DUESSELDORF, Germany and ROCKY HILL, Conn., March 10 /PRNewswire/ — U.S. retail giant Wal-Mart has selected Henkel to receive the “Wal-Mart Sustainability Award.” Henkel was recognized as the one company demonstrating the most comprehensive approach to sustainability and making a substantial contribution to Wal-Mart’s sustainability strategy.
The Wal-Mart Sustainability Award was presented to Henkel at Wal-Mart’s recent Supplier Summit held in Bentonville, Arkansas. This award recognized Henkel’s global effort as the supplier making the biggest contribution to sustainability. Key to this recognition is that Henkel, with its 130-plus years of experience in the sustainability field, has forged a significant partnership with Wal-Mart in their Sustainable Value Networks, including those focused on ingredients and packaging efforts. This award is an important recognition of the value of Henkel’s sustainability strategy encompassing the entire supply chain. In addition to being the only supplier to win the Sustainability Award, Henkel was also one of only five U.S. domestic suppliers to be nominated for “Supplier of the Year” in the consumables category, by achieving strong results across a number of measurable business objectives.
“We are honored to receive this award and very proud to support Wal-Mart’s significant and industry-leading sustainability efforts. Sustainability is in Henkel’s DNA,” said Brad Casper, responsible for the North America business within Henkel’s Laundry & Home Care business sector.
As a direct result of Henkel’s commitment to sustainability, Henkel also received the distinguished honor to be invited to two Wal-Mart global sustainability events, including a Sustainability Summit held in Beijing and the Wal-Mart Global Sustainability Milestone meeting held earlier this year in Bentonville. Henkel is also a member of Wal-Mart’s Central American Sustainability Council/Sustainability Value Network.
Henkel’s strategy includes a strong focus on its customers, and the company’s dedication to sustainability is one of the factors that generates real added value for its customers. Henkel is committed to ensuring that all its new products will make a contribution to sustainable development in at least one of its declared focal areas: Energy and Climate, Water and Wastewater, Materials and Waste, Safety and Health, and Social Progress. In 2008 Henkel launched a broad-based and globally aligned sustainability initiative for its laundry and home care products, under the framework “Quality & Responsibility.” Detailed information is provided to customers and consumers, explaining how they can conserve resources, contribute to climate protection and avoid waste by using Henkel products.
Henkel’s record on sustainability and corporate social responsibility has been recognized on a global level. In December 2008 the company was recognized as “Germany’s Most Sustainable Brand” at the first German Sustainability Congress. And in September 2008, Henkel was the only company in the FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) market segment to be included in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World). Only 10 percent of the world’s 2,500 largest companies make the grade for inclusion in the DJSI World.
Henkel provides extensive information on its sustainability and corporate social responsibility efforts, including all the relevant rankings and ratings, on its website at www.henkelna.com/sustainability.
Henkel in North America
Henkel markets a wide range of well-known consumer and industrial brands in North America, including Dial(R) soaps, Purex(R) laundry detergents, Right Guard(R) antiperspirants, got2b(R) hair gels, and Loctite(R) adhesives. Visit www.henkelna.com for more information.
For more than 130 years, Henkel has been a leader with brands and technologies that make people’s lives easier, better and more beautiful. Henkel operates in three business areas – Home Care, Personal Care, and Adhesive Technologies – and is ranked among the Fortune Global 500 companies. More than 60 percent of Henkel’s sales are in fast-moving consumer goods, while the industrial business accounts for almost 40 percent of the company’s total sales. In fiscal 2008, Henkel generated sales of 14,131 million euros and adjusted operating profit of 1,460 million euros. Our more than 55,000 employees worldwide are dedicated to fulfilling our corporate claim, “A Brand like a Friend,” and ensuring that people in more than 125 countries can trust in brands and technologies from Henkel.
