Kimberly-Clark reports sustainability progress

Kimberly-Clark Corporation continued to make progress toward its economic, environmental and social responsibility commitments according to its seventh annual sustainability report, Choices for a Sustainable Future. The report was recently issued and highlights the company’s numerous achievements such as improving energy efficiency by 3.7 percent since 2005, reducing water usage by 13 million cubic meters, contributing $22.7 million to charitable causes worldwide and forming new relationships with environmental groups such as Greenpeace.

Among its sustainability achievements in 2009, Kimberly-Clark:

• Strengthened environmental protection through fiber procurement practices;
• Achieved a 3.7 percent improvement in energy efficiency since 2005, saving enough energy to power approximately 125,000 houses for one year;
• Reduced water usage by 13 million cubic meters, saving enough water to fill more than 5,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools;
• Introduced new, innovative products such as Scott Naturals consumer tissue products and Huggies Pure & Natural diapers that combine high performance and exceptional quality with environmental benefits;
• Launched the Reduce Today, Respect Tomorrow global marketing campaign within its Kimberly-Clark Professional business, emphasizing how reducing the environmental impact at every stage of a product’s lifecycle has a more powerful, far-reaching effect beyond recycling;
• Supported social issues around the world, including the ongoing funding of UNICEF’s Urban Platform Initiative in Brazil, which has helped more than 1.1 million children and their families; and
• Contributed $22.7 million in cash and product donations for charitable causes worldwide.