How is Rockwell Automation Ensuring Cost Savings?

Global industrial automation leader Rockwell Automation has released its 2025 Sustainability Report, outlining its work on circularity and cybersecurity.

The company's environmental, social and governance (ESG) commitments and operational improvements present opportunities for vendor selection and supply chain resilience.

Committing to sustainable sourcing

Rockwell Automation provides customers with hardware, software and services to help them become more resilient and sustainable. With 26,000 employees operating in more than 100 countries, the company's 2025 Sustainability Report highlights its ESG practices, offering procurement teams insight into how automation suppliers are addressing environmental and security risks.

The company has developed a Triple A framework to work on its own and its customers' sustainability journeys. This model features three phases: assess, advance and accelerate, which are connected to manage all areas of ESG commitments. Procurement leaders evaluating suppliers against sustainability criteria must understand how this framework could help align vendor performance with corporate ESG targets.

Rockwell submitted its near-term and long-term sustainability targets to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) in December 2025 and will announce the goals once validated. It aims to continue assessing and reporting on its Scope 3 emissions, which make up around 99% of its carbon footprint from value chain suppliers, logistics partners and customers' use of its products.

Blake Moret, Chairman and CEO of Rockwell Automation, says: "Today's industrial landscape is evolving faster than ever. Global supply chains are shifting, production is moving closer to customers and manufacturers are navigating increasing complexity. We are proud of the progress we've made and we remain committed to transparency, accountability and continuous improvement."

All supply chain, sustainability, Scope 3 and net zero leaders should attend:

• Procurement and Supply Chain LIVE: The Net Zero Summit - QEII Centre, London, March 4-5

• Procurement and Supply Chain LIVE: The US Summit - Navy Pier, Chicago, April 21-22

Co-located with Sustainability LIVE, these events brings together CSCOs, CSOs and senior decision-makers at a moment when sustainability, supply chains and commercial performance are increasingly interconnected.
Tickets can be booked online today for The Net Zero Summit and The US Summit. Group discounts available.

Circularity and cost savings

In 2025, Rockwell Automation exceeded its goal of diverting 90% or more of its waste from landfill through recycling, reuse and energy reclamation. The company is working towards smarter energy use in its facilities through increasing renewable energy. It has installed two large solar panel systems at its Aabybro, Denmark CUBIC facility, with annual emissions savings predicted to be 27 kg CO₂e.

Guided by its five-year sustainable packaging strategy, Rockwell is working on "right-sizing" its packaging, reducing overall volume and incorporating recycled and recyclable materials. This approach could help customers close the material loop while lowering carbon emissions, landfill waste and costs. The introduction of a closed loop system often translates into operational efficiency and cost savings.

In 2025, the company achieved its goals of having all new packaging made from sustainable or renewable sources, 100% of suppliers providing sustainable forestry certifications and all corrugated packaging having up to 70% recycled content.

"Setting packaging sustainability goals is smart business," adds Brad Gruneberg, Product Engineer, Packaging at Rockwell Automation.

"Through thoughtful design, Rockwell Automation demonstrates environmental stewardship by using sustainable materials that protect our products, meet global regulations, safeguard the planet and build quality and trust with customers worldwide."

Strengthened vendor credentials

As Rockwell aims to overcome cyber risks and meet compliance standards, cybersecurity has become a key concern. It is working with the EU via trade groups and advisory organisations to interpret new cyber regulations, analysing its product portfolio to ensure compliance while working with customers to plan accordingly.

Rockwell Automation aims to increase its security resilience through collaboration, including its strategic alliance with HackerOne, the leader in hacker-powered security. The partnership allows potential risks to be identified and reported in Rockwell's industrial automation products.

Tony Baker, Vice President and CPSO, Digital Trust at Rockwell Automation, says: "Our partnership with HackerOne enhances our Product Security Program. This collaboration, alongside our secure development lifecycle processes and ongoing efforts to comply with global cybersecurity standards, reaffirms our commitment to the highest levels of product security."

For procurement professionals, vendor cybersecurity capabilities are critical to managing third-party risk and supply chain security.