GRI content index table

This is ABB, Products and services

Responsible sourcing, Resource efficiency

Resource efficiency, Summary of main performance indicators

ABB, as a multinational organization with operations in around 100 countries, has difficulty in providing meaningful information for this indicator. In view of our very heterogeneous product portfolio, which includes a very wide range of different materials and processing stages, and the adverse cost-benefit ratio in producing this information, ABB has decided not to report against this GRI indicator.

Energy efficiency, renewable energy and climate, Products and services, Summary of main performance indicators

Resource efficiency, Summary of main performance indicators

Biodiversity has not been identified as a material aspect for ABB.

Energy efficiency, renewable energy and climate, Resource efficiency, Summary of main performance indicators

ABB operations emitted less than 3 kg of R11 equivalent in 2015.

Resource efficiency, Summary of main performance indicators

Not reported as not material.

Products and services, Resource efficiency

ABB is not in a position to provide Group-wide aggregated information.

ABB did not pay any significant fines for non-compliance with environmental laws and regulations in 2015.

Energy efficiency, renewable energy and climate, Summary of main performance indicators

Combined costs of remediation and corrective actions to address the spills reported under EN24 were approximately $150,000.

All new suppliers are required to agree to ABB’s Supplier Code of Conduct which emphasizes environmental management, among other issues. This is supplemented by a contractual obligation on suppliers to deliver goods or services in accordance with the ABB Supplier Code of Conduct.

ABB developed and launched a new, common supplier qualification and classification process during 2015. The new procedures are now being implemented step-wise, therefore it is not yet possible to report on this indicator.

See also: Responsible sourcing

ABB has a number of formal grievance mechanisms, including a third-party run Business Ethics hotline available round the clock to internal and external stakeholders, where employees can report concerns, if they wish, confidentially. Monitoring and management of environmental grievances is the responsibility of our local operations.

Our people, Human rights, Summary of main performance indicators

ABB, as a multinational organization with operations in around 100 countries, has difficulty in providing meaningful information for this indicator. ABB provides competitive salaries and benefits to employees, taking legal requirements into account and benchmarking against other companies. In view of the different legal requirements from country to country, and the adverse cost-benefit ratio in producing this information, ABB has decided not to report against this GRI indicator.

Almost 3,220 employees took parental leave in 2015, around half of whom were women. Following completion of parental leave, 79 employees – around 2.5 percent – did not return to work. Women accounted for almost 80 percent of those not returning.

ABB is not in a position to provide Group-wide aggregated information, as the figures vary from country to country depending on local regulations. For the 27 countries of the European Union, ABB is represented on the EU’s European Works Council where such matters are discussed.

See also: Our people, Human rights

Consolidated data is not yet available at Group level for this indicator.

Safe and secure operations, Summary of main performance indicators

Our people, Summary of main performance indicators

Our people, Summary of main performance indicators

Our people

All new suppliers are required to agree to ABB’s Supplier Code of Conduct which emphasizes labor and human rights among other issues. This is supplemented by a contractual obligation on suppliers to deliver goods or services in accordance with the ABB Supplier Code of Conduct.

ABB developed and launched a new, common supplier qualification and classification process during 2015. The new procedures are now being implemented step-wise, therefore it is not yet possible to report on this indicator.

See also: Responsible sourcing

ABB has a number of formal grievance mechanisms, including a third-party run Business Ethics hotline available round the clock to internal and external stakeholders, where employees can report concerns, if they wish, confidentially. Figures are available for cases of discrimination and harassment (HR3).

See also: Our people, Governance and integrity, Human rights

ABB maintains and regularly reviews a list of sensitive countries where it has, or considers engaging in, business operations. Human rights, as well as legal, financial and security criteria, are included in risk assessments, and are among the factors in deciding whether ABB does business in a particular country.

Based partly or wholly on human rights considerations, ABB has not taken any business in Sudan or North Korea for several years.

See also: Human rights

Human rights

Human rights

There were no ABB operations identified during 2015 to be at significant risk concerning employee rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining.

See also: Human rights, Responsible sourcing

There were no ABB operations identified during 2015 to be at significant risk concerning incidents of child labor.

See also: Human rights, Responsible sourcing

There were no ABB operations identified during 2015 to be at significant risk concerning incidents of forced or compulsory labor.

See also: Human rights, Responsible sourcing

Just over 75 percent of security personnel received training in ABB’s human rights policies or specific procedures and their application to security. These requirements also apply to third party organizations providing security personnel.

ABB recognizes the importance of training security personnel, as well as ABB country and regional managers, on the human rights dimensions of security work. It has been part of general security training in different parts of the world for several years. As far as security personnel are concerned, ABB recognizes it is essential that they observe human rights. We require due diligence to be carried out on security companies according to ABB and international standards. In 2014, internal checklists for security providers were strengthened, and clauses on human rights were introduced into new contracts with private security providers. The wording is drawn from the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights and the International Code of Conduct for private security providers.

See also: Human rights, Safe and secure operations

Human rights

This data is not available. ABB is involved as a supplier in thousands of projects worldwide each year. Depending on the scope and size of the project – such as larger power infrastructure projects - some will require at least an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment performed by the customer. The data is currently not consolidated by ABB.

See also: Human rights

All new suppliers are required to agree to ABB’s Supplier Code of Conduct which emphasizes labor and human rights among other issues. This is supplemented by a contractual obligation on suppliers to deliver goods or services in accordance with the ABB Supplier Code of Conduct.

ABB developed and launched a new, common supplier qualification and classification process during 2015. The new procedures are now being implemented step-wise, therefore it is not yet possible to report on this indicator.

See also: Human rights, Responsible sourcing

ABB has a number of formal grievance mechanisms, including a third-party run Business Ethics hotline available round the clock to internal and external stakeholders, where employees can report concerns, if they wish, confidentially. Figures are available for cases of discrimination and harassment (HR3).

See also: Human rights, Governance and integrity

Stakeholder engagement

Governance and integrity

Under ABB’s Code of Conduct, contributions to political parties, politicians and related institutions are to be made only in exceptional cases and only after a rigorous approval process which includes the approval of the Chief Integrity Officer. Any donations must be vetted as part of ABB's approval process.

See also: Governance and integrity, Stakeholder engagement, Summary of main performance indicators

Governance and integrity

Governance and integrity

All new suppliers are required to agree to ABB’s Supplier Code of Conduct which emphasizes labor and human rights among other issues. This is supplemented by a contractual obligation on suppliers to deliver goods or services in accordance with the ABB Supplier Code of Conduct.

ABB developed and launched a new, common supplier qualification and classification process during 2015. The new procedures are now being implemented step-wise, therefore it is not yet possible to report on this indicator.

See also: Responsible sourcing, Human rights, Stakeholder engagement

ABB has a number of formal grievance mechanisms, including a third-party run Business Ethics hotline available round the clock to internal and external stakeholders, where employees can report concerns, if they wish, confidentially. Figures are available for cases of discrimination and harassment (HR3).

See also: Governance and integrity, Human rights, Our people, Stakeholder engagement, Responsible sourcing

Two incidents on non-compliance with safety regulations resulting in a fine were reported for 2015, both related to working with contractors. Total fines amounted to $2,500.

See also: Products and services, Resource efficiency

ABB’s goal is to produce Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for our core products. They describe and quantify the environmental impact and performance of ABB products through every phase of their life cycles, covering raw material extraction, component manufacture, transportation and use over their full operating lifetime. They can also contain recovery, recycling and disposal instructions for when the product has completed its useful life. The EPDs are published on ABB’s website and help customers to select products that will improve their own environmental performance. ABB also engages with customers with particular reporting needs, to ensure clarity and completeness of environmental data.

No complaints related to product information or labeling were reported in 2015.

See also: Products and services, Stakeholder engagement

Stakeholder engagement