Summary of GRI indicators ABB Group Sustainability Indicators 2018

Reporting on lead in submarine cables is discontinued from 2018 due to the divestment of our high-voltage cables and cable accessories businesses in Q1 2017.

From 2018 we report all cadmium in batteries in one category. Data from 2013–2017 on cadmium in industrial and rechargeable batteries, respectively, have been summed up and are included here.

Data on inflow and outflow of SF6 insulation gas have been restated for 2017, due to an error in the reporting from one site.

Biofuels were reported as a separate category in 2017. Biofuel consumption, total energy used, and energy intensity have been restated for 2014–2016, since the use of biofuels was previously not reported at one of our large facilities.

Results for these indicators are based on reported data covering 94% of employees in 2018, 93% in 2017, 97% in 2016, 95% in 2015 and 93% in 2014, plus energy use per employee for the remaining employees pro rata. See the Approach to reporting section for more details.

Gas and electricity consumption and the associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have been restated for 2014–2017, due to the correction of earlier conversion factor errors at one of our large facilities.

Includes sales from Power Grids division.

Water withdrawal from areas of water stress have been restated for 2013-2017, due to earlier errors in reporting of water for remediation projects at two sites.

See Approach to reporting chapter for more details on GHG emission calculation.

In 2015, we updated the factor used to convert SF₆ emissions to CO₂ equivalents to 22,800 kg CO₂e/kg SF₆, as recommended by the UK Department of Energy & Climate Change in July 2014, and have applied that factor to SF₆ data reported for all years.

For 2018 we use the same data as for 2017. For 2017 data see Approach to reporting; 2014–2016 data was estimated.

The air travel indicator included data from ABB Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Kazakhstan and Romania for the first time in 2016 and from ABB China and Thomas & Betts for the first time in 2014.

Data for air travel is calculated using the emission factors published by the UK Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy in its “2018 Government GHG Conversion Factors for Company Reporting – Methodology Paper for Emission Factors – Final Report.”

The GHG emissions intensity includes Scope 1+2+3 emissions. Includes sales from Power Grids division.

Emissions of Chlorinated volatile organic compounds (VOC-Cl) are included in the Volatile organic compounds (VOC) reported in the line above.

Cooling water quality remains unchanged by its use at ABB and is discharged without treatment. Data for 2016 exceptionally included discharge of cooling water to recipient.

Hazardous waste as classified in the country where it is generated.

An environmental incident is regarded as significant if at least one of the following criteria applies to the incident: obligation to inform local authorities or a governmental agency about the incident and/or regulatory violation; inspection by an environmental agency results in a formal complaint; environmental Notice of Violation, a Consent Order or a Potential Responsible Party (PRP) notification; imposition of a penalty or fine; significant impact on an ecosystem; costs related to the incident exceed, or may exceed, $10,000.

Includes GE Industrial Solutions acquired in 2018.

Includes part-time employees. Turnover rate calculated as number of ABB employees (full- and part-time) leaving during the year/total number of ABB employees (full- and part-time) as at 31 December. For the purpose of this calculation, employees and external workforce who leave the organization voluntarily or involuntarily whether due to dismissal, retirement, end of fixed-term contract or death in service or any other reason, are included. However, involuntary turnover arising out of divestments is excluded from the definition.

Fatalities include deaths occurring within one year as a result of injuries sustained and commuting is excluded.

The number of recorded incidents multiplied by 200,000/total hours worked.

Data covers incidents that happened at workplace (ABB facility, customer site, project site).

Includes incidents during business travel by road. Air and rail travels are excluded.

Includes incidents during business travel between ABB work place (ABB facility, customer site, project site).

The number of days lost multiplied by 200,000/total hours worked.

Total recordable incidents include fatal, lost-time incident, serious injury incident, medical treatment incident, occupational illness and restricted workday cases.

Days lost are calendar days and are counted from the day after the incident.

Rate is calculated per employee.

Eligible employees included in ABB HR system. Data covers previous year’s cycle with completion by Q1 of the reporting year.

This indicator focuses on senior and middle management and includes employees in hay grades 1 to 10.