Innovation and Sustainable Products Moves This Company Forward
ESG & Sustainability Reports
A Leader in Designing and Manufacturing HVAC and Water Heating Products Turned to OBATA to Share its Progress in Moving Sustainability Forward
CLIENT
Rheem
PROJECT
2023 Sustainability Report
SERVICES
- Reporting Strategy
- Subject Matter Expert Outreach & Interviews
- Report Copywriting
- Report Design
- Infographics Design
- Interactive PDF
Continuously Moving Toward a More Sustainable Future
As Rheem was preparing for its 100th year in business in 2025, the company needed to set the stage to reinforce its commitment to sustainable products. A sustainability report that captured its dedication to innovation and continuous movement toward a more sustainable future presented an ideal opportunity.
OBATA helped tell the Rheem story by developing its 2023 sustainability report, showcasing impactful storytelling, custom infographics, and meaningful product highlights. The result is a visually captivating report that is easily navigable and guides the reader through a narrative built on a spirit of sustainability that resonates throughout the organization.
About Rheem
Founded in 1925, Rheem® is a global leader committed to delivering residential and commercial innovations that save energy and support a more sustainable future. Rheem is America’s #1 water heating brand and the only manufacturer in the world that produces heating and cooling, water heating, pool & spa heating and commercial refrigeration products, with products available in more than 80 countries.
Embracing a Global Community of Brands
Many manufacturing companies comprise a portfolio of widely recognized brands that are well known in various parts of the world. Rheem is just like that, with a strong commitment to integrating sustainability into its products and innovative solutions.
OBATA helped establish and introduce the report’s theme, Moving Us Forward. This theme was brought to life through stories and sidebars emphasizing the widespread support of the communities where the more than 13,000 Rheem employees live and work.
The Rheem GoodWorks™ program (highlighted below) was one area of focus highlighted on multiple pages of the interactive report, sharing activities and events from Canada to Australia to China. These pages captured photographs and quotes from GoodWorks ambassadors representing the diverse range of talent that makes Rheem such a unique organization.
Illustrating Progress Through Thoughtful Infographics
Following Rheem’s brand guidelines, OBATA created unique illustrations and infographics to visually represent Rheem’s progress towards its sustainability goals and highlight key information throughout the report.
Infographics communicate and visualize complex ideas and data into digestible and easier-to-understand visuals. This custom illustration and informational infographic conveys the impact that Rheem’s innovation has on everyday life.
Creating an infographic that reflects the theme of Moving Us Forward. The above timeline infographic communicates Rheem’s history of sustainability through a timeline that reflects on its past and looks forward to its future.
Engaging infographics that both educate and inform. It can be challenging to explain and illustrate a company’s greenhouse gas (GHG) scope and emissions. The infographic above focuses on Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions, as well as related upstream and downstream activities. We used iconography to visualize each activity.
Crafting the Narrative Through Outreach and Engagement
To write the report, OBATA initially consulted with several subject matter experts (SMEs) across Rheem to gather crucial information for inclusion in the sustainability report. The information was gathered through a series of questionnaires and followed up with a set of personal interviews.
The information collected included topics ranging from input on the development of sustainable products to recycling and repurposing of waste, as well as training contractors in diverse markets worldwide. The tone and spirit of the stories told throughout the report capture the culture of sustainability inherent throughout Rheem, across the 88+ countries in which they sell their products and the 24 manufacturing plants they operate globally.
The infographics above combine data visualization and Iconography into a clean, unique design that tells Rheem’s distinctive story. They encapsulate the broad portfolio of brands, diversity of the workforce, and manufacturing footprints both contextually and visually.
Our Design Approach Advances the Theme
To enhance the report designs from previous years, OBATA implemented a new horizontal, fully interactive format for the 2023 report. This format includes an easily navigable menu accessible from every page of the report, allowing readers to find information with a simple click.
The report’s readability was further enhanced by incorporating relevant case studies, callouts, and examples of product innovation. These additions ensure that the reader enjoys a well-rounded and engaging experience, whether they are skimming through the report or reading it in depth.
Setting the Stage for 2024 and Beyond
The Rheem sustainability team collaborated with OBATA’s experts in sustainability reporting to lay a strong groundwork for the 2024 report, in preparation for Rheem’s centennial year in 2025.
