Gates has released its 2020 Sustainability Report. Gates’ Report features a comprehensive set of initiatives and programs organized around Gates’ four pillars of sustainability – Governance, Technology, the Environment and Stewardship (GTES).

“I am quite proud and energized by the progress we’ve made on our GTES sustainability initiatives. 2020 was a unique year that further highlighted the importance of this effort,” said Ivo Jurek, chief executive officer of Gates. “We operated through this past year with a clear set of guiding principles to keep our employees and communities safe, serve our customers well, operate with the highest standards of ethics and integrity, protect our environment, give back to our communities, and treat all of our team members with dignity, equality and respect.”  

The acronym GTES, which has been intentionally designed to keep sustainability top-of-mind with all Gates employees, mirrors the company’s NYSE ticker and stands for:

•Governance (G): Includes the company’s board structure and operating cadence, regulatory compliance and ethical sourcing initiatives.

•Technology (T): Highlights the eco-driven innovation initiatives that rely on materials science, product design and process innovation to reduce the environmental impact of our products through their entire lifecycle.

•Environment (E): Speaks to Gates’ ongoing, multi-faceted and global commitment to conducting business with respect and consideration for the planet, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions, conserving energy and water, recycling and minimizing waste. 

•Stewardship (S): Encompasses employee health and safety, diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as community engagement.

Each of these areas of focus took on increased importance during the challenges presented by 2020 and, despite the environment, Gates accelerated its progress toward many of its sustainability goals.