Sustainability — meeting the needs of today without compromising the future — has become inseparable from safety.
At UL, we help transform the big idea of sustainability into practical plans to drive positive change, comply with regulatory requirements, and meet community and global consumer expectations. While our mission remains the same, the way we live that mission evolves: we are working for a safer — and more sustainable — world.
The external recognition and credibility of the UL brand was a key factor in selecting them as our partner. And the functional expertise of UL’s Environment and Sustainability team helped us ensure that the audits were not just a compliance check but also an annual opportunity to improve and strengthen our process.
Living our values
Sustainability at UL
In 2019, we made significant progress in integrating sustainable practices into our own business. And we developed our first sustainability report, documenting our efforts and inviting everyone to join us on a shared mission to work for a safer, more secure and sustainable world.
Working together for the future
Signatory to the UN Global Compact
In December 2019, UL became a Signatory of the United Nations Global Compact, the world’s largest corporate citizenship and sustainability initiative. It supports companies doing business responsibly while collaborating on strategic actions to end extreme poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity.
Setting corporate sustainability priorities
UN Sustainable Development Goals
We are committed to aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The 17 SDGs provide unified targets toward which global entities can work to improve lives and address wide-reaching issues.
We are focusing on:
- Goal No. 3 — Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
- Goal No. 11 — Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
- Goal No. 12 — Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
We wouldn’t feel comfortable promoting our sustainability success without the credibility of third-party backed certifications and validations. The power of the UL brand has helped pave the way for our success.
Maximizing renewable energy
First mobile PV test laboratory
Underperforming photovoltaic (PV) modules can reduce the energy output of an entire solar power plant. Our mobile PV laboratory in India brings testing services directly to our customers. Underperforming modules can be identified and replaced at the solar plant site, minimizing downtime while maximizing energy production.
Expanding services for healthy and sustainable buildings
UL acquires Healthy Buildings International
UL is making buildings more valuable through the expansion of our indoor air quality testing services to buildings, in addition to water and mold assessments that save owners money and heighten occupant productivity.
Streamlining carbon emission reporting
Turbo Carbon™ digital tool
UL’s new Turbo CarbonTM digital tool makes carbon emissions reporting simpler, faster and more affordable for small and medium-sized businesses.
Upcycling energy sources
Certification for repurposed EV batteries
We support our customers’ drive to safely repurpose batteries from electric vehicles both as a backup energy source and storage for energy generated by clean, sustainable sources. We issued our first certification to UL 1974, the Standard for Evaluation for Repurposing Batteries, to 4R Energy Corporation, a joint venture of Nissan Motors and Sumitomo Corporation.