Leading by Example: Hayes Highlights UTC’s Longstanding Commitment to Sustainability

In an essay published by the Business Roundtable (BRT) on sustainability initiatives at United Technologies, President and CEO Gregory Hayes highlighted the company’s commitment to “developing the smart, sustainable solutions the world needs – while delivering superior customer and shareowner value.”   Hayes’ essay appeared in the BRT’s 2015 sustainability report, entitled “Create, Grow, Sustain: Leading by Example,” which was published this week to coincide with the 45th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22.   BRT is an association of chief executive officers of leading companies whose mission is to promote sound public policy and a thriving economy. The goal of the BRT sustainability report is to highlight how companies are building a more sustainable world, while driving economic growth and generating employment opportunities.   The full text of Hayes’ essay is below:

As global leaders in the commercial building and aerospace industries, we at United Technologies are aware of the benefits of buildings that use less energy and aircraft that are cleaner, quieter and more fuel efficient. We are committed to developing the smart, sustainable solutions the world needs — while delivering superior customer and shareowner value. Buildings today account for 40 percent of global energy use. Aviation accounts for 2 percent of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Our focus has been on providing solutions through the dedicated efforts of our employees around the world and investments in innovative new technologies. Our new fuel-efficient, incredibly quiet geared turbofan jet engines cut carbon emissions by over 3,600 metric tons per aircraft per year — equal to planting over 900,000 trees — while reducing fuel burn by 16 percent and noise footprints by up to 75 percent over the best engines on wing today. Installations of our high-efficiency heating, ventilating and air-conditioning systems have avoided the release of more than 160 million metric tons of CO2 into the atmosphere since 2000. We recently introduced a highly efficient elevator that can work with solar panel energy.   A leading voice in the green building design movement, we partner with industry experts and nonprofits to promote buildings that are safer, smarter and sustainable. In fact, we are the only company that is a founding member of green building councils on four continents. In the 1990s, we were among the first companies to set sustainability targets for our own operations, and since then we have steadily improved our environmental performance as we tripled revenues. Since 2006 alone, we have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent and water consumption by 33 percent. Across United Technologies, we operate with a commitment to the highest environmental, safety and ethical standards, believing that financial performance and corporate responsibility go hand in hand. We also believe that our continued success depends on our ability to attract and retain the best people — of diverse backgrounds — working together to address today’s complex challenges. Our high-performance culture is sustained by our Employee Scholar Program, which encourages lifelong learning among our employees. Since its inception in 1996, participants have earned nearly 37,000 college degrees, representing a company investment of $1.15 billion — and counting. These commitments define us as a company and allow us to better support customers, create long-term shareholder value and demonstrate leadership in the communities where we do business. Gregory J. Hayes
President and Chief Executive Officer  

To access Business Roundtable's full report, visit Create, Grow, Sustain: Leading by Example

To learn more about UTC's approach to sustainability, visit the Corporate Reponsiblity section of UTC.com