GOJO RSPO Team
GOJO Becomes an RSPO Member Company
Sourcing sustainable palm oil is one of the most significant sustainability topics in the world today. If not done sustainably, it drives deforestation, human rights issues, and wildlife displacement. In September of 2016, GOJO was accepted as an official member of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). This worldwide organization works to ensure that Responsibly Sourced Palm Oil practices are used, reducing the impact from traditional palm oil sourcing.
As a first step, this membership enabled us to purchase RSPO Certified glycerin for GOJO Lippman manufacturing campus in Cuyahoga Falls, OH. By committing to systematically increase the use of RSPO certified materials in our manufacturing, we are able to make progress on our 2020 Sustainable Value Strategies, including Innovate to Create Sustainable Value, Elevate Public Health & Well-Being and Steward a Thriving Environment. Additionally, it demonstrates our enterprise-wide commitment to creating a healthier world.
Dewann Weltmer, Global Sourcing Senior Director, puts the effort into perspective, saying, “This project is critical to GOJO. Not only does it support our 2020 goals, it also meets our stakeholders' expectations. We've positioned ourselves as leaders in sustainability, and this helps us continue to earn our reputation."
A cross-functional team, consisting of members from Quality Assurance, Global Sourcing, Regulatory, Product Development, Manufacturing and Marketing worked together to achieve this goal.
In 2017 and beyond, Weltmer says, “Global Sourcing, along with Product Development and members of the Enterprise Sustainability Governance Team are meeting to determine which ingredients to evaluate next, and develop priorities for next steps."
We are proud of what GOJO has done so far, and we are eager to identify improvements in 2017, as we look to build on the momentum gained from GOJO becoming an RSPO Member Company.