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Summary

From our beginning more than 100 years ago, our products and solutions have helped people work more safely, use less energy and reduce emissions. This is what matters most for our employees and customers. And for future generations.
 

Report Highlights

From our beginning more than 100 years ago, our products and solutions have helped people work more safely, use less energy and reduce emissions. This is what matters most for our employees and customers. And for future generations.

We believe we owe it to future generations to make a difference and leave the world a better place than we found it. And we have taken steps to ensure that we are doing more of what really matters.

We’re helping utilities, municipalities, businesses and everyday homeowners re-think the impact they have on the environment. Whether it’s using more energy-efficient products—or harnessing low carbon and renewable resources like solar, wind and hydroelectric power. Around the world, we’re helping major industries lower emissions and use less fuel.

We are committed to positively impacting the environment while helping to solve the world's most pressing power management challenges. We encourage each and every employee at Eaton to think differently about our business, our communities—and the positive impact we can have on the world.

In 2016, we achieved many of our goals. For more details, download a PDF of our 2016 sustainability metrics report.

• We reduced the Total Recordable Case Rate (TRCR) by 14% (0.69) and Days Away Case Rate (DACR) by 17% (0.25) compared to 2015.
• Indexed to sales, our greenhouse gas (GHG) generation increased by 0.2% in 2016 compared to 2015. On an absolute basis, we decreased our GHG generation by 51,000 metric tons (from 1,010,000 to 959,000), or 5.1% compared to the prior year.
• Indexed to sales, our water consumption decreased by 1.1% in 2016 compared to 2015. On an absolute basis, we decreased our water consumption by 6.4% compared to the prior year. Eaton does not consume large volumes of water, therefore the majority of the decrease relates to reduction efforts of a few targeted plants.
• Indexed to sales, our energy use decreased by 0.9% in 2016 when compared to 2015. On an absolute basis, our energy consumption decreased by 159 million kilowatt-hours, or 6.2% compared to the prior year.
• Indexed to sales, our waste to landfill, which includes waste incinerated without heat recovery, decreased by 14.9% in 2016 compared to 2015. On an absolute basis, we decreased our generation by 19.4% (from 33,351 metric tons in 2015 to 26,872 in 2016), a total decrease of 6,479 metric tons.
• Bringing diversity to our leadership positions is a global priority, and in 2016 we increased the number of women and minorities holding manager roles. And in 2016, we purchased more than $1.5 billion of goods and services from small and diverse suppliers.
• In 2016, our charitable contributions were $11.1 million. Of this, almost 60 percent went to health and human services; about 17 percent went toward education; 14 percent toward arts and culture; and the remaining supported civic and community efforts as well as global disaster relief.

Almost a decade ago, Eaton was among those to pioneer the integration of our financial and sustainability reporting. In 2016, we transitioned to providing most of this information digitally, substantially reducing our use of paper and avoiding GHGs associated with production and delivery.

We adhere to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) G4 standards.  Through this structure, we go beyond “doing a lot” and instead focus on doing more of what makes the greatest impact. To take strategic advantage of the GRI G4 reporting structure, we first needed to accurately identify where our greatest impacts occur. This process of analyzing materiality strengthens the trust between our stakeholders and us, and results in more meaningful sustainability reporting. Ultimately, this more-focused process helps us increase shareholder value, improve the natural environment, expand transparency, foster a thriving workplace and build stronger communities.
 
View our online 2016 Sustainability Report at eaton.com/Sustainability.

Learn more about how we are positively impacting the environment while helping solve pressing climate issues at eaton.com/whatmatters.

Eaton is a power management company with 2016 sales of $19.7 billion. We provide energy-efficient solutions that help our customers effectively manage electrical, hydraulic and mechanical power more efficiently, safely and sustainably. Eaton is dedicated to improving the quality of life and the environment through the use of power management technologies and services. Eaton has approximately 95,000 employees and sells products to customers in more than 175 countries. For more information, visit Eaton.com.

Media Contact:
Ann Marie Halal
Corporate Communications
+1 440-523-4418