Procter & Gamble, one of the biggest consumer goods companies in the world, announced plans Tuesday to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. Interim goals set for 2030 are slated to start making progress this decade.
“We are fully committed to use P&G’s innovation and ingenuity to unlock new solutions to address climate change,” said David S. Taylor, chairman, P&G president and chief executive officer. “The task ahead of us is urgent, difficult and much bigger than any single company or country. P&G is tackling these challenges head-on by reducing our footprint and leveraging our scale to foster unprecedented collaboration across our value chain.”
The company said in a statement changes will be made at every level, from its supply chain to raw materials.
P&G says it reduced its absolute emissions 52% globally from 2010-2020 through energy efficiency and renewable electricity. By 2030, it hopes to reduce emissions across operations by 50% and reduce emissions through their supply chain by 40%.
The plan to reduce emissions includes investing in 100% renewable electricity (the company is already at about 97%) and decarbonizing its supply chain and logistics. The latter includes investing in greener technology, materials and packaging.
The company is also investing in "making sustainability effortless at home." For example, one of their latest commercial campaigns enlisted celebrities like rapper-turned-actor Ice T, wrestler Stone Cold Steve Austin, and actor Mr. T who encourage people to wash their clothes in cold water with their new laundry detergent, which uses less energy.
“While no one has all of the answers on how to bring a net zero future into focus, we will not let uncertainty hold us back,” said Virginie Helias, P&G's chief sustainability officer. “To achieve these goals, we will leverage existing solutions and seek transformative new ones that are not available in the marketplace today. This will require partnership across the private, nonprofit, and public sectors and involve every aspect of our business, from the very beginning of our products’ lifecycle to the very end.”
P&G has been headquartered in Cincinnati since 1837 and employs about 10,000 people in the Cincinnati area.
