Executive Change

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 ​ FORM 8-K ​ CURRENT REPORT Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ​ Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) February 28, 2022 ​ ECOLAB INC. (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Delaware ​ 1-9328 ​ 41-0231510 (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) ​ (Commission File No.) ​ (IRS Employer Identification No.) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1 Ecolab Place , Saint Paul , Minnesota ​ 55102 (Address of principal executive offices) ​ (Zip Code) ​ ​ ​ ​ Registrant’s telephone number, including area code  1- 800 - 232-6522 ​ (Not applicable) (Former name or former address, if changed since last report) ​ Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below): ​ ☐ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) ​ ☐ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) ​ ☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) ​ ☐ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) ​ Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Title of each class ​ Trading symbol(s) ​ Name of each exchange on which registered Common Stock, $1.00 par value ​ ECL ​ New York Stock Exchange 2.625% Euro Notes due 2025 ​ ECL 25 ​ New York Stock Exchange 1.000% Euro Notes due 2024 ​ ECL 24 ​ New York Stock Exchange ​ Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter). Emerging growth company ☐ ​ If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers . ​ On February 28, 2022, Ecolab Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Ecolab” or the “Company”), announced that Douglas M. Baker, Jr., executive chairman of the board of directors of Ecolab, has informed the Company that he will step down from the board following the expiration of his current term at the Company’s 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders on May 5, 2022. ​ Also, on February 28, 2022, Ecolab announced that its board has elected Christophe Beck, president and chief executive officer, and a member of the board of the directors, to serve as chairman of the board, in addition to his current responsibilities, effective upon the expiration of Mr. Baker’s term. ​ A copy of the news release issued by the Company on February 28, 2022 announcing this transition in board leadership is filed as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference. ​ Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.   (d)       Exhibits   Exhibit No. Description Method of Filing           (99.1) ​ Ecolab Inc. News Release dated February 28, 2022. ​ Filed herewith electronically. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ (104)   Cover Page Interactive Data File.   Embedded within the Inline XBRL document. ​ ​ 2 ​ ​ SIGNATURE ​ Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ECOLAB INC. ​ ​ ​ ​ Date:         February 28, 2022 By: /s/ David F. Duvick ​ ​ David F. Duvick ​ ​ Assistant Secretary ​ ​ ​ ​ 3