Industrial strength strategy establishes path to sustainable cleaning
Published by Paulette Fréchette on October 27, 2009
JohnsonDiversey becomes first company in cleaning industry to join WWF Climate Savers
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) announced in 2008 that JohnsonDiversey, one of the world's largest providers of commercial cleaning, sanitation and hygiene solutions, had joined the organization's Climate Savers program. The WWF program promotes the establishment of ambitious targets for member companies to voluntarily reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions beyond "business as usual." Participation in the program has catapulted JohnsonDiversey to the forefront of the carbon management scene, and is largely a result of a climate change strategy that the company developed over the last several years.
In early 2006, JohnsonDiversey enlisted Five Winds International to help create a climate change strategy for the company. The ultimate goal was threefold: 1) reduce GHG emissions; 2) identify cost savings from energy reduction; and, 3) demonstrate leadership in line with the company's purpose to "Preserve Lives, Protect the Earth and Transform our Industry." Five Winds initially benchmarked climate change leadership and reduction targets and helped develop a climate strategy and policy. In 2007, Five Winds helped JohnsonDiversey develop its first GHG Inventory (for 2006), and analyzed the financial and environmental impact of the company's GHG reduction programs. This was followed, in 2008, by the creation of JohnsonDiversey's Inventory Management Plan and the quantification of the company's baseline GHG emissions for 2003.
At the beginning of 2008, with a comprehensive strategy in place, JohnsonDiversey asked Five Winds to help it become a member of the WWF Climate Savers program. JohnsonDiversey's Chairman Curt Johnson was keenly interested in the program, as he also serves on WWF's Board of Directors. One of the key ways Five Winds helped the company with this goal was to support development of a GHG emissions reduction target, based on a financial and GHG analysis of key GHG reduction programs and projects. By 2013, company officials have pledged to reduce the company's GHG emissions by 8 percent below 2003 levels. This is equivalent to an estimated 89,000-ton reduction in emissions. Five Winds also helped identify ways for JohnsonDiversey to reach this target. The company is now improving the fuel efficiency of its auto and truck fleet, upgrading the energy efficiency of its buildings and manufacturing facilities, and installing on-site alternative energy sources. In September 2008, JohnsonDiversey announced it would invest $19 million over the next five years to achieve its GHG reduction target, and anticipates operational savings of $31 million over the same period.
In pursuing its climate change strategy, JohnsonDiversey exhibits leadership consistent with its long heritage of protecting the planet for future generations. By joining the WWF Climate Savers program, the company's efforts and achievements are visible to its stakeholders, since the program provides a third-party validation of its GHG inventory and documents progress against its reduction plan. Through its strategy, action and achievement, it is clear that JohnsonDiversey is committed to a cleaner, more sustainable path to the future.
For more information on carbon management services, please contact Duncan Noble at +1 (613) 722-6629 ext. 224.
