Johnson & Johnson Makes Progress Toward Its Sustainability Goals

Johnson & Johnson just released its new CSR report, which highlights the company's many achievements. In a few areas the company exceeded its goals, including reducing carbon emissions by seven percent by the end of 2010 from 1990 levels. Johnson & Johnson exceeded that goal by achieving a 23 percent reduction. Waste reduction is another area where the company exceeded its goal to reduce hazardous waste disposed by 10 percent and non-hazardous waste disposed by 10 percent from its 2005 baseline. The company decreased hazardous waste disposed by 25 percent and decreased non-hazardous waste disposed by 12 percent. Every CSR report touts a company's achievements, and when it comes to managing climate change risks, Johnson & Johnson is on top of things. Every year it provides $40 million for energy and green gas reduction projects. In the last seven years, 112 energy reduction projects have been approved, and 94 of them have been completed. To date, $208 million has been spent. In addition, the company has goals to reduce both its fleet emissions efficiency and facility carbon emissions. The Healthy Future 2015, a set of targets for the year 2015, goal for fleet emissions efficiency is a 20 percent improvement for its 28,000 owned or leased vehicles. The report states that the company is on track to meet the goal. The goal for facility carbon emissions is to achieve a 20 percent absolute reduction without voluntary carbon offsets or renewable energy credits by 2020. By the end of 2011, the company achieved a 4.9 percent reduction from 2010 levels. Johnson & Johnson also made progress toward its 2015 goals in the following areas: Energy From 2006 to 2010 about 40 percent of its energy came from renewable sources. The Healthy Future 2015 goal is to increase renewable energy capacity to 50 megawatts (MW), and it presently has 38.7 MW of on-site renewable energy generation. The report states that it has plans for projects that "should enable us to meet this goal." Water From 2005 to 2010, water use decreased by over nine percent. The Healthy Future 2015 goal is to achieve a 10 percent reduction using 2010 use as a baseline. At the end of 2011, water use was slightly less than two percent compared to the 2010 baseline volume. One way the company plans to meet its goal is by using more recycled water in manufacturing. In 2011, 0.69 million cubic meters of recycled water was used, which met about six percent of the total water demand. Waste The Healthy Future 2015 goal is to achieve a 10 percent absolute reduction in total waste disposal using 2010 total waste disposal as a baseline. In 2011, hazardous waste generation increased by just over nine percent, and non-hazardous waste generation decreased by just over 18 percent, which combined is a 9.5 percent decrease in total waste generation. Packaging The Healthy Future 2015 goal is to have all office paper and paper based packaging contain either more than 30 percent post-consumer recycled content or fiber from certified forests. At the end of 2010, 97 percent of packaging and 92 percent of office paper met these goals. There is one area where Johnson & Johnson truly disappoints, and that is in the use of genetically modified crops in its products. The report states that some of its "consumer products may contain materials derived from genetically modified crops, such as raw materials derived from soy and corn products." A company as large and as well known as Johnson & Johnson could set an example by eliminating all GM crops from its products. Photo: Wikipedia