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Guest columnist Scott Branstetter serves as the director of corporate facilities at Eaton. He’s been with the company for nearly two decades, overseeing various environmental, health and safety initiatives, both in the Beachwood office and globally.
Greater Cleveland has a rich heritage of industrial manufacturing and remains home to companies that deliver world-class innovation. Eaton is one such company, with roots in the Cleveland area dating back many decades.
Today, businesses in our community continue to lead, not only by providing products and solutions, but also through transformational sustainability initiatives within their facilities and operations.
Climate change is undoubtedly one of the greatest challenges of our time, and taking actions to reduce emissions is a significant and growing responsibility for business leaders everywhere.
Reducing the environmental impact of our operations, including reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, is essential — for the betterment of our community and the world.
Setting Science-Based Goals
The scientific community has been unwavering in its position that human activity and the climate crisis are inextricably linked, making it essential for companies to establish science-based reduction goals.
The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) is an organization that provides defined pathways for companies to set and reduce GHG emissions, to prevent the worst impacts of climate change and future-proof business growth.
Eaton has adopted science-based targets; throughout our organization, we’ve made deep cuts to our emissions by focusing on energy efficiency, conservation and renewable energy sources.
For example, Eaton Center’s solar panel network has helped us harness the power of renewable energy. Globally, we have new green building and design standards for all new construction, including alignment with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold standards and recommended HVAC systems.
Through these efforts, we’ve been able to cut our carbon emissions by 27 percent since 2018.
Another of Eaton’s targets is to certify 100 percent of our manufacturing sites as “zero waste to landfill” by 2030. We recently reported that globally we’re at 75 percent of that goal.
We’ve gotten to this point via a comprehensive effort targeting all forms of waste, from production floors to our offices. At Eaton Center in Beachwood, we have a robust composting program, and our cafeteria uses cameras in the kitchen, along with other machine-learning tools, to assess what food gets thrown away — all with the goal of cutting down on food waste.
Our cafeteria also has reusable containers and silverware. And last year, we eliminated paper cups and gifted our employees with tumblers to encourage fewer single-use items.
Committing to the Community
Sustainability means more than reducing waste, water use and carbon emissions. It’s about comprehensively improving the quality of people’s lives and the environment in which we live.
To those ends, Eaton’s sustainability goals also include community service and volunteerism efforts. Eaton Center’s rooftop is used not just for solar panels, but is also helping provide WiFi access to lower-income families in Greater Cleveland.
Through a partnership with the local nonprofit PCs for People, we’ve installed an antenna system to broadcast over-the-air wireless signals to residents in need in Warrensville Heights and Bedford.
We also treat our 40-acre property as what it is: a habitat — for ourselves, and for plants and wildlife. We eschew pesticides, and it’s a daily occurrence for workers to see wild turkeys, butterflies and deer from their office windows.
Pursuing better sustainability practices is increasingly important. They can contribute to real, meaningful benefits for our local community and beyond.
To learn more about Eaton’s commitment to sustainability and good citizenship in Northeast Ohio, visit Eaton.com.
Readers are invited to submit Opinion page essays on topics of regional or general interest. Send your 500-word essay for consideration to Ann Norman at anorman@cleveland.com. Essays must include a brief bio and headshot of the writer. Essays rebutting today’s topics are also welcome.
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