Greenhouse Gases

Reduce GHG from our Manufacturing

Global target :

We will reduce the GHG impact of the laundry process by concentrating our liquids, compacting our powders, reformulating our products to reduce GHG by 15% by 2012, and encouraging our consumers to wash at lower temperatures and at the correct dosages in 70% of washing machines by 2020.

Australia & NZ Focus

Through good manufacturing practice, streamlining processes and capital investment we are contributing to the Australian Government’s target to reduce CO₂ emissions by 25% by 2020 (vs.2000 baseline) and the New Zealand Government’s target of a 10-20% reduction by 2020 (vs.1990 baseline). 

We’ve reduced CO₂ emissions across our manufacturing operations by 9.5% per tonne of production and have kept our absolute levels flat since 2008 (despite production increases). This represents a 63.3% per tonne of production and 77.8% absolute reduction versus a 1995 baseline. We’ve achieved this through:

• Installing energy efficient air compressors that produce 43% less CO₂ emissions

• Ensuring all new equipment uses energy efficient motors

• Implementing a new program to maintain and fix leaks

• Installing energy efficient lighting and motion sensors

• Implementing heat recovery and insulation from our boiler and air compressor equipment to re-use heat in the manufacturing process.

Our Tatura factory received a $1.25million Government grant to construct a 1.1 megawatt co-generation plant which generates electricity and heat using natural gas and thermal energy. Once complete, this will cut greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 44% (6000 tonnes per annum at an absolute level) while making Tatura near self-sufficient in meeting its electricity needs.

Reduce GHG from Washing Clothes

Global target :

We will reduce the GHG impact of the laundry process by concentrating our liquids, compacting our powders, reformulating our products to reduce GHG by 15% by 2012, and encouraging our consumers to wash at lower temperatures and at the correct dosages in 70% of washing machines by 2020.

Australia & NZ Focus

Cleaner Planet Plan is our long term laundry sustainability strategy which encompasses OMO, Persil, Surf, Drive and Comfort. We have: 

·        Pioneered concentrated detergents with Small & Mighty resulting in the elimination of the equivalent of 60million plastic shopping bags and260 million A4 sheets* of paper worth of packaging every year, and removing 1,000 truck journeys in transport (halving GHG emissions from logistics). Australia and New Zealand’s liquid and powder detergents are now among the most concentrated in the world.

·        Removed phosphate across our laundry range which delivered an estimated 30% reduction in the GHG footprint of OMO in Australia (due to the energy intensity of sourcing phosphate). By simply switching to new OMO, households can save up to 20 kg of CO2 a year in the overall product footprint.

·        Provided tips across millions of laundry packs and the Cleaner Planet Plan website to help households wash more efficiently.

In Australia and New Zealand many households already wash at low temperatures, however we’ll continue to work with our suppliers to offer innovative solutions that help further reduce GHGs associated with washing clothes.

* Based on 80gsm A4 paper

Reducing CHG from our transport

Global target :

By 2020 CO₂ emissions from our global logistics network will be at or below 2010 levels despite significantly higher volumes. This will represent a 40% improvement in CO₂ efficiency. We will achieve this by reducing truck mileage; using lower emission vehicles; employing alternative transport such as rail or ship; and improving the energy efficiency of our warehouses.

Australia & NZ Focus

We will reduce GHG emissions from our line haul network by moving all our truck fleet to Euro V emission standards by 2016, resulting in a 27% CO2 reduction per unit transported. . All new trucks bought from 2011 will be at Euro V standards.  Additionally we are working with our carriers to maximise truck loads and route efficiency for further reductions.

Reduce GHG from refrigeration

Global target :

We will accelerate the roll-out of freezer cabinets that use climate-friendly (hydrocarbon) refrigerants. We have already purchased 450,000 units with the new refrigerant and we will purchase a further 850,000 by 2015.

Australia & NZ Focus

Since 2010, we’ve replaced more than 5,000 Streets ice cream freezers with new models that use hydrocarbon refrigerant (R290). By 2016 85% of our freezers and fridges will use hydrocarbon refrigerant (R290) delivering expected GHG savings of up to 38% per fridge annually.  By 2020 100% of our freezers will be using hydrocarbon refrigerant (R290), reducing GHGs associated with refrigeration by up to 40% (based on replacement of old freezers per annum).

We are also piloting new solar powered Lipton Ice Tea and Streets Ice Cream kiosks at two sites in 2011.The first of their type in Australia, they emit zero GHGs.