Cummins Reports Key Progress on 2030 Environmental Goals

Cummins Inc. in 2021 made significant progress toward the company’s 2030 environmental goals, reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from both its products and facilities, while cutting water use and waste production.

The global power technology leader also made progress on its goal for reducing emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from paint and coating operations and completed foundational work toward its lifecycle planning goal to create a plan for every part to use less, use better and use again.

These findings are included in the company’s recently posted 2021 Sustainability Progress Report. The report includes the first update on the 2030 goals in PLANET 2050, Cummins’ environmental sustainability strategy.

As part of PLANET 2050, the company established nine goals timed to 2030, ranging from reducing absolute GHG emissions from facilities and operations by 50% compared to a 2018 baseline, to producing net water benefits that exceed the company’s annual water use in all Cummins regions.

PLANET 2050 also includes the aspiration to power customer success exclusively using carbon neutral technologies that address air quality, achieve near zero pollution in facilities and operations, and design out waste in products and processes – all by 2050.

Here are some 2021 highlights:

• Cummins cut GHG emissions from plants and facilities by 31% compared to 2018. Completion of solar projects in India played a key role as did the company’s continued support for an expansion of a northern Indiana windfarm that sends enough renewable power to the grid to roughly offset all of the power Cummins uses statewide from traditional power sources.
• The company continued working with customers to reduce Scope 3 GHG emissions from its products in use. Cummins reached a cumulative reduction of 26.8 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) in 2021 compared to a 2014 baseline. Cummins’ 2030 goal is a 55 million metric ton cumulative CO2 reduction.
• Cummins recorded a 12.7% reduction in water use compared to 2018 as the company strives for its 2030 goal of a 30% reduction from Cummins’ baseline year.
• The company achieved a 4.1% reduction in waste as a percentage of revenue compared to a 2018 baseline year. Cummins’ goal is a 25% reduction in waste as a percentage of revenue compared to 2018.
• Cummins in 2021 achieved a 45% reduction in the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) compared to 2018. The company’s 2030 goal is a 50% reduction.

Cummins also took a major step toward the company’s 2030 goal of producing net water benefits in the communities it serves that exceed Cummins’ annual water use. The company in 2021 implemented Cummins Water Works, which partners with leading water experts around the world to invest and engage in high-impact water projects.

The company’s 2030 goals pick up where Cummins’ 2020 environmental goals left off. While 2030 might seem like a long time away, the company’s environmental team knows from experience the end of the decade is fast approaching.