ABB, a world leader in electrification and automation technologyhas reached an unprecedented milestone by achieving the prestigious double-A rating from the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) in 2025. This recognition places it among the select 1% of the 22,100 companies assessed that achieved top scores in both climate change and water management.
Anke Hampel, Chief Sustainability Officer of the ABB Group, emphasized that “the inclusion in CDP’s A List in both climate and water is an important recognition of our leadership in corporate performance and transparency”. Hampel stressed that obtaining an A rating in water for the first time demonstrates the company’s strengthened focus on exposure to water-related risks, as well as increased engagement with suppliers on this critical issue.
Innovative water management in high water stress areas
ABB has demonstrated remarkable progress in its water management, climbing from a B score in 2023 to A- in 2024, until reaching the top A rating in 2025. The company recognizes fresh water as a finite and shared resource, especially critical in a context of climate change, population growth and increasing industrial demand.
With more than 320 global facilities, ABB conducts annual water-related risk assessments at each of them, with special emphasis on the 91 facilities located in water-deficient regions.
ABB’s water management strategy goes beyond regulatory compliance. The company has mandated that all of its facilities in water-stressed areas must complete a water management self-assessment by the end of 2026, followed by concrete interventions to reduce the impact.
Nelamangala plant: a model of excellence in water management
ABB’s Nelamangala factory, located northwest of Bengaluru in India, has become the company’s first site to receive AWS Gold standard certification from the Alliance for Water Stewardship.
The plant’s operating results are equally remarkable: approximately 85% of the treated water is recycled, allowing groundwater to be replenished at a rate almost 1.25 times higher than consumption.
This proactive approach not only benefits ABB’s operations, but also restores the local community’s water resources, demonstrating that it is possible to combine industrial excellence with environmental and social responsibility. The Nelamangala case sets a precedent for other industrial facilities in water-stressed regions.
Source and photo: ABB