Contribution to sustainable development Energizing the Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 3

Good Health and Well-being

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

Since 1979, ABB has successfully delivered and installed safety systems in more than 55 countries for the oil & gas sector, the chemical sector and other major industries. A pioneer in the development of advanced safety technologies, our flagship System 800xA integrated control and safety system provides people, equipment and the environment with the safety, security and protection required for almost any project.

The ABB Life-Saving Rules

Phasing out lead at ABB Sweden

ABB Ergonomics Program ready for 2019

SDG 4

Quality Education

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all

As part of its broad effort to support training for skilled manufacturing jobs, ABB pledged in 2018 to embrace apprenticeship programs in the United States, where the company has 24,000 employees. By supporting the lifelong learning of its employees, ABB is creating new and more affordable ways for people to upskill and secure higher-paying jobs.

Helping Thai vocational students get a hands-on start in the digital manufacturing era

SDG 5

Gender Equality

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

For the fourth year running, in 2018 ABB Hungary announced its scholarship for female technical university and college students. The program, “ABB mentoring scheme for female students,” aims to strengthen the participation of women in technical fields and to provide female students with the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the products, services, and operation of an international company.

Global mentoring and development program for women

SDG 10

Reduced Inequalities

Reduce inequality within and among countries

As a major sponsor of the Special Olympics Germany, ABB has been supporting the games through volunteer helpers since 2000. For the first time ever, ABB’s technology contributed to the Olympics in 2018 by providing a charging infrastructure for electric vehicles around the “Olympic Town” in Kiel.

Combating modern slavery

SDG 13

Climate Action

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

ABB is a member of the Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders, an informal group facilitated by the World Economic Forum. Together we signed an open letter ahead of COP24 to confirm our commitment to fast-track solutions to help deliver on an enhanced and more ambitious global action plan to tackle climate change and meet the goals set out at the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement.

Transformers designed for the latest generation of offshore wind turbines

Solar power for a research station in Antarctica

ABB uses its own products and solutions to power its facilities with renewable solar energy

SDG 14

Life Below Water

Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

By the Ocean we Unite, a Dutch foundation, uses advanced solutions supplied by ABB to study, measure and report on the rising concentration of plastics in the ocean. The foundation leverages the ABB Ability Marine Advisory System – OCTOPUS to plan optimal routes for its research vessel, maximizing the ship’s fuel efficiency and operational impact. At the same time, ABB Ability Fleet Portal helps the foundation gather and analyze real-time data from the vessel’s onboard sensors.

The low-emission future of shipping

SDG 15

Life on Land

Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

ABB recently completed a major life-cycle assessment of HVDC Light Generation 5 M9 to quantify its long-term environmental impact. The study took all materials and transmission losses into account. The study concluded that over the past 10 years, ABB has cut the carbon footprint of HVDC light by 66 percent. After power losses, civil works and construction materials, main circuit equipment and converter valves had the largest environmental impact from a delivery of an ABB HVDC system.

Solar power for a research station in Antarctica

SDG 16

Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels

ABB has a decade-long partnership with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) that was renewed for three years at the end of 2017. Regular exchanges between ABB and ICRC staff helped identify focus areas to further improve energy efficiencies. ABB will continue to support ICRC’s activities related to renewable energy and use of technology in the electrification value chain.

2018 Anti-Bribery Management System and Integrity Awareness Assessment

SDG 1

No Poverty

End poverty in all its forms everywhere

In response to Typhoon Haiyan, which devastated the Philippines in 2013, ABB raised over $500,000, donating some of those funds to Gawad Kalinga, a non-profit committed to fighting poverty. Since then, ABB and Gawad Kalinga have worked together on an ABB Global Village, in the province of Negros, providing new homes and critical infrastructure to a small rural community in one of the most severely-hit and poorest areas of the island, helping to give those affected a new start.

ABB continues to rebuild lives in the Philippines

SDG 2

Zero Hunger

End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture

Participants in the ABB 5K road race in Houston, Texas, USA, have the option to run, jog or walk on behalf of Kids’ Meals, a first-responder to children five-years-old and under facing debilitating hunger due to extreme poverty. Every year, a number of runners in the ABB 5K commit to raising $250 for hungry children. Kids’ Meals delivers free healthy means to the children’s doorsteps, and collaborates with their families to help end the cycle of poverty.

ABB continues to rebuild lives in the Philippines

SDG 8

Decent Work and Economic Growth

Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all

Industrial automation is bringing back jobs to old manufacturing centers, generating new growth. For example, in an old television factory in South Wales, UK, ABB’s YuMi robots are helping workers with the assembly of Raspberry Pi, Britain’s smallest – and most popular – computer. Automation, in combination with shipping and logistics savings, has made South Wales a cost-effective production base for Raspberry Pi.

Combating modern slavery

SDG 9

Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

ABB will to invest €100 million in Austria to build a state-of-the-art innovation and training campus at the home of B&R in Eggelsberg, Upper Austria. It is the largest organic investment in industrial automation in ABB’s more than 130-year history and lays the foundation for around 1,000 new high-tech jobs in Austria. This new R&D campus will open in 2020.

Sustainability measures improve supplier’s operational and business efficiency

SDG 11

Sustainable Cities and Communities

Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable

The key to sustainable urban living is building smarter cities, managed with advanced technologies and systems that will allow them to accommodate swelling populations without overwhelming infrastructure or services. ABB is partnering with the Smart Cities Council and with communities all over the world to make them cleaner, smarter and more sustainable while laying the groundwork for the city of future.

Transformers designed for the latest generation of offshore wind turbines

Surat upgrades to ABB’s digital water management solution

SDG 12

Responsible Consumption and Production

Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

ABB has taken a significant step towards making its production processes both circular and sustainable by closing a major deal for recycled copper. Installation Products, which is part of ABB’s Electrical Products business, was the first to sign a deal with Aurubis, one of our key copper suppliers globally. Aurubis specializes in non-ferrous metals reclamation from scrap.

The low-emission future of shipping

Sustainable underground mining

Eliminating waste at ABB facilities

Phasing out lead at ABB Sweden

Sustainability measures improve supplier’s operational and business efficiency

SDG 17

Partnerships for the Goals

Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development

ABB is a founding partner of United for Efficiency (U4E), a public-private multi-stakeholder collaboration partnership led by the United Nations Environment Programme. U4E helps governments develop and implement national and regional strategies for improved energy efficiency, and ABB is sharing our expertise in motors and transformers, policies, regulations and standards, as well as potential applications for the best available technologies.

Combating modern slavery

SDG 6

Clean Water and Sanitation

Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

ABB is helping water companies achieve their own targets for SDG 6 through our solutions and expertise, which optimize processes and minimize leaks and water loss in distribution networks and transmission systems. ABB’s distributed control system with integrated leakage and event management for Ho Chi Minh City will reduce non-revenue water loss from 30 percent to 10 percent by digitally monitoring the water network and initiating repairs in near-real time.

ABB utilizes leading technologies to improve wastewater treatment at its own site

Surat upgrades to ABB’s digital water management solution

SDG 7

Affordable and Clean Energy

Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all

ABB’s microgrids, powered by renewable energy, bring electricity to remote places and provide clean backup power to outage-prone regions. Microgrids can integrate multiple distributed generation sources, and their benefits are realized almost immediately. ABB is partnering with the rural arctic communities of Deering and Buckland, Alaska, to install advanced, modular “plug-and-play” microgrids to support the adoption of wind power.

The low-emission future of shipping

Sustainable underground mining

Transformers designed for the latest generation of offshore wind turbines

Solar power for a research station in Antarctica

ABB utilizes leading technologies to improve wastewater treatment at its own site

ABB uses its own products and solutions to power its facilities with renewable solar energy