Building A Better, More Sustainable World

On April 22, people around the world come together to commemorate Earth Day. At Caterpillar, sustainability is our commitment to building a better world. It is who we are and how we do business every day.  

Our Products 

We have a nearly 100-year legacy of providing products and services that continually improve the quality of life and the environment. By helping our customers fulfill society’s need for infrastructure, including shelter, clean water, transportation and reliable energy, we are building a better world in a sustainable way.  

As part of our 2030 Sustainability Goals set in 2021, we set a goal that 100% of our new products will be more sustainable than the previous generation. We are proud to have achieved 100% progress toward this goal in 2022*.  

One example of this is the Cat® 966 XE medium wheel loader machine with a Caterpillar-designed and manufactured continuous variable transmission, which improves fuel efficiency and reduces GHG emissions compared to the previous model. 

We also continue to invest in new products, technologies and services to help customers achieve their climate-related objectives. Caterpillar has been a technology leader for nearly a century, and we continue to invest to meet the needs of our diverse global customer base. We are increasing our investments in autonomy, alternative fuels, connectivity and digital, and electrification. 

Customers are increasingly interested in fuel choice, and many Caterpillar products can operate on lower-carbon intensity fuels, including biodiesel, renewable diesel and biogas. For example, all Caterpillar diesel engines can operate on 100% hydrotreated vegetable oil. Caterpillar engines operating on natural gas blended with up to 100% hydrogen are being demonstrated in power generation projects today. These and other projects are helping to show the viability of potential fuel sources like hydrogen, while the infrastructure to support the availability of renewable hydrogen is being developed. In the marine industry, we are investing in methanol-powered solutions. Our investment in lean burn natural gas technology, microgrid controls and energy storage provides customers the flexibility to utilize alternative energy technologies.   

Our Operations 

Our commitment to sustainability is seen through our significant progress in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from our operations. This commitment is realized in our 2030 Sustainability Goals through three goals: 

• Operations Energy & Emissions: We have set a science-based Scope 1 and 2 goal to reduce absolute greenhouse gas emissions from our operations by 30% from 2018 to 2030. 
• Operations Water: Implement water management strategies at 100% of facilities located in water high-risk areas by 2030. 
• Operations Waste: Reduce landfill intensity by 50% from 2018 to 2030. 

Increasing the efficiency of our use of resources in our operations aligns with our strategy for operational excellence across the enterprise. Guided by our enterprise sustainability goals, we have demonstrated progress and are committed to reaching our targets. 

Caterpillar manages hundreds of facilities worldwide and some of these operations, especially our manufacturing sites, are energy intensive. To reduce our energy consumption and GHG emissions from our operations, we are improving energy efficiency, investing in renewable power generation technologies, and considering new solutions. Likewise, we are making other environmental improvements to conserve water by implementing best management practices, notably at facilities located in water-stressed regions, and managing waste through improved recycling and waste minimization activities. 

Our Commitment 

Our dedication to building better is stronger than ever. We are committed to a reduced-carbon future, both in our operations and helping our customers reach their climate-related goals. We will continue to be transparent about our goals, progress and innovations as we continue this commitment.  

*Last year reported