SC Johnson achieved 2011 goal to source 40% of its electricity from renewable sources, reduced its GHG emissions in the U.S. by 27% since 2005, according to its 2011 annual public report

Michelle Rivera

RACINE, Wisconsin , December 21, 2011 (press release) – Today SC Johnson released its 2011 annual public report, 360 Degrees of Greener Choices, which shares that the company met – and in many cases far exceeded – all of its sustainability objectives for 2011 and also set new five-year goals.

“At SC Johnson, we work hard every day to create winning products that use fewer resources, ensure less waste and serve the greater good,” said Fisk Johnson, SC Johnson Chairman and CEO. “As we look ahead, we are taking much more of a 360-degree approach to the product lifecycle, including making it easier and more engaging for people to make greener choices and to close the recycling loop.”

This full-circle, 360-degree approach involves understanding the entire product lifecycle from beginning to end. It starts with reducing impacts within the company’s supply chain, continues through manufacturing, to reducing packaging and making products more recyclable. Finally, helping drive greener choices for consumers through education and engagement completes the circle.

For the last two decades, privately-held SC Johnson has set firm environmental goals every five years and has regularly reported the results. This year’s report marks the 20th year of publicly sharing information about the company’s goals, efforts and progress and reflects the company’s 360-degree framework and commitment.

Driving Progress for People and the Planet
The company made major strides over the last five years driving environmental change and social responsibility efforts around the globe. Whether cutting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by more than 26 percent* or working to protect children from insect-borne diseases, SC Johnson has been focused on not just making an impact, but on making life better for families.

Highlights of the 2011 SC Johnson report include:
• The company achieved the 2011 goal to source 40 percent of the company’s electricity from renewable sources.
• Using its patented Greenlist™ process, SC Johnson has continued to improve its products. Since 2001, the percent of “better” or “best” ingredients** used in the company’s products increased by 33 percentage points.
• SC Johnson advocated for better chemical regulation and the need to modernize the 35-year-old chemical statute the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) in the U.S.
• Along with the global GHG improvements above, by 2010 SC Johnson had reduced its GHG emissions in the U.S. by 27 percent vs. 2005, far surpassing the goal of 8 percent.
• SC Johnson announced that it is planning to build wind turbines at its largest worldwide manufacturing facility, Waxdale, which will enable the plant to produce 100 percent of its electrical energy on-site.
• The company has continued to invest in base-of-the-pyramid development. This includes a partnership to assist pyrethrum farmers in Rwanda and collaboration with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support research about insect-borne diseases.
• Once again, SC Johnson also continued to support communities around the world through philanthropy and volunteerism.

What’s Next – The 2016 Plan
The company’s 2011 report also introduces SC Johnson’s next set of five-year sustainability objectives which focus on 360 degrees of green choices. These include:

• Continuously Improving Our Products
o Having already increased use of ingredients rated "better" or "best" from 18 percent in 2001 to 51 percent in 2010, increase to 58 percent by 2016.

• Communicating Transparently
o Communicate to the people who buy SC Johnson products about the materials used and the impact of the company’s operations.

• Reducing Waste
o Increase post-consumer-recycled content across product packaging to 30 percent.
o Decrease packaging across product lines by 5 percent.
o Offset 30 percent of virgin material use through innovative partnership and packaging advances.

• Reducing Our Carbon Footprint
o Decrease the company’s upstream footprint by 8 percent.
o Having already reduced greenhouse gas emissions from our worldwide factories 26 percent since 2000, reduce emissions from SC Johnson operations by another 6 percent.
o Increase the company’s use of renewable energy to 44 percent of total electricity use worldwide.
o Decrease downstream footprint by 2 percent.

Additionally, the company will continue its work to improve lives through infectious disease prevention, efforts at the base of the economic pyramid, and community investment and volunteerism.

“At the end of the day, we all want to make the world a better place for our children and our children’s children,” continued Johnson. “That’s the heart of SC Johnson’s environmental plan, and it’s an aspiration this family company has held dear for 125 years.”

About SC Johnson’s Public Report
To minimize waste, SC Johnson consciously limits the number of pages within the report, limits the number of printed editions and encourages distribution via the Internet at www.scjohnson.com/2011Report. The report is printed on paper that was manufactured with post-consumer-recycled fiber and was produced using renewable wind power. This avoids generating 2,675 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions.

Learn more about greener choices on Twitter at @SCJGreenChoices.

About SC Johnson
SC Johnson is a family-owned and managed business dedicated to innovative, high-quality products, excellence in the workplace and a long-term commitment to the environment and the communities in which it operates. Based in the USA, the company is one of the world's leading manufacturers of household cleaning products and products for home storage, air care, pest control and shoe care. It markets such well-known brands as GLADE®, KIWI®, OFF!®, PLEDGE®, RAID®, SCRUBBING BUBBLES®, SHOUT®, WINDEX® and ZIPLOC® in the U.S. and beyond, with brands marketed outside the U.S. including AUTAN®, TANA®, BAMA®, BAYGON®, BRISE®, KABIKILLER®, KLEAR®, MR. MUSCLE®, and RIDSECT®. The 125-year-old company, that generates $9 billion in sales, employs nearly 13,000 people globally and sells products in virtually every country around the world. www.scjohnson.com

* All content is copyrighted by Industry Intelligence, or the original respective author or source. You may not recirculate, redistrubte or publish the analysis and presentation included in the service without Industry Intelligence's prior written consent. Please review our terms of use.