FAIRFIELD, Conn. — In 2008,
GE met its goal to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity by at least 30 percent, and also made headway in its efforts to reduce its energy intensity and overall GHG emissions, according to the company's latest
citizenship report.
Today GE released
"Resetting Responsibilities," its fifth annual report reviewing its corporate responsibility initiatives related to energy and climate change, demographics, growth markets and financial markets, with an added discussion on the global economic recession.
Last year, the company's GHG emissions went down 13 percent, its GHG intensity was reduced 41 percent and its energy intensity went down 37 percent, compared to 2004 figures. The company had specifically planned to reduce its GHG intensity by at least 30 percent by 2008.
An area where the company saw more success was with its ecomagination
line of products. Ecomagination sales accounted for 25 percent of GE's
2008 product revenue, and revenues from ecomagination products and
services have grown 20 percent a year, faster than any other part of
the company.
GE had less success with water reduction. Last May the company set a goal to cut water use by 20 percent by 2012, compared to 2006. In fiscal 2008, water use rose, though only by 0.2 percent, and the company started identifying projects that could help it meet its goal.
GE plans to expand its ecomagination products as well as increase research and development funding, which was about $1.4 billion in 2008.
For more on GE’s citizenship report, see GreenBiz.com Senior Writer Marc Gunther’s post today and a guest column on corporate responsibility and innovation by Mark Little, senior vice president and director of GE Global Research.
GE logo - CC license by Mykl Roventine
