DALLAS, June 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Kimberly-Clark
(NYSE:KMB), a leader in sustainably-made personal care products,
today announced a unique three-year agreement and collaboration
with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) designed to raise awareness of the
importance of choosing products that use fiber from responsibly
managed forests. As part of the new "♥ YOUR PLANET"
("HEART YOUR PLANET") campaign, the company will display WWF's
iconic logo on its paper towel, facial tissue and toilet paper
products sold in North
America.
This initiative is part of an 8-year partnership between the two
organizations, and is a natural next step in advancing responsible
forestry through consumer education and engagement. Kimberly-Clark
is proud to display the WWF logo on its packaging and in promotion.
The WWF logo will be on the packaging of Kimberly-Clark's North
American tissue products certified to Forest Stewardship Council®
(FSC®) standards, including Kleenex® facial tissue, Scott® paper
towels, Viva® paper towels and Cottonelle® toilet paper. FSC® is
considered a "gold standard" in forest certification and assures
that these products come from responsibly managed forests that
provide environmental, and social benefits.
Consumers and retailers will start to see the Kleenex®, Scott®,
Viva® and Cottonelle® brands integrate the WWF Panda logo on its
packaging from June 2017, starting
with Scott® paper towels.
"Put simply, Kimberly-Clark cares. We care about our people, our
communities and the future of our planet. We are also very proud
that our leadership has moved other manufacturers in our industry
toward higher levels of certification," said Jay Gottleib, president of Family Care for
Kimberly-Clark North America. "We
were the first U.S tissue company to bring FSC certified tissue
products to market, and the first U.S tissue company to have 100%
of our suppliers certified as providing fiber from responsibly
managed sources. Today, we will be the first U.S tissue company to
partner with WWF through an on-pack campaign across our
well-recognized brands, to help drive even more awareness among
consumers of the importance of choosing responsibly sourced tissue
products by looking for FSC certification".
In addition to its support of responsibly managed forests
through our procurement practices and educating the consumer about
FSC, over the next three years, through this partnership,
Kimberly-Clark will also provide $4
million to support WWF's efforts to protect forests and
other critical ecosystems.
"As a leading participant in WWF's Global Forest & Trade
Network since 2009, Kimberly-Clark has a long-standing commitment
to source its fiber from responsibly managed forests," said
Kerry Cesareo, Vice President for
Forests at WWF. "Taking these commitments a step further,
Kimberly-Clark will work with WWF to bring FSC to the everyday
consumer, driving awareness and inspiring action for forest
conservation that can yield huge benefits for our planet."
Corey Brinkema, president of the
Forest Stewardship Council in the U.S. said, "Across a wide range
of products and countries, Kimberly-Clark has demonstrated an
enduring commitment to the Forest Stewardship Council. Globally
this is reflected in their growing use of FSC, from 7 percent of
their virgin fiber in 2006 to more than 75 percent in 2015. Today
their commitment extends beyond responsible sourcing to the
education of their consumers about the importance of forest
conservation. We applaud the new partnership with WWF, especially
its focus on raising consumer awareness of FSC certification and
its critical contribution to the health of forests in the U.S. and
around the world."
This marks another important step in Kimberly-Clark's journey to
support responsible forest practices:
2003 - First company to require third-party fiber certification
of its suppliers
2006 - Began ongoing collaboration with FSC
2009 - Joined WWF's Global Forest and Trade Network
2011 - First U.S. tissue maker to offer branded FSC consumer
products with Kleenex® facial tissue
2012 - Expanded FSC certification to Cottonelle®, Scott®, and Viva®
branded products
2013 - 100% of all Kimberly-Clark fiber suppliers are certified
2014 - Awarded FSC Leadership Award
2016 - Awarded FSC Leadership Award
This campaign supports Kimberly-Clark's Sustainability 2022
strategy. Kimberly-Clark's latest sustainability update will be
issued at the end of June 2017. Visit
www.kimberly-clark.com/sustainability to learn more.
About Kimberly-Clark
Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB) and
its well-known global brands are an indispensable part of life for
people in more than 175 countries. Every day, nearly a quarter of
the world's population trust Kimberly-Clark's brands and the
solutions they provide to enhance their health, hygiene and
well-being. With brands such as Kleenex, Scott, Huggies, Pull-Ups,
Kotex and Depend, Kimberly-Clark holds No. 1 or No. 2 share
positions in 80 countries. To keep up with the latest news and to
learn more about the Company's 145-year history, visit
http://www.kimberly-clark.com or follow us on Facebook or
Twitter.
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SOURCE Kimberly-Clark Corporation