November 2, 2025: EnerSys has hailed the success of what it described as its own stringent blood lead monitoring policy as a key component of its newly-released sustainability strategy.
The US-based lead and lithium battery maker reported details of its internal Blood Lead Reporting & Compliance Policy (BLRC) in its sustainability report for fiscal 2025, released on October 22.
In the report, the highlights of which include how the firm is improving performance across its global operations, EnerSys said it had no violations of its blood lead level thresholds.
When lead is present, the firm said it has a stringent program to monitor employees’ lead exposure levels and take immediate action if they ever exceed the internal policy — “which is much more stringent than regulatory requirements at our facilities globally”.
According to EnerSys, the program involves blood lead tests for employees and is required to be updated quarterly with data reflecting the recent blood lead data for employees who were tested in the month for the quarter being audited.
This is reported globally, using individual numbers rather than employees’ names, to track blood lead levels across the business. Medical staff are also employed specifically to monitor the program.
“In terms of Scope 1 emissions, these fell by 2% in fiscal 2025 compared to the previous year — amounting to a 25% reduction since fiscal 2020. This was achieved through both efficiency and electrification in the manufacturing process,” EnerSys said.
“Despite the switch to electricity, our Scope 2 emissions decreased by 5% from fiscal 2024, showing a 2% fall from fiscal 2020 and a 12% decrease from fiscal 2022.”
According to the report, Scope 2 emissions should continue to fall as the grid decarbonizes with support from renewables and energy storage.
On recycling, with 100% of lead battery three main components (lead, steel and plastic) being recyclable, EnerSys said its collection and recycling processes are engineered for both environmental compliance and operational efficiency.
The company also encourages participation in certified battery take-back programs.
However, EnerSys said its total water usage in fiscal 2025 increased to 952 megalitres (one megalitre equal one million litres), a moderate rise from the previous year. This was driven by higher overall production volumes and a shift in the types of batteries manufactured.
EnerSys said its facilities produced a more diverse mix of battery chemistries, each with different water intensity requirements, and changes in production ratios were a key contributor to the uptick in consumption.
Nevertheless, through expanded reuse and recycling systems at key facilities, the company said it reused and recycled over 17% more gallons of water between fiscal 2024 and fiscal 2025.
In terms of its lithium ion battery development, the report said around 1%-2% of global cobalt supplies come from artisanal and small-scale mining practices in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which pose serious human rights and environmental concerns.
To ensure EnerSys sources responsibly, the firm said it only works with suppliers committed to adopting the OECD’s due diligence guidance for responsible supply chains of minerals from conflict-affected and high-risk areas.
“Our strategy to reduce supply risks to our value chain from critical minerals, like cobalt, includes investing in recycling, advancing the realization of a circular economy, and transitioning to cobalt-free chemistries,” the report said.
EnerSys president and CEO Shawn O’Connell said: “My vision for EnerSys is clear: embed sustainability, resilience, and operational excellence into every part of our enterprise.”
The report is available in full online.
