TALK
RADE
Cleaner Cleaning
Products
Cleaning supply manufacturers have decreased their environmental
footprint over the last two years, according to the recently released American
Cleaning Institute’s fourth Sustainability Report “Foundations for
Transformation.”
Since its inception, ACI’s Sustainability Metrics Program has been tracking
industry performance in categories, including energy, water, waste and climate
change/greenhouse gases, to showcase where member companies are doing
well, and to highlight the areas in need of attention.
According to the 2017 report, since 2011, there has been a 23 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions during cleaning product formulation, and an
increase in renewable energy use by 46 percent; the report on waste management showed that 64 percent of the waste from product formulation was reused
or recycled in 2015.
On the negative side, there was an uptick in greenhouse gas intensity
between 2011 and 2015, even though absolute emissions were down; a lack of
improvement in energy efficiency, remaining relatively consistent since 2011;
and an increase in water intensity over the last two years despite initial declines
in water intensity from 2011–2013.
“ACI and its members are building upon a legacy of leadership by evolving
our sustainability strategy to reflect the critical issues identified through the first-ever materiality assessment for the industry, which debuted in our 2015 report,”
says Melissa Hockstad, president and CEO of ACI, based in Washington, D.C. “By
weaving these critical issues into the fabric of our sustainability strategy and
reflecting honestly on our progress to date, we hope to set the stage for leadership into the future.
“While we are very proud of the progress individual companies are making
on the priority material issues, as an industry we recognize that we have much
farther to go,” Hockstad continues. “We need to see greater engagement and
participation from companies large and small in the transactions that make up
the sustainability fabric of our supply chain.”
HUNGER IN THE FASTLANE
As part of its year-long “Baking it up a
notch in the fight to end hunger” initiative, Nature’s Bakery is utilizing its
sponsorship of Stewart-Haas Racing
to shine a spotlight on Feeding America,
the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief
organization.
Nature’s Bakery is serving as primary sponsor for four Monster Energy
NASCAR Cup Series races split between
drivers Danica Patrick and Clint Bowyer.
Aimed at spotlighting Feeding America’s
work and amplifying a call to action to
help end hunger in America, Nature’s
Bakery has donated part of its logo space to
Feeding America, whose logos will adorn
Patrick’s No. 10 Ford Fusion and fire suit
and Bowyer’s No. 14 Ford Fusion and fire
suit alongside Nature’s Bakery logo during
select races this summer.
Additionally, Nature’s Bakery pre-
sented donation checks to local food bank
representatives at the New Hampshire 301 at
the New Hampshire Motor Speedway and the
Pennsylvania 400 at the Pocono Speedway in
July, and will present another donation check
at the Michigan 400 at Michigan International
Speedway this month.
“We’re proud to enhance our partnership
with Feeding America by drawing attention to
the organization’s crucial work through place-
ment of its logos on Danica Patrick and Clint
Bowyer’s Ford Fusions,” says Dave Marson,
founder of Nature’s Bakery, based in Reno,
Nev. “Nature’s Bakery is committed to ‘Baking
it up a notch in the fight to end hunger.’”
Nature’s Bakery had previously announced
the launch of its partnership with Feeding
America, which includes a financial dona-
tion to help provide 1.65 million meals for
families struggling with hunger, as well
as an additional 135,000 pounds of Nature’s
Bakery healthy snacks to select food banks in
Feeding America’s nationwide network.
