Stmt re Sustainability Report

ABB Ltd
5 June 2002

ABB launches annual sustainability report

Social dimension added to environmental and economic performance

London, June 5, 2002 - ABB, the global power and automation technology group,
today reported on its sustainability performance in 2001, using for the first
time the 'triple-bottom-line' approach to present its economic, environmental
and social achievements.

'Sustainability is at the heart of our business. With our power and automation
technology products and solutions, we help our customers use less energy, cut
their consumption of raw materials and reduce waste,' said ABB president and CEO
Jorgen Centerman. 'Sustainability helps improve our competitiveness.'

ABB is aiming to raise its sustainability performance in four ways: by improving
its economic achievements, extending its Environmental Management Systems,
implementing its new social policy, and supporting electrification projects to
promote economic development.

The environmental management standard ISO 14001 has now been implemented in 98
percent of ABB's 550 manufacturing and service sites worldwide. Environmental
Product Declarations, detailing the eco-efficiency of ABB products and services,
help customers benchmark their environmental performance against competition.

ABB said it is well ahead of its target, set in 1999, to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions from its own activities by a rate of one percent per year over five
years.

In 2001, ABB launched its social policy, conducting 45 stakeholder dialogue
sessions in 34 countries to test it and seek ways to implement it and measure
its performance.

ABB launched an 'Access to Electricity' program in 2001, which aims to provide
sustainable electricity supplies to people in remote areas.

During 2002, new group-wide guidelines for occupational health and safety will
be implemented at all ABB sites. The guidelines include a 'zero-target' policy
for serious and fatal incidents, as well as improved reporting procedures.

ABB continues to score well in sustainability indexes. ABB topped its industry
group in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the third consecutive year in
2001, and is rated by the Tata Electrical Research Institute among the top five
corporate environmental performers in India. ABB also led the General Industrial
category of the Business in the Environment Index for the second year running.



The 'triple bottom line' framework used in the ABB Sustainability Report has
been guided by the Global Reporting Initiative, an organization funded by, among
others, the United Nations and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

ABB (www.abb.com) is a global leader in power and automation technologies that
enable utility and industry customers to improve performance while lowering
environmental impacts. ABB has 152,000 employees in more than 100 countries.

The ABB Sustainability Report can be downloaded from the ABB Web site at 11.00
Central European Time.








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