DALLAS - Kimberly-Clark has published its annual sustainability report which, including an update on the company's progress toward its 2030 sustainability strategy and goals, outlines how the company has expanded its range of biodegradable baby wipes and invested in reusable period and incontinence products.
The company's 2030 goals address the social and environmental challenges of the next decade with a mission of improving the lives and well-being of one billion people in underserved and vulnerable communities around the world – while safeguarding natural systems and reducing the company's environmental footprint by 50% in key areas, including plastics, forests, water and climate.
"I'm proud of what our teams around the world have accomplished in the last year and to be part of a company that has never wavered in providing care for our people, our communities and our planet since it was founded 150 years ago," said Mike Hsu, Chairman and CEO at Kimberly-Clark. "Our 2030 sustainability goals are critical to our purpose of Better Care for a Better World, and our sights are set on achieving them."
Key highlights of the company's 2022 results include:
Better Products: Kimberly-Clark continued to advance more sustainable solutions, including expanding its range of biodegradable baby wipes made with plant-based fibres and investing in reusable period and incontinence products. In addition, the company reached 5.1% of recycled content in its plastic packaging, moving Kimberly-Clark closer to its 20 percent recycled content goal for 2025.
Better Planet: By year-end, Kimberly-Clark achieved an absolute reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of 42% and a 9.4% energy efficiency improvement versus the 2015 baseline. In addition, the company continued to address water scarcity in water-stressed locations, achieving a 42.1% reduction in consumption against its 2015 baseline. Last year, more than 160 energy conservation initiatives and process and building efficiency improvements were deployed at the company's manufacturing sites around the world, yielding approximately 36,000 MTCO2e in emissions reductions. Carried out by local engineering and process teams, these projects included lighting systems retrofits, installation of heat recovery systems and higher-efficiency electrical motors, control and distribution equipment upgrades, and optimization of compressed air systems, vacuum systems, chillers, and HVAC systems.
Better Workplace: Leading with inclusion, Kimberly-Clark is building an organization that leverages its diversity as a competitive advantage. The company is a global organization that mirrors the consumers it serves around the world.
"We're committed to making lives better while safeguarding the world's natural ecosystems and biodiversity. Kimberly-Clark's purpose aligns our business motivations with our sustainability vision – it's how we show up every day and do what's right for both people and planet," added Lisa Morden, vice president of Safety, Sustainability and Occupational Health at Kimberly-Clark. "We are proud to partner with global NGOs and international organizations such as World Wildlife Fund (WWF), Plan International, WaterAid and UNICEF to strengthen communities by supporting sustainable practices and reducing barriers that limit accessibility to proper health, hygiene, education and sanitation."
