Assessing Sustainability in the Electrical Construction Industry: Comparing Suppliers and Contractors

10 pages•Published: June 2, 2026

Clifton Farnsworth, Andrew South, Michael Bown, Rachel Partington and Cooper Foss

Abstract

The electrical industry plays a central role in advancing global sustainability, yet its Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices remain unevenly developed across the supply chain. This study examines ESG adoption within the U.S. electrical construction industry through a cross-sectional qualitative analysis, using manual coding, of 19 corporate ESG and sustainability reports, 10 from major electrical suppliers and 9 from top electrical contractors. Using a qualitative content analysis approach, 400 discrete ESG actions were identified and categorized into 24 sustainability themes adapted from prior ESG literature. Results reveal that suppliers exhibit greater reporting maturity, emphasizing emissions reduction, renewable energy investment, and policy-driven environmental management, while contractors focus primarily on workforce safety, inclusion, and project-based sustainability implementation. Despite differing motivations, both groups share common priorities such as emission reduction goals, safety training, and governance transparency. These findings highlight contrasting ESG reporting approaches between suppliers and contractors. Suppliers generally institutionalize sustainability through formalized, metric-based actions, while contractors emphasize project-embedded and workforce-centered practices. Bridging these approaches through clearer reporting guidance and capacity building will help lead to cohesive, industry-wide sustainability integration.

Keyphrases: electrical industry, esg reporting, sustainability

In: Wesley Collins, Anthony Perrenoud and John Posillico (editors). Proceedings of Associated Schools of Construction 62nd Annual International Conference, vol 7, pages 465-474.

Links:	https://easychair.org/publications/paper/qz7n
	https://doi.org/10.29007/tgzl

BibTeX entry

@inproceedings{ASC2026:Assessing_Sustainability_Electrical_Construction,
  author    = {Clifton Farnsworth and Andrew South and Michael Bown and Rachel Partington and Cooper Foss},
  title     = {Assessing Sustainability in the Electrical Construction Industry: Comparing Suppliers and Contractors},
  booktitle = {Proceedings of Associated Schools of Construction 62nd Annual International Conference},
  editor    = {Wesley Collins and Anthony Perrenoud and John Posillico},
  series    = {EPiC Series in Built Environment},
  volume    = {7},
  publisher = {EasyChair},
  bibsource = {EasyChair, https://easychair.org},
  issn      = {2632-881X},
  url       = {/publications/paper/qz7n},
  doi       = {10.29007/tgzl},
  pages     = {465-474},
  year      = {2026}}

Download PDF Open PDF in browser