In 2023, our team demonstrated how to provide what we call TVD, or total value delivered, to our customers while also delivering a positive impact to their businesses and the communities in which they live and work.

These combined efforts enabled Ecolab to report historically impressive levels of financial growth. Our 2030 Customer Impact goals are proof not only of our growth but also our progress. We are proud to report that in 2023, we helped our customers:

• Save 226 billion gallons of water
• Provide safe food to 1.4 billion people
• Clean 60 billion hands, and
• Avoid 3.8 million metric tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions

While Ecolab’s biggest impact is through our customers, our global team also delivered on our operational water and climate goals in 2023. Here are some of these accomplishments:

• We achieved 100% renewable electricity in our European operations, bringing us 80% of the way toward our goal of 100% renewable energy globally.
• We announced a major milestone in our electric vehicle transition through a partnership with Ford Pro, beginning in California in 2024 and culminating with a fully electric fleet in California by 2025.
• We made major strides on our water intensity operational goals.
• In 2023, Ecolab co-launched the California Water Resilience Initiative, an ambitious collaborative effort to scale reduce, reuse and replenish projects in water-stressed California.

These examples prove that you can grow your businesses and protect the planet – without tradeoffs. If done right, the business case for sustainability is now stronger than ever.

The good news is that a growing number of companies are recognizing the importance of aligning their financial and sustainability goals. As a result, they are investing in initiatives such as smart water management, renewable energy and waste reduction and, as a result improving their operational performance and efficiencies. These companies are not just “doing good” for the planet and society, they are also positioning their businesses for long-term success.

In our 2023 Growth & Impact Report, we highlighted some shining examples of our partnerships with customers. How we helped fuel 6.1 million gallons of water savings for an ADM ethanol facility in Nebraska while reducing their overall costs by $1.6 million. We also advanced operational productivity at Marriott Vacations Worldwide, leading to over $625,000 in savings while reducing water and energy use. As you can see from these examples, Ecolab has a unique vantage point, serving more than one million customer locations in 170 countries.

• Embrace existing technology. The technology to deliver meaningful operational efficiencies and significant cost savings already exists. Embrace it! By implementing water-efficient, smart solutions and practices, you can reduce water and energy consumption and lower your energy and water bills.
• Benchmark best-in-class operations. Companies can reap a treasure trove of benefits by ensuring consistency in quality, reliability and financial savings across different facilities and countries. Ecolab3D enables companies to benchmark their water, energy and waste against industry standards or their own performance across facilities. This helps identify areas of improvement and enables you to track your progress over time.
• Forge partnerships that amplify sustainability efforts and contribute to the broader ecosystem of water- and nature-positive initiatives. Ecolab’s work as a founding member of the Water Resilience Coalition (WRC) is a prime example. And it is through this collaboration that we co-launched the above-mentioned California Water Resilience Initiative. By expanding public-private partnerships and investments in water solutions, we aspire to enable California, the No. 1 economy in the U.S. (and fifth in the world), to become more climate resilient.

I don’t mean to imply that any of this is simple or easy. But it can be done, and the payoff will be worth it. Alternatively, companies that fail to address sustainability are gambling with their futures. If you embrace a holistic approach that prioritizes financial and environmental well-being, you can ensure a secure and prosperous future for your company.

As Ecolab has demonstrated over the past 101 years, Doing Well by Doing Good works. It’s within your reach too. Our 2023 Growth & Impact Report is living proof that sustainability and profitability can co-exist, side-by-side, for the benefit of people, planet and business. Learn more here: Growth & Impact Report | Ecolab.