Ecolab’s Growth & Impact Report: Water, Carbon & Packaging

Ecolab's 2025 Growth and Impact Report reveals how environmental stewardship and supply chain performance can converge to address mounting operational pressures from global challenges.

By integrating data-driven solutions with resource management, the company operates across more than 170 countries, delivering water, hygiene and infection prevention capabilities that underpin critical supply chain operations.

The approach relies on 48,000 associates who work to protect essential resources while supporting customers in maintaining operational continuity and efficiency.

Through this model, Ecolab seeks to demonstrate that economic growth need not correlate with resource depletion, creating potential value for supply chain stakeholders, procurement teams and operations managers navigating increasingly complex global networks.

Optimising AI and data centre efficiency

Data infrastructure powering AI advancements could consume more than a trillion gallons of global freshwater annually by 2027, according to Ecolab's 2025 Growth and Impact Report. This projection signals a significant challenge for supply chains dependent on data centre infrastructure and digital logistics platforms.

Ecolab addresses this through a site-to-chip methodology, deploying 3D TRASAR technology for continuous water quality monitoring and optimisation. Innovations including Direct-to-Chip Liquid Cooling paired with AI-enhanced analytics help organisations maintain server reliability while operating in water-constrained regions.

By converting operational data into actionable intelligence, Ecolab aims to enable digital infrastructure scaling without compromising local water availability—a critical consideration for supply chains managing distributed warehousing and logistics networks.

The company targets a 40% improvement in water use efficiency across its operations.

"Water is the foundation of life and business," says Christophe Beck, Chairman, President and CEO at Ecolab.

"We cannot create more water, but we can reimagine how we use it. Companies that act decisively, apply proven solutions and work in partnership will lead the next era of growth."

Reducing carbon across operations

Ecolab supports customer decarbonisation objectives through energy-saving technologies such as low-temperature laundry and cleaning programmes—solutions that could reduce operational costs while lowering carbon intensity across supply chains.

In 2025, the company helped customers avoid 4.7 million tonnes of GHG emissions through verified eROI (environmental return on investment) methodologies. Within its own operations, Ecolab achieved a 44% reduction in absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions from a 2018 baseline.

The company now powers 92% of global operations with renewable electricity, utilising geothermal systems and solar installations. These measures position Ecolab to meet its 2030 target of cutting operational emissions by 50% while progressing toward net zero.

By 2030, the company aims to:

• Support customers in preventing nearly 10 million pollution-induced illnesses
• Reduce GHG emissions by six million tonnes
• Cut operational emissions by 50%
• Power 100% of global operations with renewable electricity
• Reduce value chain emissions by 25%.

"At Ecolab, we help customers succeed in a challenging environment by making their operations smarter, more resilient and more productive, turning resource complexity into enterprise value," says Emilio Tenuta, Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer at Ecolab.

"Our 2030 Customer Impact Goals reflect that discipline."

Safeguarding critical supply chains

Hygiene and infection prevention standards could directly impact supply chain continuity across food production and healthcare sectors. Ecolab's service teams work to help protect more than one-third of global food production, supporting supply chain integrity from farm to distribution.

In 2025, its solutions helped protect 1.7 billion people, with plans to increase this to two billion by 2030. In healthcare facilities, environmental hygiene programmes support operational efficiency and compliance—essential factors for maintaining uninterrupted medical supply chains.

These services ensure manufacturing and service environments remain compliant with global safety regulations, reducing the risk of costly disruptions.

"Ecolab helped protect 1.7 billion people from foodborne illnesses and infections and conserve enough water to meet the drinking needs of 849 million people," says Christophe. "Yet by 2030, the world is projected to face a 56% freshwater shortfall, even before accounting for new demand driven by AI, data centers and advanced manufacturing."

Circular procurement and supplier resilience

Ecolab integrates circular economy principles throughout product lifecycles, from ethical sourcing to end-of-life management. The company's packaging design emphasises material reduction, helping avoid 16.3 million kilograms of  waste in 2025.

Innovation programmes like ReadyDose utilise concentrated solid tablets to reduce plastic packaging waste by 98.8% compared to equivalent liquid products—a strategy that could lower logistics costs while reducing environmental impact.

Ecolab is phasing out substances of very high concern, with such ingredients representing only 0.2% of annual revenue in 2025. By prioritising renewable raw materials and post-consumer recycled resin, Ecolab works to strengthen value chain environmental performance.

Ecolab's resilient operations depend on partnerships with more than 17,300 suppliers globally.

To ensure operational integrity, the company requires 100% of direct suppliers to comply with a comprehensive Supplier Code of Conduct covering ethical labour, human rights and environmental stewardship.

Ecolab's 2030 sustainability goal

Sustainability is embedded through a 2030 goal to reduce absolute Scope 3 value chain emissions by 25% from a 2022 baseline.

Ecolab also prioritises supplier diversity, spending US$533m with certified underrepresented suppliers in 2025 to foster innovation and economic development.

By integrating sustainable financing models and local sourcing, with 90% of purchases made within local operating markets, Ecolab strengthens supply chain resilience while reducing total resource intensity and transportation-related risks.