The Global Business Alliance (GBA) commends the Biden administration for making environmental stewardship a national priority. In the lead up to the President’s inauguration, more than a dozen GBA members wrote to express their public support for the United States rejoining the Paris Climate Accords. Many GBA members are committed to meeting the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
International companies are leading America’s fight against climate change.
Through the implementation of responsible environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices and policies, international companies are outperforming the U.S. private sector and making a positive impact on communities across America. The Wall Street Journal released a new ranking of the top 100 sustainably managed companies in the world after assessing over 5,500 publicly traded businesses, and a staggering 77 percent of the companies on the list are internationally-headquartered businesses.
A study released before the pandemic showed that GBA members score 31 percent higher than the average U.S. company on environmental stewardship. Specifically, GBA members score 117 percent higher than the average U.S. company in terms of reducing their product carbon footprint, 37 percent higher in reducing carbon emissions and investing in clean technology, and 28 percent higher in their protection of biodiversity and land usage.
GBA members have launched highly successful programs that focus on tackling the climate crisis and making an incredible impact on local communities across the country. Below are a few examples of GBA members’ innovative initiatives that underscore their commitment to environmental sustainability.
Siemens is pioneering the next generation of automated building technologies. Siemens acquired two California-based start-ups in IoT space, Comfy and Enlighted, Inc., which are working with Siemens Digital Service Center in Austin, Texas, to advance these technologies. Siemens also has extensive electric vehicle charging capabilities and technologies, which will help the United States shift to electric transportation. It has the goal of helping America achieve 100 percent electrification of U.S. transportation that will reduce CO2 emissions and grow U.S. jobs in the manufacturing, installation, and service sectors.
DSM
DSM recently doubled the size of its Belvidere, New Jersey, site, tripling its total solar output. The 20.2 MW project is the largest net-metered solar installation in the state and the second largest on the East Coast. Comprised of over 62,000 solar panels, the field produces approximately 25,000,000 kWh annually – significantly more than the facility’s energy consumption. The excess power is sent to the power grid to provide additional energy from clean sources.
Tate & Lyle
Tate & Lyle became the first corn wet miller to support a sustainable agriculture program that represents its global annual corn procurement volume equal to 1.5 million acres. The pilot program was launched in the Midwest, where Tate & Lyle has sourced corn for many decades and where much of its global production is based. The program helps farming communities make informed conservation decisions, avoid waste and support long-term profitability. The first set of data from 148,000 acres show a 10 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, 38 percent increase in nitrogen efficiency and six percent reduction in topsoil erosion.
To learn more about the specific ways in which GBA members are leading America’s sustainability efforts check out Discover How GBA Members Create Sustainable Solutions.