Sustainability LIVE Climate Week: ABB's Anke Hampel

Anke Hampel, Group Head of Sustainability at ABB, takes the stage at Sustainability LIVE: Climate Week NYC with a clear mission.

Her keynote delved into ABB’s vision for a greener, more energy-efficient world, detailing the technologies and partnerships steering the global energy transition.

From renewable energy to Scope 3 emissions, Anke's insights illuminate how ABB is pushing boundaries in sustainability while grappling with the complex realities of decarbonisation.

At the centre of the energy transition

Anke describes ABB’s position in the energy transition as pivotal.

“We are at the heart of energy transition,” she says, highlighting the company’s efforts to electrify industries and optimise energy systems to reduce carbon emissions. A pressing focus is on expanding renewable energy storage and capacity - critical to achieving International Energy Agency (IEA) targets, which require tripling global capacity by 2030.

According to Anke, energy efficiency is among the fastest and most cost-effective ways to reduce energy consumption. ABB’s innovations, like variable speed drives for electric motors, are central to this effort.

Currently, only 23% of electrical motors incorporate such drives, leaving substantial room for improving efficiency in industries reliant on these systems.

Tackling Scope 3 emissions with collaboration

Scope 3 emissions represent 96% of ABB’s total carbon footprint. For ABB, this category encompasses emissions from customers using its products, such as electric motors often paired with fossil-fuel-powered equipment.

Anke explained the inherent challenge: ABB can provide energy-efficient solutions, but its impact depends on customers using renewable energy sources.

Collaboration becomes essential. “The solutions that are needed to drive decarbonisation will only work in collaboration,” she says, emphasising partnerships across sectors to achieve shared sustainability goals.

Double counting - a term referring to overlapping carbon reductions in Scope 3 reporting - might sound like a flaw, but Anke defends it as a feature. It encourages companies to work together, she explained, fostering the teamwork necessary to create systemic change.

Innovation, regulation and the road ahead

ABB’s commitment to innovation underpins its sustainability mission.

Anke shared an example from CERN, the European Centre for Nuclear Research, where ABB’s audit uncovered a 17% efficiency improvement opportunity. This led to the upgrading of more than 600 motors, demonstrating the real-world impact of ABB’s technologies.

Looking forward, ABB is also engaging policymakers to shape sustainability standards.

Anke highlighted the importance of regulatory frameworks, such as the Global Circularity Protocol expected at COP30, in accelerating decarbonisation.

She acknowledges that achieving net zero is not a solo endeavour: “It’s clear that we’re not going to make it on our own,” she said, urging for collaboration between industries and governments.

ABB’s internal targets are equally ambitious. By 2050, the company aims to reach net zero, with its goals validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

Already, ABB has achieved significant milestones: 94% renewable energy use in operations and a 76% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions in 2023. 

The company’s efforts are gaining recognition, with ABB earning a triple-A rating from MSCI and inclusion on CDP’s 2023 A-list.

Transparency remains central to its strategy, with ABB reporting two Scope 3 metrics to ensure clarity for stakeholders.

“It’s clear that we’re not going to make it on our own,” she concluded, calling for unified action across industries and governments.

Essential diary dates for 2024 and 2025…

Discover the essential diary dates for Sustainability Magazine and its sister publications – Procurement Magazine and Supply Chain Digital. 

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2024 diary dates:

• Sustainability LIVE: Diversity & Inclusion | 12 November 
• NEW | The CSO Network
• NEW | ClimateTech Digital
• NEW | Scope3 Magazine

2025 diary dates: 

• Sustainability LIVE: Malta | 20 February 
• Sustainability LIVE: Net Zero | 5-6 March 
• Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE: Sustainability | 5-6 March
• Sustainability LIVE Singapore | 18 March 
• Sustainability LIVE Dubai | 22 April 
• Sustainability LIVE Chicago | 4-5 June 
• Sustainability LIVE: London Climate Action Week | 25 June
• Sustainability LIVE London | 9-10 September 
• Sustainability & ESG Awards | 10 September 
• Sustainability LIVE: DE&I | 11 November

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