Baker Hughes: Scaling Sustainability using Technology
Since the onset of industrial times in the 18th century, human activities have raised atmospheric CO₂ by 50% according to NASA.
This rise is greater than the natural increase observed at the end of the last ice age 20,000 years ago.
Sustainability is a key part of many companies' strategies now, with the end goal of meeting net zero in line with the Paris Agreement.
Baker Hughes says it has taken on sustainability aims at the core of its brand.
Allyson Anderson Book, Chief Sustainability Officer at Baker Hughes, says: “We are holding the course to advance sustainability.
“People are the centre of what we do and who we do it for, demonstrated by our strong commitment to the Ten Principles of United Nation Global Compact and UN Sustainable Development Goals.
“We deliver value to stakeholders by driving sustainability throughout our operations and across our value chain, with our employees leading in advancing a sustainable future for all.”
What are Baker Hughes' sustainability goals?
Baker Hughes outlined in its 2024 sustainability report that it aims to attract, retain and develop top talent, whilst continuing to foster an inclusive, respectful and safe workplace.
The company aims to reach net zero by 2050, with a 50% reduction of Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030.
It wants to promote a circular economy by reducing materials, energy use, cutting waste and boosting recycling, with the end goal of reducing waste to landfill by 2030.
Baker Hughes says it is committed to reducing water usage in its water-stressed sites by 2030.
The company also wants to assess all of its sites for biodiversity risk by 2030, implementing risk management programs for high-risk sites.
How is Baker Hughes reducing carbon emissions?
Carbon Out is a global employee engagement programme launched by Baker Hughes.
The company uses the programme to empower employees to operate sustainably and find sustainable solutions.
The scheme connects people with tools, funding and resources so they can champion emission reduction in all aspects of business.
Some key projects from the scheme include:
- Employee remote training via augmented reality
- Shipment consolidation to reduce diesel usage
- Installation of electric vehicle charging points
- Shipping crate recycling
- Installation of new digital meters for water usage monitoring
- Usage of reusable containers with customers
- Transferring disposal waste to incineration with energy recovery
Amerino Gatti, Executive Vice President of Oilfield Services & Equipment at Baker Hughes, says: “Sustainability is a shared responsibility, and the Carbon Out program provides a framework across global sites and teams to reduce operational emissions and contribute to our net zero goal.
“Since 2021, we have reduced our Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 29.3%, as noted in our 2024 sustainability report, driven in part by the efforts of our employee advocates across the organisation.”
What are Baker Hughes’ innovations?
Baker Hughes says it focuses on technology that will provide solutions to meet the demands of energy expansion.
One of its key focuses is carbon capture and it has created Carbon Edge technology to optimise its customers CO₂ management.
It also develops and deploys technology that enables the production, transportation, monitoring and utilisation of hydrogen.
The company is involved in geothermal energy, providing power generation systems, drilling solutions and specialised well services tailored for geothermal applications.
Baker Hughes also provides technologies that enable real time tracking and mitigation of GHG emissions which ensures compliance with evolving environmental regulations.
Lorenzo Simonelli, CEO of Baker Hughes, says: “At Baker Hughes, we design, build and deliver transformative, innovative solutions aimed at solving many of the world’s complex challenges for a lower-carbon future.
“Our ability to simultaneously drive economic growth and achieve significant emissions reductions underscores our leadership in the energy sector and our impact towards sustainable energy development.”
