SC Johnson: The Journey of
Sustainable Development
Continues
WEC Gold Medal Colloquium
May 16, 2002
“SC Johnson’s goal is to catalyze
innovative practices to reduce our
footprint on the environment.”
-- H. Fisk Johnson, Ph.D.
Chairman S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc.
SC Johnson, A Family Company
• Five generations of family ownership and management 116 years old.
• #1 and #2 market positions in 15 household product
categories in 100 countries - operations in +65.
• Recognized worldwide for leading employee practices.
• Recognized for corporate social responsibility - giving
back 5% pre-tax.
• Recognized for environmental and sustainable leadership
initiatives for decades, including CFC-free aerosols,
cleaner/safer products and processes, founding member
WBCSD, PCSD .
Environmental Leadership
Continues Post the 1994
WEC Gold Medal
– >60% process waste eliminated while production increased more
than 50%.
– >25% reduction in solvents - first innovative product exemptions
for VOC minimization.
– >30% increase in package recycled content and PVC phase-out cut virgin package material by a third.
– Led national grassroots coalition for aerosol recycling - >5,000 NA
cities now recycling.
– Eco-Efficiency for the 1990’s saved a quarter billion tons of waste
and generated $125mm in bottom line savings.
New Environmental Strategic
Plan Approved for 2001-2005
• Environment one of six corporate strategies.
• New Environmental Leadership team
reports directly to the Chairman.
• Plan was developed with key internal
stakeholders globally, with input and
feedback from external experts, NGO’s,
opinion leaders and Partners.
The New Plan:
• Reduces the footprint of our business.
• Improves the planet’s climate.
• Recognizes the need to define and learn
how to grow our business through the
application of Sustainable Development
Principles.
• Shares our leadership programs with others.
“Eco-Efficiency” Continues:
• 100% Phase out of Chlorine based packaging.
• Established new water effluent specifications for our
suppliers of paperboard packaging.
• Reduce air emissions, water effluents and solid
waste by an additional 15% (One half million ton
reduction in 2001).
• Decrease Fossil fuel use by 10% (6.2% reduction in
2001).
• Continue to Reuse, Recycle and Refill!
“Eco-Effective” Materials
Management :
• SC Johnson has created a new process called
Greenlist©.
• This step towards Eco-Effectiveness has been
applauded by the EPA ,environmental groups and
other corporations.
• Greenlist© has been shared externally with others,
including the SDA, Customers, Suppliers, the
WBCSD, and other companies.
Greenlist will set new SC Johnson
Environmental standards that go
beyond regulatory compliance.
©
• Our goal is to help the business make the best
raw material choices for our products, that
reduce our footprint on the environment.
• It’s about institutionalizing Eco-effectiveness:
choosing to use raw materials that are better for
the planet and its inhabitants.
Improving the Planet’s Climate -The SC Johnson Plan
• Establish 2000 baseline of Greenhouse
Gases and reduce these emissions 5%
annually. Reduce fossil fuel usage 10%.
• SC Johnson is the first and only consumer
products company to join US EPA Climate
Leaders Initiative. Year One goals exceeded
by 20%.
• WRI/WBCSD GHG protocol taught to top
7 SC Johnson manufacturing sites.
Apply Sustainable
Development Principles
• One or more business categories implement
sustainable development principles.
• Learn on a small scale, how to develop and
apply Sustainable Development thinking to
one business, and expand corporately from
pilot programs.
Sustainable Development Defined:
“Sustainable Development is about
ensuring a better quality of life for
everyone, now and for generations to come.
Thus it combines ecological, social, and
economic concerns, and offers business
opportunities for companies that can
improve the lives of the world’s people.”
World Business Council for
Sustainable Development
Sustainable Development
Brand Plan
• Innovate:
- Roll-out pilot SD training program --> 2/02 through 6/02
- Bio-mimicry as a source of innovation.-4/24/02.
- Establish SD Criteria as part of Stage Gate Process.
• Partnerships:
- Link Brand Objectives to Mission of Partners dedicated to improving the
human condition.
- Leverage partners expertise and CBO contacts to implement SD initiatives.
First pilot program launches September ‘02.
• Provide & inform consumer choice:
- Cultural Creatives identified as 23% of brand’s franchise.
- Make recommendations on future research by 4/02
- Present research “best practices” by 6/02
Our Ultimate Goal...
The “working” model of Sustainability
“Our job is to sustain profits, yes, but also to
sustain people, communities, and the environment …
A company cannot out-source its moral
responsibility.”
-- Samuel C. Johnson,
Chairman Emeritus S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc.
Member of WRI’s Board of Directors