Page 325 - Design for Environment A Guide to Sustainable Product Development

300 Cha pte r Six t ee n

about ensuring a better quality of life for everyone, now and for gen-
erations to come.” In keeping with this notion, the company aspires
to use its capacity for innovation to help address the environmental,
social, and economic concerns of its consumers and stakeholders [4].
P&G chose to center its sustainable innovation efforts around two
key themes that are relevant to many of its businesses namely:

1. Water availability, quality and quantity
2. Health, hygiene and nutritional issues.

For example, P&G collaborated with the United Nations Chil-
dren’s Fund (UNICEF) to develop a nutritional beverage called
NutriDelight. This product has the potential to significantly address
a common problem in developing nations—micronutrient deficiency
in vitamin A, iron, and iodine among school-age children.
As a globally recognized leader in brand development and prod-
uct innovation, P&G has placed great emphasis on incorporating sus-
tainability awareness into its product development and marketing
efforts [5]. In 2007 P&G committed to a five-year goal of generating
at least $20 billion in cumulative sales of products with reduced envi-
ronmental impact. For example, P&G’s cold-water detergents reduce
energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, while saving
consumers money and providing better fabric care. Sustainable inno-
vation efforts include the following:

• Product compaction. By concentrating its detergent products
P&G has significantly reduced the size and weight, thus
reducing life-cycle impacts of sourcing, manufacturing, pack-
aging and distribution. Similarly, compacting of household
paper products on larger rolls saves on consumption of card-
board cores, reduces fuel costs in distribution, and reduces
packaging waste.

• Sustainable packaging. To assure that global forest resources
are used responsibly, P&G purchases only wood pulp that
comes from plantation-grown trees or sustainably managed
forests, and is produced using chlorine-free purification pro-
cesses. P&G also requires suppliers to meet or exceed local
and regional laws and gives preference to suppliers that mini-
mize the potential environmental impacts of their operations.
• Air emission reduction. None of P&G’s products contain
chlorofluocarbons (CFCs), which were phased out many years
ago. P&G primarily uses hydrocarbons, hydrofluorocarbons,
dimethyl ether, and carbon dioxide propellants in its aerosol
products. Some P&G products contain VOCs as propellants or
to help dissolve ingredients, but they comply with regulatory
limits.