ASERCOM, the Association of European Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Manufacturers, announced the formation of its new ESG Working Group (Environmental, Social, and Governance). This initiative marks a significant commitment towards addressing the growing importance of ESG topics within the HVAC&R industry, reflecting both the changing regulatory landscape and the industry’s own ambitions towards sustainability and corporate responsibility.
“The ESG Working Group will initially concentrate on the ‘Environmental’ aspect of ESG, responding directly to the legislative and market demands Our aim is to empower our members with the knowledge and tools to navigate and excel in this evolving landscape,” says Cornelia Jönsson, Leader of the ASERCOM ESG Working Group and ESG Senior Manager at Danfoss Commercial Compressors S.A.
With the introduction of stringent regulations such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), and the Eco Design for Sustanable Products Regulation (ESPR), there is a clear imperative for the industry to deepen its understanding and reporting on environmental impacts. This encompasses a holistic view on how businesses affect the environment and vice versa, including comprehensive CO2e reporting across all scopes. The formation of the ESG Working Group signifies ASERCOM’s proactive approach to these challenges and opportunities, aiming to harness collective expertise to foster sustainability and innovation within the sector.
The group’s objectives for 2024 are clear: to lay the foundational knowledge for emission accounting, ensuring ASERCOM members are fully apprised of new sustainability-related regulations, and to develop industry-specific methodologies for calculating emissions, particularly in areas such as scope 3.11 – the use of sold products. These initiatives will pave the way for the creation of standard approaches to Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), enabling more transparent and effective communication of product impacts.
This effort is rooted in the principle of pre-competitive collaboration that has been a cornerstone of ASERCOM since its inception. By aligning on methodologies such as emission accounting, ASERCOMbelieves it can achieve significant advancements in sustainability, benefiting not only its members but the broader industry and its stakeholders.
“We are at a pivotal moment in our industry’s journey towards sustainability. The ESG Working Group represents a collective leap forward in our understanding and management of environmental, social, and governance factors“, says ASERCOM president Marco Masini. „Together, we can set new standards for sustainability and transparency, driving positive change across the HVAC&R sector,” concludes Jönsson.
