Last year SC Johnson, which manufactures a range of household products including Glade and Mr Muscle, published a list of ingredients that cannot be used in new products or can only be used at limited levels.
Its approach has been to screen approximately 4,500 materials, about 2,500 of which could have a negative effect. Using the company’s Greenlist™ ratings scheme – a science-based ingredient selection and tracking process – the company intends to increase, year on year, the percentage of ingredients that have a lower impact on the environment and human health.
During the year, it also became the first major US company to commit to disclosing all fragrance ingredients used at a concentration of 0.09% or higher – initially focusing on air care products such as sprays, candles, oils and gels.
The move is part of SC Johnson’s broader ingredients communication programme, designed to help consumers make more informed choices. No easy feat: the company has met some opposition in the supply chain, particularly fragrance suppliers’ perception that transparency means compromising intellectual property.
Independent research commissioned by SC Johnson reveals that over half of consumers are concerned with the chemicals in everyday products, including household cleansers and pest control products. The study also found that the most important factor in building consumer confidence was for companies to disclose ingredients and their associated risks.
Using its home-grown ratings system, the company began its journey with a score of 18% “better” or “best” ingredients in 2001. Today the figure is 47% with the goal of reaching 58% by 2016. And by working with the Internal Fragrance Association and its own rigorous evaluations, SC Johnson has now narrowed its palette to about 1,300 potential ingredients that meet its standards.
In this its 23rd year of reporting on sustainability objectives, The Greenlist™ remains the cornerstone of its strategy.
