ASERCOM forms ESG working group

BELGIUM: The Association of European Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Manufacturers (ASERCOM) has formed a new Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) working group.

Reflecting the growing importance of ESG topics within the HVACR industry, ASERCOM says the new group will initially concentrate on the environmental aspect of ESG, responding directly to the legislative and market demands. 

“Our aim is to empower our members with the knowledge and tools to navigate and excel in this evolving landscape,” said Cornelia Jönsson, leader of the ASERCOM ESG Working Group and ESG senior manager at Danfoss Commercial Compressors SA.

ASERCOM argues that with the introduction of stringent regulations such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting directive and the Eco Design for Sustainable Products regulation, there is a clear imperative for the industry to deepen its understanding and reporting on environmental impacts. This encompasses a holistic view on how businesses affect the environment and vice versa, including comprehensive CO2e reporting across all scopes. 

The group’s objectives for 2024 are to lay the foundational knowledge for emission accounting, ensuring ASERCOM members are fully apprised of new sustainability-related regulations, and to develop industry-specific methodologies for calculating emissions, particularly in areas such as scope 3.11 – the use of sold products. 

These initiatives, it says, will pave the way for the creation of standard approaches to Environmental Product Declarations, enabling more transparent and effective communication of product impacts.

“We are at a pivotal moment in our industry’s journey towards sustainability. The ESG Working Group represents a collective leap forward in our understanding and management of environmental, social, and governance factors,” commented ASERCOM president Marco Masini.