G4-DMA, Indicator

Our commitment to public health and well-being and to advancing the science of skin health and hygiene and promoting its importance is core to who we are. We regularly engage in studies, projects and educational outreach programs promoting public health and healthy behaviors, and we leverage new technologies to support behaviors that improve well-being for people and the environment.

Be our industry's most recognized advocate for well-being through hygiene

How We Measure:

• Media impressions
• Social media conversions
• Conference participation
• Scientific publications

Note: Only GOJO communications are included; Laboratoires Prodene Klint communications are not included.

People reached by our media impressions, speaking engagements, scientific communications, and social media conversations

Building on a strong foundation as a recognized advocate of well-being, in 2016, we increased our outreach and visibility of our messaging to key stakeholders through both technical and business platforms. This included publishing nine scientific papers, making 485 million media impressions and participating in six national sustainability conferences. We are currently in the process of expanding this metric to include social media communications.

Our work to improve public outcomes is often done collaboratively with other experts in human health—professors, doctors, infection control professionals, hospitals, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other non-governmental organizations.

An example of elevating our thought leadership is our partnership with the CDC’s Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion and the CDC Foundation to eliminate healthcare-associated infections. The CDC’s Clean Hands Count campaign, which was launched on World Hand Hygiene Day, May 5th, in 2016, provides hand hygiene educational materials and tools for patients, healthcare providers and caregivers in the U.S. including hospitals and long-term care facilities. “This partnership expands patients’ and healthcare providers’ knowledge of hand hygiene practices,” said Charles Stokes, CDC Foundation President and CEO. “We are grateful to GOJO for their support to help protect patients from healthcare-associated infections.”

GOJO Advances the Science of Good Hygiene with 2016 Publications
As an advocate for public health and well-being and a leader in advancing the science of good hygiene, we conduct and publish research regularly to address important questions in ways that inspire new thinking and innovations.

In 2016, we published eight technical publications and white papers covering a range of important topics, from the positive effects of a comprehensive hand hygiene program in the workplace, to opportunities to utilize biomimicry to drive sustainable product innovation.

Through these publications, we are reaching thousands of stakeholders, including customers, technical experts, peers, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and others that can apply this new information to address challenges and make contributions to help create a healthier world.

2016 GOJO Publications

Impact of a Comprehensive Workplace Hand Hygiene Program on Employer Health Care Insurance Claims and Costs, Absenteeism, and Employee Perceptions and Practices. Journal of Occupational Environmental Medicine.
Health-related work losses cost US employers more than $260 billion each year, the indirect costs of poor health, most notably absenteeism and attending work while sick. Examining the correlation between hand hygiene and illness, GOJO found that by implementing a comprehensive hand hygiene program that included soap and hand sanitizer, employers were able to reduce claims from hand hygiene preventable illnesses by 24%.

Streamlining the Front End of Innovation for Environmentally Sustainable Products. Research-Technology Management.
In 2013, GOJO conducted a full lifecycle assessment for our touch-free dispensing systems, in an effort to evaluate the sustainability of the technology. During that assessment, we found that by making our pump mechanisms more efficient, we could greatly increase battery life, reducing waste and prolonging the effective lifecycle of our products. Looking at this challenge from a biomimicry perspective led us to create a cross-functional team, conduct workshops and develop a more sustainable solution.

Soap: The science behind it, the changing regulatory landscape ahead, and tools and tips for selecting a soap that's right for your facility.
Alcohol-based hand rubs receive a lot of attention when it comes to preventing the spread of germs, but washing with soap and water is also a critical method of reducing infection. According to the CDC and WHO, when hands are visibly soiled or contaminated, washing with soap and water is the ideal way to clean hands and help prevent the spread of infections.

Human health risk assessment of chloroxylenol in liquid hand soap and dishwashing soap used by consumers and health-care professionals. Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology.
When evaluating our ingredients, we go to great lengths to ensure that we’re developing the mildest, most effective formulations possible. Recently, we conducted a human risk assessment of chloroxylenol in liquid hand soap and dishwashing soap used by consumers and healthcare professionals, to determine any adverse effects on the skin. It was determined that chloroxylenol presented no observed adverse effect levels, and was a safe ingredient for use in soaps.

Effect of different alcohols on stratum corneum kallikrein 5 and phospholipase A2 together with epidermal keratinocytes and skins irritation. International Journal Cosmetic Science.
GOJO conducted a study of the effects of various types of alcohols on bacteria, as well as their effects on the skin. We found that ethanol performed equally well in terms of germ kill as the others, but was tolerated much better by the skin. PURELL® products are formulated to be gentle on skin, while killing over 99.99% of germs on skin. We achieve that by formulating our products to maximize the alcohol’s effects and incorporating skin conditioners.

Health care worker hand contamination at critical moments in outpatient care settings. American Journal of Infection Control.
GOJO worked with the American Journal of Infection Control to publish a study that demonstrated how important hand hygiene is to reducing the spread of germs in outpatient care settings. By outlining the 5 key moments for hand hygiene, as defined by the WHO, we were able to help reinforce the importance of an effective hand hygiene program, and provide recommendations for healthcare providers.

FDA Consumer Antimicrobial Handwash Proposed Rule: What does it mean and does it impact healthcare or not?
In December 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a Notice of Proposed Rule on Consumer Antimicrobial Handwashes. The Proposed Rule that there is not enough evidence to show that antimicrobial soap products have an added benefit over plain non-antimicrobial soaps in the consumer setting, which means that for the time being, the FDA is not requiring consumer companies to remove antimicrobial soaps from the consumer market at this time. Additionally, the decision has no bearing on alcohol-based handrubs in any setting, including healthcare.

Frequency of Use of Alcohol-Based Hand Rubs by Nurses: A Systematic Review. Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology.
Hand hygiene is a major component of healthcare workers’ responsibilities, and in extreme cases, they can be required to use an alcohol-based hand rub up to 100 times per day. We published the results of a study that found ethanol – the active ingredient in PURELL® Hand Sanitizers is an effective way to fight the spread of germs, and was tolerated better by the skin than isopropanol.

GOJO Helps Educate School Facilities Professionals at ISSA
GOJO was proud to be a platinum sponsor of the first Healthy Schools Campaign Green Clean Schools Forum, which was held at the 2016 ISSA/INTERCLEAN North America tradeshow. This event brought together leading university facility operators to raise awareness about green cleaning best practices, products and trends that will help them elevate their cleaning programs.

GOJO Corporate Communications Director Nicole Koharik co-led a workshop about healthy infection control practices for the education market, including the importance of hand hygiene, surface cleaning in schools and navigating products with third-party certifications.

As a platinum sponsor we were able to conduct a series of group tours of the GOJO booth to educate facilities professionals about supporting health and safety in schools and to share how to use innovative PURELL solutions to achieve positive student health outcomes. Tour participants tested multiple PURELL® products, including new PURELL® Surface Disinfecting and Sanitizing Sprays with EPA Design for the Environment certification. Additionally, guests had opportunities to network and share ideas on how to keep schools cleaner and reduce their environmental impact at the same time.

GOJO Leader Named City of Hope Spirit of Life Honoree
Each year, the National Business Products Industry (NBPI) recognizes an executive with the Spirit of Life award, City of Hope’s highest humanitarian honor. The honoree and their company are charged with spearheading the annual NBPI City of Hope fundraising efforts, serving as City of Hope’s top ambassador for that particular year. Steve Schultz, GOJO North American and International Business President has been named as City of Hope’s 2017 Spirit of Life Honoree.

“The GOJO Purpose is Saving Lives and Making Life Better Through Well-Being Solutions, and we are proud to help organizations, like City of Hope, which are driven by a similar purpose,” said Schultz. “Each and every day, City of Hope is furthering the fight against cancer and other life-threatening illnesses. We are happy to continue our support of their efforts.”

For 34 years, leading companies and executives from the NBPI have engaged in an organized annual fundraising effort in support of City of Hope. During that span, NBPI donations and fundraising programs have raised more than $145 million for City of Hope. GOJO has worked with City of Hope and their partners from the NBPI to help raise money for cancer research for several years.

* Arbogast, JW., L. Moore-Schiltz, W. Jarvis, A. Harpster-Hagen, J. Hughes, A. Parker. 2016. “Impact of a Comprehensive Workplace Hand Hygiene Program on Employer Healthcare Insurance Claims plus Costs, Absenteeism, and Employee Perceptions and Practices.” Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

GOJO Supports Centers of Disease Control (CDC) Efforts to Raise Awareness of Antibiotic Resistance
Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to global health, food security, and development today. Antibiotic resistance is rising to dangerously high levels in all parts of the world. New resistance mechanisms are emerging and spreading globally, threatening our ability to treat common infectious diseases.¹

The CDC reports, approximately two million people each year in the United States alone become infected with bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics and at least 23,000 people die annually as a direct result of these types of infections. In addition, many more people die from other conditions that were complicated by an antibiotic-resistant infection.

Science indicates the root cause of antibiotic resistance is over-prescription and overuse of antibiotics by humans and in animals. Antibiotic overuse results in the inability to prevent and control infections as certain bacteria develop defenses against entire classes of antibiotic compounds.

GOJO is deploying solutions that help reduce the spread of germs that can cause infection and illness, thereby helping reduce the need for antibiotics and development of resistant organisms. A primary prevention approach is is effective hand hygiene. Practicing good hand hygiene—handwashing and hand sanitizing—helps prevent the spread of germs that can cause infections in the first place and, in turn reduces the use of antibiotics.

In June 2015, GOJO publicly declared our commitment to antibiotic stewardship, when we joined more than 150 other organizations at the White House for the White House Forum on Antibiotic Stewardship. This event brought together Federal and private constituencies involved in the development, promotion and implementation of antibiotic stewardship activities to ensure the responsible use of antibiotics in the United States.

Public health education is a key component of executing our commitment to antibiotic stewardship. In 2016, GOJO supported the CDC’s “Get Smart” program, including a multi-year media effort, targeting healthcare and public health leaders, educators and parents, to raise awareness of hand hygiene as a preventive measure to reduce health risks from antibiotic resistance. To learn more about our commitment to antibiotic stewardship, see this post on the GOJO Hand Hygiene Blog from GOJO Chairman and CEO Joe Kanfer.