Evaluating SC Johnson's CSR: A Case Study on Sustainability and Ethics

This case study examines SC Johnson's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, focusing on their impact on sustainable development, human rights, and philanthropic activities. The analysis begins with an introduction to sustainability and its importance, particularly within the context of SC Johnson's business practices. The study evaluates the company's CSR policy and initiatives, highlighting their efforts in reducing carbon footprint through renewable energy adoption, waste reduction, and the use of recycled materials. Furthermore, it assesses SC Johnson's commitment to protecting forests and its code of conduct for suppliers. The case study also delves into SC Johnson's policies and practices on human rights throughout its supply chain, emphasizing their commitment to ethical sourcing, compliance with labor laws, and promotion of diversity. Finally, it evaluates the company's philanthropic activities, including initiatives to promote sustainability and support local communities. The conclusion summarizes the key findings, emphasizing the role of renewable energy and recycled materials in reducing carbon emissions and promoting sustainability.

Case Study

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Impacts of SC Johnsons CSR policy and initiatives on sustainable development activities.......1
Evaluation of SC Johnson’s policy and practices on human rights throughout its supply chain 3
Evaluation of SC Johnson’s range of Philanthropic activities in contributing to wider societies
and local communities.................................................................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Sustainability refers an ability of protecting natural resources by satisfying needs of present
generation (Jayasinghe and Hunter, 2020). This present study is based on SC Johnson that was
founded in 1886 by Samuel Curtis Johnson. It is famous for manufacturing wooden floor and
now it wants to expand its business in other countries. This study is going to show importance of
improving sustainability. It will also discuss some ways by which companies can increase
sustainability and can reduce negative impacts on society and environment. SC Johnson makes
use of renewable energy and recycled resources for reducing negative impacts, reducing carbon
emission, pollution and reducing overall cost. It will also discuss importance of having
qualitative raw materials from suppliers and considering codes of ethics.
Impacts of SC Johnsons CSR policy and initiatives on sustainable development activities
There are several companies that make promises for protecting environment but few among them
fulfil their promises. SC Johnson is one of them. It wanted to reduce carbon footprint and
introducing best products in the market for improving lives of people and making them feel safe
and healthy. It knows that customer’s satisfaction is the main key of success and for expanding
business successfully in other countries by introducing brands: Purex, Kit, Bravo and others, it
will require satisfying their needs along with environmental needs. After analysis it is found that
customers’ satisfaction is directly proportional with environmental needs because people have
come to know that environmental protection can make them safe and healthy (Blanco, Caro and
Corbett, 2016). So, for this purpose, it started working towards satisfying environment and for
this it reduces wastes and focused on using renewable energy. For this purpose started working
towards reducing wastes and for this it focused on:
Reducing footprint: For reducing carbon emission and footprint it started using renewable
energy for some of its works and manufacturing process. It is stated that in the year of 2018-19,
around 34% of energy used, developed from renewable sources and it has great impacts on the
environment. It has used wind energy that is free and natural source for manufacturing plants in
some areas. This outcomes boosted confidence of it and it started working towards increasing
different ways of using renewable energy and for that it used geothermal energy to its some of
areas where it provides services (Yu and et.al., 2016). For these initiatives it was appreciated that
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improved its image in the market. Along with these, it is also found that by reducing amount of
wastes and providing wastes for landfill it reduced footprint.
Using recyclable materials: For improving sustainability along with using renewable energy, Sc
Johnson developed some guidelines and as per these guidelines, he will use post consumer
recycled material that must be used in new product development. It is beneficial for society,
environment and company as well. By making use of post recycled materials, company can
increase more profit by reducing cost in buying new raw materials. This guideline was developed
in the year of 2015. It has changed the way of packaging and others. It has saved around 2, 038
metrics tons and around 320 full garbage trucks of plastic. From this amount it can clearly be
said that this was one of the best initiative of reducing plastics and waste and also making use of
recycled products in new product development. It is believed by SC Johnson that this initiative
can help it out in taking competitive advantages and attracting global customers to the great
extent (Eisenman and et.al., 2018). In climate change and other situations, it can have an
effective position in the market.
Protecting the world’s forest: Forest protection is other main initiative and goal of this
company. It is believed that human dependent on plants and animals and without animals and
plants it is not possible for human beings to live an effective life. Plants give us oxygen and by
protecting forest, it wants to improve quality of life of people. For this purpose, SC Johnson has
teamed up with conservation international with the main aim of protecting around 10,000 acres
rainforest in Amazon by developing acre for acre match campaign. It has raised funds for
protecting forests and helping out people in improving their lives. It has developed the world’s
largest tropical reforestation project in the Brazilian Amazon and all funds that are being raised
were used in this project. It also makes use of sustainable Palm Oil that is 100% certified
(Benedek, Sebestyén and Bartók, 2018).
Rather, all of these initiatives it is also stated that it has developed some guidelines and
codes of conducts for suppliers. For getting qualitative raw materials, suppliers required certified
their products and making sure that their all products are suitable and as per the codes of conduct
of this company. It helps this company in reducing negative impacts on environment.
Company’s achievements in meeting its environmental as well as sustainability ambitions
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It is stated that SC Johnson played a vital role in reducing carbon emission and increasing
sustainability. One of the main treasons of performing several functions and maintaining
sustainability is to attract customers and becoming well known company in the market. For its
initiatives of using wastes for renewable energy, wastes for landfill and using geothermal energy.
It is found that because of using renewable energy to the great extent such as wind energy for
manufacturing plants in Bay City, Mount Pleasant and The Netherlands, it has reduced around
62% green house gas emission. Along with it, company focused on finding ways of using
renewable electricity. For these initiatives and positive outcomes, this company was appreciated
many of the times (Jaiswal and Ha-Brookshire, 2018).
It is stated that SC Johnson was recognized or listed on National top 100 lists of the largest
green power users by The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It is also stated that this
company made use of more than 78 million kilowatt hours of green power annually and for this
initiative and effective action also, it was recognized by EPA. It was ranked on top 30 on-site
generation list of EPA. It was one of the huge appreciations that can provide it opportunity of
taking competitive advantages. Customers prefer to buy products and stay with the company that
is socially and environmentally responsible and know the value of future needs, This Company
proved many of the times by reducing wastes to the great extent and also reducing carbon
emission. For these appreciations, it made great efforts (SC Johnsons New Sustainable Product,
2020). It is also found that it limited wastes by sending wastes for landfill. This made it able in
reducing their footprint. It analyses generated wastes in detailed manner because of diverting
solid and liquid waste away from landfills. One of the big achievements that this company
achieved was: by the year of 2018 and 2019, 100% of SC Johnsons factories sent zero
manufacturing wastes to landfill (Guo and et.al., 2018).
Evaluation of SC Johnson’s policy and practices on human rights throughout its supply chain
Rather than sustainability and renewable energy, it focused on human rights and supply
chain policy for having positive outcomes on environment, protecting future needs along with
satisfying present needs of customers. It is also found that maintaining compliance with human
rights and workforce legislation is one of the main challenges that multinational companies face.
But SC Johnson handled this challenge in an effective manner.
In regards to human rights and supply chain policies it is found that it respected its
suppliers and employees for having positive outcomes and reducing negative impacts on
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environment. For improving relation with suppliers, it communicated a revamped set of
standards to all of its direct global suppliers. It introduced code of conduct as per this code of
conduct, suppliers were required certify their raw materials and other resources supplied to this
company with code of conduct. It helps company in getting qualitative resources that can have
fewer negative impacts on the environment and can also satisfy customers by getting qualitative
products (Dor-el and Shalev, 2017). For more transparency and knowing effectiveness, SC
Johnson and all its skilled workforces conduct annual cycle of surveying and audit regarding
their practices. It is being conducted for knowing that if suppliers produces and supply resources
by keeping safety and health factor in their mind or not. When suppliers focus on business ethics
and all these factors then only companies can also improve sustainability and protect human
rights of getting qualitative products. Each year many suppliers going through this survey and
make this company able in practising supply chain policies in an effective manner.
In regards to human rights it is found that it applies local and national laws at its workplace
and make sure that all employees are following rules of these legislations. One of the main aim
of implementing these legislations at workplace is promoting diversity and reducing all types of
discrimination at workplace. When company has effective workplace then employees are more
likelier to stay with the company that improves image of company in the market. It also selects
suppliers as per their requirements and choice and it does not force them for supplying products.
It also makes sure that other companies and suppliers are not being forced as child labour,
slavery, prison and others. It is important for suppliers to fulfil all rules and must eligible for
getting selection on the basis of age and experience (Gwore and et.al., 2016). There are some
exceptions and situations where, such legislations and rules do not apply.
For motivating employees for following all rules and helping out company in
accomplishing goals it provides benefits and compensation to suppliers and employees. All
employees and suppliers are being given written detailed information about employment, rules,
regulations as it protect to both employees and employers against law suit. It is also important for
suppliers and employees to comply with legally mandated working hours and rest periods if they
want to work with SC Johnsons. Only as per the local law and changes in laws, employees are
allowed to work overtime, work from home facilities and other flexibilities (Stubbs, 2018).
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Evaluation of SC Johnson’s range of Philanthropic activities in contributing to wider societies
and local communities
There are several initiatives taken by SC Johnson and that shows this company has several
positive impacts on environment and society. Some philanthropic activities of this company
includes: initiatives that has been taken and developed by this company for improving
sustainability and reducing negative impacts on the society. All philanthropic activities include:
Making use of renewable energy for manufacturing process, reducing green house emission,
carbon footprint and others (Stucki, 2019). Other activities include: making use of recyclable
products or post consumer materials for developing new product is other main activity that
helped this company in reducing cost and have protecting future needs or resources.
It is also found that this company developed some codes of conduct for making sure that
suppliers supply only qualitative and effective resources. Protecting human rights and making
employees feel safe and valued at workplace also made it able in improving performance.
Motivated and valued employees are more likely to support company by bringing innovation and
creativity within organization. It can also help company in making use of effective strategies and
identifying ways of using renewable resources, energy and post consumer used products. All
these activities made this company able to come under top 100 list of using green energy and
appreciated by EPA (Kurowska-Susdorf and et.al., 2019).
CONCLUSION
It has been summarized from the above study that renewable energy and recycled materials play
a vital role in reducing carbon emission. It has discussed some activities and initiative that have
been used and taken by SC Johnson for improving sustainability and protecting resources for the
future needs. Further, it has also discussed ways of using renewable energy and recycled
resources for developing new product and having positive impacts on environment. Lastly, this
study has shown importance of protecting human rights and implementing legislations that
provide safety to employees and also protect them against discrimination.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Benedek, J., Sebestyén, T.T. and Bartók, B., 2018. Evaluation of renewable energy sources in
peripheral areas and renewable energy-based rural development. Renewable and
Sustainable Energy Reviews, 90, pp.516-535.
Blanco, C., Caro, F. and Corbett, C.J., 2016. The state of supply chain carbon footprinting:
analysis of CDP disclosures by US firms. Journal of Cleaner Production. 135. pp.1189-
1197.
Dor-el, D. and Shalev, I., 2017. Intelligent Method of Protecting Forest and Brush from Fire.
U.S. Patent Application 14/797,129.
Eisenman, A. and et.al., 2018, April. Reducing DRAM footprint with NVM in Facebook.
In Proceedings of the Thirteenth EuroSys Conference (pp. 1-13).
Guo, S. and et.al., 2018. A review on the utilization of hybrid renewable energy. Renewable and
Sustainable Energy Reviews. 91. pp.1121-1147.
Gworek, B. and et.al., 2016. Impact of the municipal solid waste Łubna Landfill on
environmental pollution by heavy metals. Water. 8(10). p.470.
Jaiswal, G. and Ha-Brookshire, J., 2018. Exploring suppliers’ perceptions and approaches
toward codes of conduct: behind the scenes at Indian apparel export firms. International
Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education.
Jayasinghe, M. and Hunter, L.W., 2020. The Impact of Suppliers’ Adoption of Voluntary Labour
Codes/Certifications on Job Quality in Global Supply Chains: The Sri Lankan Case of
Garments without Guilt. British Journal of Industrial Relations.
Kurowska-Susdorf, A. and et.al., 2019. Green analytical chemistry: Social dimension and
teaching. TrAC Trends in Analytical Chemistry. 111. pp.185-196.
Stubbs, M.T., 2018. Book Review: Human Rights Acts: The Mechanisms Compared.
Stucki, T., 2019. Which firms benefit from investments in green energy technologies?–The
effect of energy costs. Research Policy. 48(3). pp.546-555.
Yu, Y. and et.al., 2016. Reducing carbon emission of pickup and delivery using integrated
scheduling. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment. 47. pp.237-
250.
Online
SC Johnsons New Sustainable Product. 2020. [Online]. Available through <
https://advertising.amazon.com/library/case-studies/sc-johnson>
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