The Hindu Business Line : Sustainability is right in the middle of ABB's business

To avoid this commonplace pitfall, ABB is making multi-pronged efforts at being a `responsible corporate citizen.' Says Mr Bjorn Edlund, Senior Vice-President and Head of Group Functions, Sustainability Affairs and Corporate Communications, ABB, "Sustainability is not an add-on, it is smack in the middle of our business."

Whether it's in the appointment of sustainability officers at each of its offices across the world (the company has 45 sustainability officers in 48 locations), or active participation in the BLHIR (Business Leaders Initiative on Human Rights) programme, or feverish efforts at becoming a carbon-dioxide-neutral company, ABB has placed sustainability right in the middle of business.

For instance, the company is seeking to turn its access to electricity programme in rural Tanzania into a sustainable project.

The 1,800-people village is electrified thanks to a diesel-fired generator supplied by ABB. The company has installed the generator, the underground cables and low-voltage equipment, and trained local people to run the power supply.

"In the second phase, we will look at biomass power generation. Though not big, we want to turn it into a possible business opportunity," Mr Edlund says, adding, "something that the company can keep running and replicating in other countries." ABB will soon employ an engineer in the country who will try to make it into a repeatable model.

Sudan is ABB's next stop on this journey. Mr Edlund says rural India is also on the cards, but plans are still at an early stage here.

The Dow Jones Sustainability Index , launched in 1999, has rated ABB second in its industry group. This reinforces the company's belief in the "triple bottom line approach" that emphasises the three dimensions of good performance.

"If you aim for a good social and environment performance, you will improve your economic performance," according to Mr Edlund.

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