SC Johnson Signs Groundbreaking International Commitment to Tackle the Plastic Pollution Crisis

RACINE, Wis., October 28, 2018 – SC Johnson announces today it is joining a worldwide coalition of leading businesses and governments to tackle the growing global crisis of plastic pollution.  Together with Dame Ellen MacArthur, Fisk Johnson, Chairman and CEO of SC Johnson, signed the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment at the 2018 Our Ocean Conference in Bali, Indonesia. Continuing the SC Johnson’s bold legacy of protecting people and the planet, this commitment, led by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation in collaboration with UN Environment, will address the root causes of plastic pollution and will help keep plastic out of our oceans.

“We measure our success not by the financial report of the next quarter, but by what we can do to make the world better for this generation and the next,” said Fisk Johnson, SC Johnson Chairman and CEO. “Together with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and other global organizations, we are making ambitious commitments and taking united action to create a new plastics economy that helps stop plastic from becoming waste.”

“By signing the Global Commitment, SC Johnson and over 250 other organizations are drawing a line in the sand today,” said Sander Defruyt, Lead of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastics Economy initiative. “They are uniting behind one common vision of what is needed to eliminate plastic pollution at the source and committing to eliminate the plastics we don’t need and to ensure that all plastics we do need can be easily reused or recycled.”

At the 2018 Our Ocean Conference, Fisk Johnson joined Dame Ellen MacArthur, founder of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, and Erik Solheim, United Nations Environment Executive Director, to launch the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment. This document, signed by more than 250 organizations, will address the root causes of plastics pollution – not just the symptoms.  Concrete commitments include:

• Taking action to eliminate problematic or unnecessary plastic packaging by 2025.
• Taking action to move from single-use toward reuse models where relevant by 2025.
• Making 100 percent of plastic packaging reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025. 
• Significantly increase recycled content in packaging by 2025.

SC Johnson has a longstanding commitment to preserving the environment and has been working to improve the sustainability and circularity of its plastic products for more than a decade. Today, SC Johnson is announcing a series of commitments in accordance with the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment to reduce its own plastic footprint, and encourage reuse and recycling of plastic products:

• 100% of SC Johnson plastic packaging will be recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025. Currently, 90% of SC Johnson’s plastic packaging is designed to be recyclable, reusable or compostable.
• Triple the amount of post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic content in SC Johnson packaging by 2025. SC Johnson will increase its use of PCR plastic in its packaging from 10 million kilograms to more than 30 million kilograms by 2025. As part of this, SC Johnson will increase the percentage of PCR plastic that it uses in its North American and European bottles from 20 percent today to 40 percent by 2025.
• Expand the number of concentrated refill options for SC Johnson products by 2025. Since 2011, SC Johnson has been making concentrated liquid refills for its Home Cleaning trigger bottle products in the U.S. Each trigger bottle is designed to deliver 10,000 sprays so it can be refilled and reused an average of 13 times, every time avoiding a single-use alternative. The company will continue to expand its variety of concentrated refill options, enabling consumers to reuse packaging and reduce waste.
• Continue to remove excess plastics wherever possible. SC Johnson has been relentlessly focused on designing unnecessary packaging out of its products. From 2011 to 2017, the company has removed 9.5 million kilograms of materials from its packaging.
• Champion curbside recycling of plastic film. SC Johnson will continue its effort to make curbside recycling of flexible plastic film such as Ziploc® brand bags a reality in the U.S. SC Johnson is also promoting reuse of Ziploc® brand bags, which are made to be reused many times.
• Work with industry and other organizations to support circular plastic economy models. SC Johnson will work with industry and NGOs to further support the circular plastic economy and keep plastic out of landfills and the environment.
  
  

SC Johnson is committed to increasing plastic reuse and stopping plastic pollution. SC Johnson brands like Windex®, Scrubbing Bubbles®, OFF!® and Mr Muscle® have dedicated resources focused on product packaging. The company systematically assesses its packaging to eliminate what isn’t needed and use recyclable alternatives where it can.

The Our Ocean Conference, held October 29-31 in Bali, Indonesia, convenes participants from countries across the globe to influence concrete and actionable commitments to preserve the oceans' health. This annual conference has since 2014 invited world leaders to look forward and respond to ocean challenges, delivering high-level commitments and transforming the challenges ahead into an opportunity for cooperation, innovation and entrepreneurship.

For nearly two decades, SC Johnson has supported sustainable business models that aim to raise standards of living and provide opportunities for a better quality of life. In addition, the company continues to make significant strides to reduce its environmental impact and increase use of energy from renewable sources. Its progress includes:

• 35 percent of energy use globally from renewable sources
• 55 percent greenhouse gas emissions reduction from SC Johnson manufacturing sites since 2000, indexed to production
• 79 percent waste reduction at SC Johnson manufacturing sites since 2000, as a ratio to production
• 17 company-owned manufacturing sites send zero manufacturing waste to landfills
• 3 company-owned manufacturing sites now run on 100 percent wind energy for electricity
• 10,000 acres of rainforest in the Amazon region preserved in partnership with Conservation International

For more information on SC Johnson’s commitment to addressing plastic pollution and to learn how the company is helping to support a more circular plastic economy, visit www.scjohnson.com/plastic.

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation was launched in 2010 with the aim of accelerating the transition to the circular economy. Since its creation, the charity has emerged as a global thought leader, putting the circular economy on the agenda of decision makers across businesses, governments, and academia. The charity’s work focuses on five interlinking areas: insight and analysis; education and training; business and government; systemic initiatives; and communications. 
www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org | @circulareconomy

SC Johnson is a family company dedicated to innovative, high-quality products, excellence in the workplace and a long-term commitment to the environment and the communities in which it operates. Based in the USA, the company is one of the world's leading manufacturers of household cleaning products and products for home storage, air care, pest control and shoe care, as well as professional products. It markets such well-known brands as GLADE®, KIWI®, OFF!®, PLEDGE®, RAID®, SCRUBBING BUBBLES®, SHOUT®, WINDEX® and ZIPLOC® in the U.S. and beyond, with brands marketed outside the U.S. including AUTAN®, BAYGON®, BRISE®, KABIKILLER®, KLEAR®, MR MUSCLE® and RIDSECT®. The 132-year-old company, which generates $10 billion in sales, employs approximately 13,000 people globally and sells products in virtually every country around the world. www.scjohnson.com