Our Greenhouse Gas Footprint
Our Sustainability 2015 strategy set an enterprise goal of reducing
our actual total GHG emissions by five percent from a 2010 baseline on an absolute
basis, even after allowing for projected business growth.
Our strategy reflects our Energy Efficiency and Greenhouse Gas Reduction policy,
which was updated in 2011 and integrates our emission reduction goals with improved
energy efficiency. It focuses on three approaches:
- Energy conservation
- Switching to lower or zero GHG-emitting fuels
- Implementing renewable and alternative energy projects
Kimberly-Clark has established an internal team to identify risks and potential adaptations
needed in response to climate change. The team looks at the potential consequences
of climate change, such as which geographies and businesses may be exposed to the
physical parameters of climate change and the magnitude of potential loss, as well
as secondary effects such as raw material shortages and employee impact. It also
evaluates the potential effects of regulatory changes, including carbon taxes, new
product efficiency or labeling standards. The associated risks and opportunities
are discussed in detail in our information filing with the Carbon Disclosure Project.
We have set an annual companywide target of a 1 percent absolute reduction in GHG
emissions, and have implemented awareness, accountability and monitoring programs
to track short- and long-term progress.
2011 Progress on GHG Reductions
During 2011, Kimberly-Clark's absolute global emissions reduction was approximately 66,000 metric tons of
CO2e. This equates to a 1.2 percent reduction in GHG emissions from the 2010 baseline
year, primarily driven by lower global production levels at our mills. We remain
on track to achieve our 2015 5 percent absolute GHG reduction goal and are targeting
an additional one percent absolute emissions reduction in 2012.
Our GHG reduction initiatives include:
Solar Panels Cut Energy Costs and Emissions
Since some of our mills are located in sunny climates, Kimberly-Clark’s Global Energy
Solutions Team (GEST) identified locations where solar would be a potential alternative
energy source. In October 2011, our mill in Romagnano, Italy, completed installation
of a rooftop solar panel system. The project is expected to enable the mill to reduce
its purchases from the Italian electricity grid by 10 percent while reducing
annual greenhouse gas emissions by 600 metric tons of CO2e, the equivalent of taking
200 cars off the road. The solar panel installation, which was done in tandem with
a necessary roof upgrade, was undertaken with financial assistance from the Italian
government. Building on the Romagnano achievement, a solar feasibility study, focused
on Asia-Pacific facilities, was conducted in 2011, with potential sites in India
and Malaysia under evaluation.
Renewable Energy
In July 2011, Kimberly-Clark began purchasing wind power for our world headquarters
in Dallas through the use of Green-e energy certified power from Constellation Energy.
The certificates will match 100 percent of electricity use at our Dallas headquarters
(approximately 3,300 megawatt hours of electricity per year) from July 2011 through
June 2014. Kimberly-Clark’s certificates are sourced from wind-energy facilities
in Texas.
Travel Emissions
A new "carbon report card" is increasing awareness of GHG reduction for Kimberly-Clark
North American employees who travel as part of their job. The Travel Carbon Report
Card, issued quarterly Kimberly-Clark, lists the amount of carbon emissions generated
by business travel in the reporting period along with the year-over-year percentage
change. The report card is designed to inform employees of how their business travel
impacts the environment. It also encourages them to reduce emissions and costs by
using video and teleconferencing when possible, and registers their commitments
with Kimberly-Clark’s Small Steps for Sustainability program.
