GOJO 2016-2017 Sustainability Report | Implementing Sustainable Chemistry

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GOJO SUSTAINABILITY REPORT

Implementing Sustainable Chemistry

G4-DMA, G4-PR1

Well-formulated products combined with effective hand hygiene helps decrease the spread of germs that can cause illness and infection. We formulate our products to help reduce the spread of germs, maintain and improve skin condition, be aesthetically pleasing, and meet our high standards for safety and sustainability.

GOJO is the first company to publicly commit to reducing our chemical footprint by 50 percent by 2020. No other company in the world has made such a strong declaration to advance sustainable chemistry. Our commitment to protecting human health drives our thoughtful formulations. Our intention is to continuously elevate the safety profile of our portfolio, while leading by example and encouraging others to reduce their chemical footprint.

Establish and maintain an industry-leading sustainable chemistry policy including reducing our Chemical Footprint by 50%

How We Measure: Percent reduction of the GOJO Chemical Footprint (CFP), measured as the total mass of chemicals of high concern (CoHCs) in products sold by GOJO

Notes:

GOJO adopted the definition of Chemicals of High Concern (CoHC) as defined by Clean Production Action in their Chemical Footprint Project Survey 2016 Guidance Document. To calculate the GOJO Chemical Footprint, GOJO will use the CPA reference list and include additional chemicals that GOJO considers as having other hazard traits but might not be included in the CPA list.
Only chemicals used in products manufactured at Lippman Campus in 2015 were included for this first scan.
Laboratoires Prodene Klint and Contractors are not included.
Cleaning/Maintenance supplies are not included.

Percent reduction in total mass of chemicals of high concern (CoHCs)

Our 2016 progress reflects reductions of Triclosan and parabens in existing products. We began phasing out Triclosan as part of the implementation of our sustainable chemistry policy in 2013. In our involvement with the Chemical Footprint Project, we implemented additional projects to dramatically reduce parabens and titanium dioxide; we also avoid using these ingredients in new products.

To guide our product development efforts, we adhere to The GOJO Sustainable Chemistry Policy, which outlines the guiding principles and fundamental approaches that inform our decisions and actions for implementing sustainable chemistry throughout our product portfolio.

Antonio Quiñones-Rivera,
GOJO Product Safety and Sustainability Manager,
& Roberto Bellino,
GOJO Sustainability Analyst

GOJO Team Members Become Authorized GreenScreen® Practitioners
A core part of our business – and our sustainability priorities – is ensuring that all GOJO products are safe for human health and the environment. Understanding the intrinsic hazards of ingredients helps us identify and find safer alternatives. By monitoring these ingredients of concern, we can phase them out of our formulations.

GreenScreen for Safer Chemicals is a broadly recognized method for chemical hazard assessment developed by Clean Production Action, the NGO that founded the Chemical Footprint Project. It is utilized by manufacturers, governments, and NGOs to find the safest alternatives to chemicals of concern in order to reduce their chemical footprints. An authorized GreenScreen practitioner goes through an extensive six-month training program to perform high-quality hazard assessments using GreenScreen.

In 2016, GOJO Sustainability Analyst, Roberto Bellino, along with GOJO Product Safety and Sustainability Manager, Antonio Quiñones-Rivera, completed the GreenScreen Hazard Assessment course, and are now authorized GreenScreen practitioners. This makes Quiñones-Rivera and Bellino two of only 31 authorized assessors in the United States.

“Sustainable Chemistry is a strong driver of the GOJO 2020 Sustainable Value Strategies and Goals. The use of GreenScreen Assessments will allow us to deepen our knowledge regarding new chemicals and will help us continue to develop even safer products,” said Antonio.

The ever-changing landscape of material assessment, combined with our focus on creating even safer, more effective products led us to complete the GreenScreen training. Bellino was impressed with how much support the initiative received. “This project made me realize that at GOJO we are not afraid of learning new methodologies and tools to advance our knowledge in formulating products that are safer for humans and the environment.”

Obtaining this authorization expanded our in-house assessment capabilities. Beginning in 2017, we expect to implement the GreenScreen evaluation into several GOJO processes, in our ongoing effort to achieve our 2020 Sustainability Goal to reduce our chemical footprint by 50 percent.

Paraben-Free Wipes
Parabens were identified as chemicals of concern by leading third-party experts, and as a company that is on the forefront of sustainable chemistry, GOJO is taking initiative to eliminate such ingredients from our products.

GOJO sought a solution that would allow us to eliminate parabens from our PURELL® Wipes; a core product in the PURELL brand portfolio. By creating a cross-functional team, consisting of stakeholders on the Product Management, Global Sourcing, Product Development, Packaging and Market Insight and Development teams, we found and implemented an approach that met the needs of our customers and our business.

Working closely with Research and Development, the team evaluated the impact and benefits of reformulating our wipes. Now, we are able to make more compelling claims about our wipes, seek new opportunities to address specific regulatory or customer challenges, and continue to develop even safer, more effective products.

Vanessa Riedlinger, Senior Engineer II-Wipes, a member of the team emphasizes the importance of this kind of project at GOJO. “Sustainability is a process, and every improvement counts. It’s part of the ‘How Might We?’ culture at GOJO, where we push the envelope and apply our learnings to future projects.”

We are continuing to find new ways to increase the Sustainable Value of our high-capacity wipes refills, and develop more sustainable wipes products. “The smallest steps can lead to great accomplishments that get us closer to achieving our 2020 goals,” added Riedlinger.

This drive for continuous improvement has allowed us to evolve and innovate, to develop products that go beyond killing germs and to deliver increased Sustainable Value.