SC Johnson is on track to meet its 2025 commitments to help reduce plastic waste and boost recycling, achieving a 1.7-million-kilogram reduction in the amount of plastic used in its primary packaging.
“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 behaviours, 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.
Details can be found in the company’s 2018/19 Sustainability Report, released today.
“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 per cent of SC Johnson’s plastic packaging is now designed to be recyclable, reusable or compostable, up from 90 per cent in fiscal year 2017/18.
- SC Johnson uses 100 per cent post-consumer recycled (PCR) bottles for several product lines and in 2019 launched the industry’s first 100 per cent 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 per cent compared with the company’s 2000 baseline.
- Continuing to donate five per cent 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.
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