Kimberly-Clark Corporation received an A+ rating from Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) on its 2011 corporate sustainability report, Full Circle, which highlights the company's progress towards its ‘Sustainability 2015’ goals.
GRI is a non-profit organization promoting economic, environmental and social sustainability by providing organizations with a comprehensive sustainability reporting framework which is used by many industries throughout the world.
"Receiving the A+ GRI rating is a testament to the commitment that our leaders and our employees have to sustainability across our entire value chain involving every function, brand and business at K-C," said Peggy Ward, director, sustainability strategy at Kimberly-Clark. "While we are proud of our 2011 progress and the quality level of our sustainability report, we recognize that sustainability is a journey that we will never complete."
The 2011 Sustainability Report was released in May 2012 and is K-C's ninth such annual report. The report is structured around the company's Sustainability 2015 strategy framework of People, Planet and Products introduced last year. The new framework represents K-C's most ambitious and comprehensive sustainability strategy to date, and is an integral part of its global business plan.
In order to secure the A+ rating, Kimberly-Clark fulfilled all 79 indicators established by GRI under the headings of economic performance, labor practices, human rights, environmental practices, society performance and product responsibilities. Some of the key highlights of the activities captured in the report include:
- Sourced 99.9 percent of its fiber from suppliers certified by sustainable forestry practices.
- Achieved zero manufacturing waste to landfill from all its European Personal Care business facilities.
- Initiated water-replenishment projects in India, Israel, Colombia and Spain, anticipating an annualized return of 205 million gallons of water to surrounding communities.
- Conducted social initiatives in 23 countries, providing cash and product donations totaling more than $32 million.
Additional highlights, along with the full report, can be accessed online at www.sustainabilityreport2011.kimberly-clark.com.
