Kimberly-Clark

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Owned	USA
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Personal paper products

World's #1 maker of personal paper products. A five year boycott call by Greenpeace ended in 2009 when Kimberly-Clark released a new environmental policy.

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Company Assessment

PRAISE	CRITICISM	INFORMATION
Kimberly-Clark Corporation
CDP Forests Score of A- In 2019, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts towards removing commodity-driven deforestation and forest degradation from its direct operations and supply chains. Responding companies are scored across four key areas: disclosure; awareness; management; and leadership. This company received a CDP Forests Score of A-. Source: CDP (2019) CDP Climate Change Score of A- In 2019, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change risk. Responding companies are scored across four key areas: disclosure; awareness; management; and leadership. This company received a CDP Climate Change Score of A-. Source: CDP (2019) CDP Water Security Score of B In 2019, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) asked companies to provide data about their efforts to manage and govern freshwater resources. Responding companies are scored on six key metrics: transparency; governance & strategy; measuring & monitoring; risk assessment; targets & goals; and value chain engagement. This company received a CDP Water Security Score of B. Source: CDP (2019)	38.9% in Newsweek Green Ranking 2017 This company received a score of 38.9/100 in the Newsweek Green Ranking 2017, which ranks the world's largest publicly traded companies on eight indicators covering energy, greenhouse gases, water, waste, fines and penalties, linking executive pay to sustainability targets, board-level committee oversight of environmental issues and third-party audits. Ranking methodology by Corporate Knights and HIP Investor. Source: Newsweek (2017) Tissue sourcing A 2019 report by two major environmental groups, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Stand.earth, rated companies on their efforts to source sustainable materials for their tissue products. This company received a rating of 'D'. Source: NRDC (2019) D+ grade for plastic pollution As You Sow's 2020 report, Waste and Opportunity, ranks companies on plastic packaging pollution. The study measures the progress of 50 large companies in the beverage, quick-service restaurant, consumer packaged goods, and retail sectors on six core pillars where swift action is needed to reduce plastic pollution: 1) Packaging Design, 2) Reusable Packaging, 3) Recycled Content, 4) Packaging Data Transparency, 5) Support for Recycling, and 6) Producer Responsibility. This company received a grade of D+ Source: As You Sow (2020) 49.3% in conflict minerals rankings As You Sow's 2019 report, Mining the Disclosures, is a deep analysis of 215 companies' human rights performance in relation to sourcing conflict minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This company's score was 49.3% (Minimal). Source: As You Sow (2019) 31/100 S&P Global ESG Score This company received an S&P Global ESG Score of 31/100 in the Household Products category of the 2019 SAM Corporate Sustainability Assessment, an annual evaluation of companies' sustainability practices. The rankings are based on an analysis of corporate economic, environmental and social performance, assessing issues such as corporate governance, risk management, environmental reporting, climate strategy, human rights and labour practices. Source: S&P Global (2019)	Commitment to responsible forestry In June 2011 Kimberly-Clark and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) announced the expansion of Kimberly-Clark's membership in the Global Forest & Trade Network (GFTN), a WWF initiative to eliminate illegal logging and conserve the world's most valuable and threatened forests. Kimberly-Clark will now include its worldwide operations in the initiative, building on its existing GFTN membership in select countries. The participation scope now includes all wood fibres sourced for all of the company's products sold globally in the Personal Care, Consumer Tissue and Kimberly-Clark Professional businesses. Source: WWF (2011) Green Power Partner This company is listed on the EPA Green Power Partnership website (USA), as using renewable energy for 31% of its electricity use for its USA operations. Source: EPA (2020) Mum-friendly employer This company was named in the Working Mother 100 Best Companies 2018 for being a mum-friendly employer. Listed companies help working parents succeed at home and at work by providing expanded parental leaves, more flexibility with work hours, assistance for special needs, and opportunities for career development. Source: Working Mother (2018) GFTN participant This company is a participant in WWF's Global Forest and Trade Network (GFTN), which seeks to mainstream the principles of responsible forest management and sustainable trade throughout the global forest products industry, by providing technical assistance and fostering linkages between committed companies. Independent forest certification is a key tool in this process. Source: WWF (2019) How2Recycle member This company is a member of How2Recycle. The How2Recycle Label is a voluntary, standardized labeling system that clearly communicates recycling instructions to the public. It involves a coalition of forward thinking brands who want their packaging to be recycled and are empowering consumers through smart packaging labels. Companies must be a member of the program to use the How2Recycle Label. Source: How2Recycle (2020) Sustainability claims This company has a number of sustainability claims on its website built around the pillars of People, Planet, and Products. Source: company website (2016) Sustainable Brands member This company is a Silver Member of the Sustainable Brands Network, the leading peer to peer, learning and networking group designed to support brands in meeting their sustainability goals and ultimately become those leaders of the next sustainable economy. Source: Sustainable Brands (2018) Previous boycott call Greenpeace's 'Kleercut' campaign against Kimberly-Clark began in 2004 and called for a boycott of the company for using pulp from clearcut ancient forests, including North America's Boreal forest. The boycott ended in 2009 when the company announced its Global Fibre Procurement Policy, highlights of which include: 1. Not use any fibre from the world's most ecologically sensitive forests areas, 2. Buy Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified fibre over any other virgin wood fibre, 3. Phase out its use of all pulp from Canada's Boreal Forest that is not FSC certified by 2012, 4. Increase its use of FSC and recycled fibre drastically over the next two years , 5. Buy post-consumer recycled fibre over pre-consumer recycled fibre, 6. Not use conflict wood or illegally harvest fibre. Source: Greenpeace (2009) 58% in Forest 500 Rankings The Forest 500 identifies, ranks, and tracks the governments, companies and financial institutions worldwide that together could virtually eradicate tropical deforestation. Rankings are based on their public policies and commitments and potential impacts on tropical forests in the context of forest risk commodities (palm oil, soy, beef, leather, timber and paper). This company received a score of 58%. Source: Forest 500 (2019) Modern Slavery statement California, the UK and Australia have all enacted legislation requiring companies operating within their borders to disclose their efforts to eradicate modern slavery from their operations and supply chains. Follow the link to see this company's disclosure statement. Source: Modern Slavery Registry (2016) OpenSecrets.org profile OpenSecrets.org tracks the influence of money on U.S. politics, and how that money affects policy and citizens' lives. Follow link to see this company's record of political donations, lobbying, outside spending and more. Source: Open Secrets (2014)

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Greenpeace and tissue giant Kimberly-Clark: from enemies to allies
8th Jul 2014 — Erica Gies talks to directors from the NGO and the paper manufacturer about their frenemy stance, and how they learned to just `take the call` with humour and honest communication.

Ten years ago, Greenpeace launched `Kleercut: wiping away ancient forests`, a campaign to draw attention to paper goods giant Kimberly-Clark`s practice of felling ecologically important boreal forests in Canada. At the time, the company, which manufactures Kleenex, already had a sustainability strategy that included protecting some forest, sourcing pulp from sawmill waste, and engaging third-party certification. But Greenpeace, claiming that the devil was in the details, labeled the company a greenwasher.

It looked like a classic fight between an international mega-corporation and a hardline NGO. But in 2009, the two enemies made peace. Kimberly-Clark agreed to increase its use of recycled fiber, to use only Forest Stewardship Council certified wood, and to stop purchasing pulp from the 3m hectare Kenogami and Ogoki forests in northern Ontario that were the focus of Greenpeace`s campaign.   [source]

Greenpeace Ends Its "Kleercut" Campaign - Kimberley-Clark Boycott is over!
5th Aug 2009 — Kimberly-Clark, the largest tissue company in the world and maker of Kleenex and Huggies, has committed to sourcing 100% of the wood fiber for its products from environmentally responsible sources. By the end of 2011 Kimberly-Clark will no longer use any pulp cut from endangered forests; instead they will increase the company's use of FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified pulp and recycled fiber globally.  [source]