers at all levels of government to share our perspective on issues related to sustainability and decarbonization. We also comment publicly on policies that have an impact on the climate, such as the Inflation Reduction Act, the Supreme Court decision in West Virginia versus EPA, and the AIM Act, which mandated the phasedown of HFCs. George Oliver also testified before the U.S. Senate Budget Committee at a hearing entitled 'Climate Change: The Cost of Inaction'
- We lead in organizations that bring decision-makers together who can turn sustainability words into sustainability action. For example, George Oliver, Chairman and CEO, chairs the Sustainable Buildings Task Force, which is made up of global CEOs from throughout the buildings industry working together to accelerate the delivery of net zero buildings to reduce carbon emissions. Katie McGinty, Vice President and Chief Sustainability and External Relations Officer, currently serves on the International Steering Committee of the World Sustainable Development Summit that focuses on energy, environment and sustainable development.
Our Accomplishments
Across our organization, we seek to continuously improve in our environmental work. We’re proud and fortunate to have been included in more than 40 prestigious sustainability indexes in recent years.
Here are just some of the reasons why we’ve received this recognition:
In our operations
- We’ve reduced absolute emissions across our operations by 42% since 2017 on the way to our SBTi-approved science-based target of 55% by 2030.
- 41.5% of our electricity globally comes from renewable sources
For our customers
- In 2022, more than 90% of new product R&D was invested in climate-related innovation to develop sustainable products and services, surpassing our already-ambitious goal of 75%
- Since January 2000, performance contracting projects have helped avoid more than 37 million metric tons CO2e and are set to save more than $7.8 billion for our customers through energy and operational savings over the project term
In our supply chain
- Sustainability is weighted at 21% of supplier scorecards, making sustainability equal to cost, quality and delivery in supplier evaluations.
- We are proud to have been awarded the Platinum EcoVadis Sustainability Rating, the highest distinction granted. EcoVadis is a leading ratings organization for the sustainability of supply chains. As a result of our strong performance, we rank in the top one percent of the more than 100,000 companies assessed worldwide.
Our Leadership
Our achievements in sustainability are the result of committed and innovative leadership on environmental issues.
- George Oliver, Johnson Controls’ Chairman and CEO, is the Chairman of the Business Roundtable Energy & Environment Committee. The Business Roundtable and Johnson Controls believe that to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, the world must work together to limit global temperature rise this century to well below 2 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels, consistent with the Paris Agreement.
- In 2020, we named Katie McGinty the company’s first Chief Sustainability Officer. McGinty is a recognized innovator in clean energy, the environment, and life sciences, and is a former Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality as well as serving as the Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
- Johnson Controls Governance and Sustainability Committee of its board of directors has sustainability oversight authority. The Sustainability Leadership Committee (SLC) was created to oversee sustainability at the company. It is made up of leaders of our businesses, regions across the globe, and key corporate functions. The SLC reports regularly to the CEO and the Executive Committee and quarterly to the Board.
- Our commitment to transparency and integrity means we are an early signatory and current member of the United Nations Global Compact and that we disclose our sustainability data to ensure our stakeholders are fully informed of our efforts and the results. Our sustainable supply chain activities help our suppliers reduce their environmental footprint.
- Our official policies on energy and climate change, conflict minerals, and more ensure that our employees understand our positions on a variety of sustainability and human rights issues.
Goverance
Ethics and integrity are core values to us. Learn about the policies and initiatives that govern the way we do business.
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Reporting and Policies
At Johnson Controls, we do what we say we will do and are transparent about where we can improve. Learn more by checking out the following reports and policies.
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Recognition
We don’t just talk about sustainability at Johnson Controls. Check out these awards and recognition for proof that we do what we say we will do.
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Green Finance
We are proud to be a leader in sustainable finance. We are the first S&P 500 company to have issued three distinct sustainable finance instruments that incentivize combatting climate change.
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