Reckitt Benckiser reveals sustainability strategy for better business operations

Consumer goods company Reckitt Benckiser(RB) has announced a new sustainability strategy for better business operations.

The UK-based firm said under the new strategy prime focus will be on addressing three major global challenges such as water conservation, more sustainable health and hygiene innovations for women globally, and further reduction of its carbon footprint.

According to the firm, the new strategy for better business aims to specifically address three major targets by 2020; to bring about 1/3 reduction in water use, 1/3 reduction in carbon footprint and to gain 1/3 of its net revenue coming from more sustainable products.

The firm, in order to achieve the new goals, revealed detailed functional targets for better design, better production and better consumer choice through its roster of brands.

RB North America president Frederic Larmuseau said the firm with the new strategy is planning to sustain the world, along with improving the health and lives of its consumers.

"We are excited to continue implementing smarter design and developing innovative product ideas that will lead to achieving this ambitious goal," Larmuseau added.

The firm claims that the new strategy builds on its achievement of global Carbon20 program, with which a 21% improvement in lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions per dose was achieved since 2007, acccomplished eight years before its 2020 commitment.

RB said the strategy was acheived on the basis of emissions throughout its product’s lifecycle, from raw material sourcing to disposal, which is equivalent to taking 3 million cars off the road.

The firm, to develop a methodology to measure water impact of their business operations and product portfolio, recently joined the Sustainability Consortium and is in discussions with WWF, the international conservation organisation.

RB is also developing a new Sustainable Innovation Calculator, based on the principles of RB’s Carbon Calculator which helped achieve the Carbon20 goal eight years early.

RB said it was listed in the Carbon Performance Leadership Index (CPLI) 2012 with a disclosure score of 93 and a performance rating of A.