Sustainability in motors and drives
At ABB, we help industries outrun – leaner and cleaner. As a market leader, ABB’s Motors and Drives business works with customers and partners to accelerate the energy transition and shape the future of industry. Our goal is to help businesses navigate today’s challenges, strengthen resilience, and unlock sustainable growth. We do this by advancing technologies that enable energy efficiency, decarbonization, and circularity – three pillars that deliver measurable business results while improving sustainability performance.
Why it matters
of the world’s electricity is converted by industrial electric motors into motion.
of those motors are controlled by drives.
Demand for electric motion is expected to double by 2040.
We help our customers boost productivity while reducing emissions. Energy efficiency unlocks immediate gains, decarbonization accelerates progress toward climate goals, and circularity turns waste into value. We are proud to be a trusted partner on their journey to a more productive, sustainable future – with technology that can drive the energy transition forward today.
Analia Troncoso, Global Head of Strategy, Business Development and Sustainability, ABB Motion
Sustainability Pillars
ABB’s Motors and Drives business offers win-win solutions through these pillars:
The Three Pillars Energy Efficiency, Decarbonization, Circularity
Energy Efficiency
Energy efficiency is central to ABB Motors and Drives business solutions. By optimizing motor-driven systems, customers can reduce energy consumption, resulting in lower costs and avoided emissions. This approach also enables energy to be fed back into the grid, strengthening energy security. Advanced data insights further optimize operations, improving performance and supporting sustainable growth.
Decarbonization
ABB Motors and Drives support the electrification of operations. By replacing fossil fuels with electricity, customers leverage energy-efficient technologies and clean energy sources to cut their carbon footprint. Solutions also help expand carbon-free energy systems and maintain grid stability as renewables grow, including enabling green hydrogen production.
Circularity
Circularity is integrated into ABB’s Motors and Drives business portfolio through long-lasting products and lifetime services. Modernization, condition monitoring, and end-of-life solutions help customers improve operational efficiency and preserve valuable resources. Ethical sourcing and sustainable materials strengthen supply chains, while recycling at the highest value ensures responsible resource recovery.
Productivity and sustainability are no longer a trade-off – they go hand in hand. The strongest proof? We use in our own operations the very technologies we deliver to our customers. This shows that sustainable progress isn’t just a vision, it’s a reality today.
Elena Pazzini, Head of Sustainability, ABB Motion
We believe in leading by example
ABB’s Motors and Drives business applies its own technologies across global sites to run efficient, low-carbon, and circular operations.