SC Johnson on Track to Meet Goals in Tackling Plastic Waste Crisis, Announces Results in New Sustainability Report
- Company removes 1.7 million kilograms of plastic from primary packaging
- 94% of the company’s plastic packaging is now recyclable, reusable or compostable
- Plastic Bank partnership creates 9 recycling centers in Indonesia to help communities without formal infrastructure manage ocean-bound plastic waste
- Company teams up with Ellen MacArthur Foundation to help accelerate the transition to a circular economy and continue to influence system-wide change
September 25, 2019 — SC Johnson, an industry-leading manufacturer of household consumer brands, is on track to meet its 2025 commitments to help reduce plastic waste and boost recycling. Over the past year, the company demonstrated its leadership on the issue of plastic waste, achieving a 1.7-million-kilogram reduction in the amount of plastic used in its primary packaging, among many other accomplishments outlined in the company’s 2018/19 Sustainability Report released today.
“We’re at a tipping point in the global plastic waste crisis,” said Fisk Johnson, Chairman and CEO of SC Johnson. “Governments are making plans to take action, consumers are vowing to change behaviors, and businesses are stepping up to help. These are all important steps forward to solving this critical issue. While there are no easy solutions, the progress I’ve seen firsthand around the world gives me reason for hope.”
Throughout 2018/19, Johnson has worked to bring global attention to the issue of ocean plastic and the need for collaboration on solutions. This has included sharing his conversations with international experts from organizations like Conservation International and Ocean Wise to increase understanding of the impact of plastic on marine ecosystems.
“I’m proud of the work being done by the teams at SC Johnson to meet these goals, but there’s more work to be done,” Johnson added. “I hope others will continue to join us.”
Milestones covered in the report range from the company’s partnership with Plastic Bank designed to simultaneously address plastic waste and the challenges of poverty, the company achieving its commitment to send zero manufacturing waste to landfill ahead of schedule, and its ongoing efforts to help protect against mosquito-borne disease.
Progress on Plastic
In 2018 SC Johnson announced a series of commitments to accelerate its progress and turn the tide on plastic waste. The company’s new Sustainability Report provides updates on its progress to meet these commitments:
- 94% of SC Johnson’s plastic packaging is now designed to be recyclable, reusable or compostable, up from 90% in fiscal year 2017/18.
- SC Johnson uses 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) bottles for several product lines and in 2019 launched the industry’s first 100% recycled ocean plastic bottle made from plastic waste collected within 30 miles of an ocean or waterway in countries that lack effective, formal waste collection.
- During fiscal year 2018/19, SC Johnson removed more than 1.7 million kilograms of plastic from primary packaging.
- In 2019, SC Johnson expanded its concentrated refill offerings on e-commerce platforms like Amazon to greatly increase access to the products and introduce them to other international markets. They are now sold in the U.S., Canada and the U.K., with more countries to come.
Progress for People and the Planet
SC Johnson’s 2018/19 Sustainability Report also highlights other achievements in environmental and social progress, including:
- Achieving ahead of schedule its 2021 commitment of sending zero manufacturing waste to landfill.
- Continuing to get one-third of the company’s energy use from renewable sources and shifting to geothermal power at its global headquarters.
- Holding greenhouse gas emissions down 62% compared with the company’s 2000 baseline.
- Continuing to donate 5% of its pretax profits to charities.
- Providing 50 health posts to expand access to health care and malaria education for more than 200,000 people in rural Rwanda.
- Delivering on its commitment to provide global ingredient transparency with ingredient details for products sold around the world.
SC Johnson is in its 27th year of reporting on its sustainability progress. The 2018/19 report is available online at www.scjohnson.com/report. Or, connect with SC Johnson on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or Instagram.
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About SC Johnson
SC Johnson is a family company 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, as well as professional products. 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®, BAYGON®, BRISE®, KABIKILLER®, KLEAR®, MR MUSCLE® and RIDSECT®. The 133-year-old company, which generates $10 billion in sales, employs approximately 13,000 people globally and sells products in virtually every country around the world. www.scjohnson.com
Contact
SC Johnson Global Public Affairs
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262-260-2440
