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Good Practice
Environment
Global Compact International Yearbook 2013
From humble beginnings in rural Den-
mark, the Grundfos Group has grown to
become the world’s largest pump tech-
nology manufacturer with a presence
in 55 countries. More than 16 million
pump units roll off its production lines
each year. In fact, it is fair to say that
wherever you are in the world, you are
never too far from a Grundfos pump or
related product.
Uniquely placed to make a
difference
Grundfos has always been progressive
in terms of corporate sustainability and
responsibility. It has an established set of
business principles, a clearly communi-
cated set of policies and strategies, and
an organization dedicated to executing
these strategies globally.
When it comes to the practical applica-
tion of these strategies, Grundfos natu-
rally focuses on its key product: pumps.
With good reason: Pumps actually rep-
resent one of the best opportunities to
immediately curb global energy expen-
ditures and carbon emissions.
This is because pumps are working be-
hind the scenes everywhere in our daily
lives: from supplying water to domestic
shower and kitchen facilities to moving
any kinds of liquids in industrial com-
plexes and processes. But even many
Grundfos employees were surprised by
the findings of a series of recent studies.
These weighed up exactly how much
of an impact pumps have on global en-
ergy resources and, implicitly, carbon
emissions. And this is what they found:
Pumps account for 10 percent of the
world’s electricity consumption. At the
same time, 20 percent of current glob-
al CO
2
emissions come from the value
chains in which Grundfos does business.
For Grundfos this information in the
wider context of global warming has ac-
celerated rather than prompted its many
sustainability-focused initiatives. Long
before carbon emissions or green legisla-
tion entered the general consciousness,
Grundfos was exploring more energy-
efficient products.
Pumps: already proven and present
The result of Grundfos’ early interest in
energy efficiency is that unlike many
more high-profile sustainable-energy
technologies, energy-efficient pumps
are a proven reality. And, according to
one estimate, if every pump operator
switched to high-efficiency pump systems,
the world could immediately cut 4 per-
cent of its electricity consumption – an
amount equal to the residential electricity
consumption of 1 billion people.
Grundfos Director of Sustainability,
Pernille Blach Hansen, sums up her com-
pany’s view of the responsibility of indus-
trial companies like itself: “Our energy
usage continues to increase at an aston-
ishing rate. Listening to most scientists
and forecasts, we need to act now in order
to reduce CO
2
and create sustainable liv-
ing patterns. We have the technologies
needed–we just need to start using them,
especially within the larger industrial
sectors. They have a huge responsibility
and societal obligation to lead the way.”
Over the last decade, Grundfos has ac-
cepted its responsibility as a contributor
to the world’s runaway energy consump-
tion and the carbon emissions resulting
from it. It now actively pursues a future
in which its products and policies exem-
plify corporate sustainability at work.
Getting its own house in order first
Complying with corporate social respon-
sibility calls for a change in habits within
organizations of all sizes. In Grundfos’
case, the company has applied its aspira-
tions to its own operations.
That has included a cap on carbon emis-
sions, with the company pledging to
never exceed its 2008 CO
2
output. Karen
Touborg, Manager, Group Environment,
Health & Safety, adds that “a cap starting
at the 2008 levels will allow us, in the
long run, to head toward our ultimate
goal of becoming emissions-neutral.”
Since 2009, ongoing efforts have ensured
that all pump installations have been
audited and, if necessary, replaced with
high-efficiency pumps. More than 1,000
pumps have been replaced in Grundfos’
Bjerringbro headquarters’ factories alone,
with the resulting energy reductions
ranging from 27 to 82 percent.
“
A cap starting at the 2008 levels will
allow us, in the long run, to head
toward our ultimate goal of becoming
emissions-neutral.”
Karen Touborg, Manager, Group Environment, Health & Safety
Pumps account for 10 percent of
the world’s electricity consump-
tion. However, if every pump op-
erator switched to high-efficiency
pump systems, the world could
immediately cut 4 percent of its
electricity consumption –
an amount equal to the residen-
tial electricity consumption of
1
billion people.