Johnson Controls vice president and chief sustainability and external relations officer Katie McGinty has been named within the 2023 Constellation Research ESG50.
The ESG50 lists the most influential global executives who are advancing sustainability in their fields through new business models, emerging technologies and ethical, humane leadership. This award follows a year of sustainability milestones at the company as it focused on delivering net zero building technology to tackle the 40% of global emissions caused by buildings.
“Katie is a career climate champion who is driving accelerated climate progress for our company and our customers, with a rare combination of optimism, business prowess, and scientific rigour,” says chief executive officer and chairman George Oliver. “At this moment in history, when every action counts, we are fortunate to have a passionate and compassionate people leader who also knows how to put science, technology, financing, and partnership to work to build a sustainable future.”
The company states it is creating and deploying technology – the smart building trifecta of energy-efficient equipment, clean electrification and systemic digitalisation – to accelerate its own net zero journey. The company already has reduced absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 42%, or more than 455,000 metric tons, on the way to its 2030 Science Based Target initiative (SBTi) target of 55%.
It is also ahead on reducing absolute Scope 3 customer emissions, achieving a reduction of 14%, or more than 18m metric tons, on the way to its 2030 SBTi target of 16%. Ms McGinty has received numerous awards and recognitions, including honorary doctorates from Muhlenberg University, Dickinson College, and Clarion State University. In 2022, Sustainability Magazine named her one of the Top 10 Woman in Sustainability and in 2023 honoured her in the Top 100. WomenInc. Magazine named her one of the Most Influential Women Executives in Corporate America.
She was named a Global Leader for Tomorrow by the World Economic Forum, and Woman of the Year by the Women’s Council on Energy and the Environment. She serves on the International Steering Committee of the World Sustainable Development Summit, and on the boards of the Energy Futures Initiative, the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, and the Scott Institute for Energy Innovation of Carnegie Mellon University.
