Katie McGinty, vice president and chief sustainability and external relations officer at Johnson Controls has been named to the 2023 Constellation Research ESG50 listing of influential executives who are advancing sustainability.
The accolade from the Silicon Valley research and advisory firm follows a year of sustainability milestones at Johnson Controls which has a focus on delivering net zero building technology to tackle the reported 40 per cent of global emissions caused by buildings.
At this moment in history, when every action counts, we are fortunate to have a passionate and compassionate people leader who also knows how to put science, technology, financing, and partnership to work to build a sustainable future.
“Katie is a career climate champion who is driving accelerated climate progress for our company and our customers, with a rare combination of optimism, business prowess, and scientific rigour,” says George Oliver, chairman and CEO of Johnson Controls. “At this moment in history, when every action counts, we are fortunate to have a passionate and compassionate people leader who also knows how to put science, technology, financing, and partnership to work to build a sustainable future.”
Johnson Controls is creating and deploying technology – the smart building trifecta of energy-efficient equipment, clean electrification and systemic digitalisation – to accelerate its own net zero journey. The company has reduced absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 42 per cent, or more than 455,000 metric tons, on the way to its 2030 Science Based Target initiative (SBTi) target of 55 per cent. The company also is ahead on reducing absolute Scope 3 customer emissions, achieving a reduction of 14 per cent, or more than 18 million metric tons, on the way to its 2030 SBTi target of 16 per cent.
According to the company, simply retrofitting existing buildings with efficient and modern systems can save at least 30 per cent in energy, emissions and costs, with ‘systemic digitalisation’ representing a real gamechanger.
Technology platforms developed by Johnson Controls including OpenBlue and OpenBlue Net Zero Advisor – an all-in-one tool for carbon footprint assessment, target setting, emissions management, and tracking aggregate data from global building portfolios to provide insights on reducing building emissions and to facilitate accurate and transparent global reporting. OpenBlue Enterprise Manager translates building operational data into actionable intelligence, enabling real-time, predictive optimisation of individual equipment and whole building systems. It cuts energy needs while seamlessly integrating behind-the-meter renewable energy assets and storage.
Since launching in 2020, Johnson Controls OpenBlue has earned recognition and awards, including a 2023 IoT Breakthrough Award for transforming buildings into “intelligent business partners to reduce energy costs, improve the occupant experience and advance net zero goals.” Johnson Controls has opened OpenBlue Innovation Centres in locations around the world, inviting business and public leaders to come and see smart, net zero building technology in action, and exchange knowledge on smart, healthy, sustainable building practices.
In addition, the company has introduced “Net Zero Buildings as a Service,” a partnership model that allows organisations to deploy technology to start their net zero journeys, without upfront capital costs.
“Katie McGinty exemplifies the kind of leadership needed right now, with an undaunted vision for a sustainable future, and operating on the proven principle that ESG drives business outperformance,” says R “Ray” Wang, founder and CEO of Constellation Research.
McGinty has received numerous awards and recognitions, including honorary doctorates from Muhlenberg University, Dickinson College, and Clarion State University. In 2022, Sustainability Magazine named her one of the Top 10 Woman in Sustainability and in 2023 honoured her in the Top 100. WomenInc. Magazine named her one of the Most Influential Women Executives in Corporate America. She was named a Global Leader for Tomorrow by the World Economic Forum, and Woman of the Year by the Women’s Council on Energy and the Environment. She serves on the International Steering Committee of the World Sustainable Development Summit, and on the boards of the Energy Futures Initiative, the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, and the Scott Institute for Energy Innovation of Carnegie Mellon University.
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