Ecolab, a developer and marketer of products, services and solutions for the food, healthcare, hospitality and industrial markets, announced the launch of new 2030 “Impact Goals.” The new goals aim to significantly increase the company’s positive impact within its own operations and through its work with customers.

The company’s new goals cover a broad range of environmental and social issues, including GHG emission reductions, water conservation, food safety, as well as diversity and inclusion practices.

The company provided specific targets that it has set both for its own operations, and for customers. In terms of the company’s own operations, the goals include:

• Achieving a positive water impact by restoring water withdrawal and protecting at-risk watersheds where the company operates
• Halving carbon emissions and pursuing renewable energy, a target verified by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)
• Advancing Ecolab’s diversity and inclusion practices with a focus on gender and racial/ethnic equity and representation
• Continuing to train and educate all associates to work safely

Ecolab’s targets for impact through work with customers include:

• Conserve 300 billion gallons of water annually, equivalent to the annual drinking water needs of 1 billion people
• Become carbon neutral by reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 4.5 million metric tonnes, helping to prevent 7.3 million pollution-related illnesses
• Provide high-quality and safe food for 1.8 billion people, helping to prevent 11 million foodborne illnesses annually
• Clean 50 billion hands and provide safe medical care for 116 million people each year, helping to avoid 1.7 million infections annually

Ecolab Chairman and CEO Douglas M. Baker, Jr. said:

“The next 10 years represent a crucial opportunity to reach higher and further demonstrate our sustainability leadership. Ecolab has the ability and the responsibility to drive change in the world, both within our company and through our work with our customers and our communities. With these 2030 goals, we will help our customers meet their ambitious sustainability goals, accelerate efforts within our own operations, expand our approach to product sustainability, support diversity and inclusion, and live our values within the workplace and the community.”

Ecolab’s existing environmental commitments include alignment with the U.N. Business Ambition to limit warming to 1.5°C, the Water Resilience Coalition and its virtual power purchasing agreement with renewable energy producer Clearway, to offset 100% of Ecolab’s annual electricity use in the United States.