The world’s first sustainable city especially planned for international business – So of course RB has an office based here!

When I started researching into my placement in developing markets, part of the reason I chose to work in South Korea was the location of the RB R&D facility here. We are based in New Songdo City – a complete artificial island created from what used to be ocean just off the Eastern coast of South Korea. This city marketed as “The Gateway to Northeast Asia” and its location 35 miles from Seoul and 15 minutes from the international airport means that international commerce is efficiently nurtured. By being based here, RB’s R&D facility is in the heart of the most forefront technological development in the region. Along the corridor we have the Korean Polar research group and in the surrounding buildings we have the R&D centres for many instantly recognizable global technology companies.

Not only are we in a superb location for research and development, but also the city has environmental sustainability built into every aspect of its design, from the 40% green space plan, recycling of sea water in the parks, to the encouragement of eco-friendly transport. This is a very interesting environment for me to work in, especially as the projects I work on are built on a similar environmental awareness. Just a few of the sustainable approaches RB is currently using include producing smaller concentrated versions of products, reducing quantity of packaging and educating consumers to use environmentally friendly procedures. We also have Carbon 20 targets to reduce the carbon footprint of our products.

Living in a city with a holistic vision on sustainability helps me appreciate how RB’s sustainability efforts fit into the daily lives of the consumers who use our products. It’s the simple things like line drying clothes, or using a dishwasher instead of hand washing (yes – it actually uses less water!) that work towards improving our carbon footprint. And the thing I love the most about living in this eco-friendly place is that I’m there whilst working for a company that is positively encouraging similar sustainable practices!

Hi everybody! I’m back here to talk about the environment again. In one of my recent posts on this blog I wrote about OHOP ( Our Home Our Planet) .
The OHOP initiative is RBs front-facing consumer communication part of a global commitment to tackle climate change. If you want to read more about it, go
to my last post, and you will find a lot of information
related to this topic.

But back to Carbon 20 . RB’s “Carbon20” programme was launched in 2007 and its main purpose is to reduce RB products’ impact on climate change by 20% by 2020.
But this programme is not similar to others, which target
the ‘easy wins’ of energy reduction in factories and travel.
It has a different approach, as it targets reductions in raw
and packaging materials from suppliers and in consumers’ use and disposal of the company’s products.
RB is worried about the climate change impact of the product’s overall lifecycle.

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RB measures the total lifecycle of its product with an independently assured methodology, developed in conjunction with environmental consultancy, URS, targeting activities both within its own supply chain and manufacturing as well as working with consumers to change their behaviour and adopt lower-carbon routines (OHOP).

And now RB is sharing its methodology with the rest of the industry so we can all tackle climate change effectively. Great isn’t it? I think this is definitely something that businesses need to collaborate on, not compete about.

And more good news was announced last week around the world: ” RB has cut carbon emissions per unit dose by 5.75% in year 1. It means RB is already ahead of its carbon reduction target, achieving 25% of our 2020 goal in the first year”.�
This is something for everybody to be proud of..!
I think its interesting to see that Carbon 20 is not just related to social and environmental benefits, it makes good business sense too. How you say?:

1. More and more consumers want to buy products with lower carbon profiles
2. Retailers want to help consumers to reduce carbon emissions, and want to address their own carbon profiles. They want to work with companies that help them to achieve these
3. Suppliers want to work with responsible businesses, and are also trying to reduce their impact on climate change
4. Most people want to work for a company that acts responsibly in addressing major social and environmental concerns

What we can see is that RB is aligned with all its stakeholders, and working like this, as a team, it will achieve its objective before the deadline!

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This subject is being discussed on various websites.

At Linked In the following question is being asked:  Can corporate social responsibility success make a company more appealing to graduates and early career professionals?
In my opinion, the current generation of young professionals were created in a society concerned with environmental issues and their possible impacts in the future. Thus, working in a socially responsible company is to be updated, and to present ethical values compatible with most young professionals.

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Now I want to hear your opinion about this topic. And if you have any doubt, please, write me back, and I’ll answer as soon as I read it!
If you want to check out what people think about the CSR issue, access this link (you have to be a member of Linked In to see it):
Pati

Are you doing your bit to help the environment when you wash your dishes?

We at RB certainly are.

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As the issue of the environment is all over the news at the moment with world leaders meeting at the UN Climate Change Summit, I wanted to highlight an important RB initiative: Our Home Our Planet – or OHOP.

I want to show you what RB does to help carbon reduction and how the company is helping the consumer make a change.
Sometimes people forget about environmental issues, and don’t give them the right attention.
But the OHOP initiative is RBs front-facing consumer communication part of a global commitment to tackle climate change. It is being tackled through Carbon 20, a major initiative to reduce the total carbon footprint of the company by 20% per unit by 2020.

Also, this week it was announced that RB has entered two new important Sustainability Indices – the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World) and the company has also been named by the Carbon Disclosure Project as one of the top global corporations tackling climate change.

Last year I was working with some projects under the Finish brand, and one of them was related to OHOP.
We were studying how we could help consumers, to educate them about dishwashers and how they could make a difference.
We decided to talk about saving energy and water while washing your dishes!
Most consumers have the wrong impression that dishwasher machines waste water and energy. They don’t.
And if used properly they can actually use less water and energy than traditional hand washing.
So this initiative was to educate consumers about it. Tips are printed on Finish packaging and also on the website.

But how does all of this help with the big picture?
The OHOP initiative is about the complete product lifecycle, from raw materials to the consumer’s dustbin and beyond.
Although Reckitt Benckiser has been recognized as a sustainability leader, the biggest impact on the total carbon footprint of our products can be attributed to the consumer usage part of a product’s lifecycle – it is between 60 and 70%.

Before learning about the initiative I thought companies were responsible for this emission. But OHOP is designed to educate consumers and help them to make small behavior changes to reduce energy and water consumption when using RB products – BUT without having to compromise on the performance results consumers come to expect.

And the great thing is, this will also help the consumer save money on energy and water bills too.
So, we all have advantages helping and collaborating with the project!
Climate change is the most important environmental issue of the 21st century and it is extremely important for businesses.

Consumers are more committed to buying products that help them reduce their environmental impact in their day-to-day activities.

They prefer “eco friendly” products. But it’s not just consumers who are worried with this issue, trade customers want to work with suppliers who can help them deliver on their own carbon reduction objectives and employees want to be part of a company that is making a real contribution to tackling climate change.

So how does OHOP go about sharing its objective: ‘greener ways to clean and save’?
Products feature OHOP logos and ‘green panels’ on packs that give tips for energy and water saving as well as packaging disposal guidance.

Examples of these tips are:

• Vanish – Brilliant results even at 30 degrees
  Wash at 30 degrees instead of higher temperatures and get the same stain removal results by adding a scoop of Vanish powder to your wash
• Harpic – Don’t pre-flush an empty toilet before cleaning
  Before regular cleaning 7 out of 10 people flush an empty toilet. Harpic is so powerful you do not need to pre-flush to get the best results. And you can even save up to 1,375 liters of water per year.

Pay a visit to the Our Home Our Planet website . It shows local initiatives and explains, in local languages, the project objectives.
The website also features tips on greener ways to clean including laundry care tips, dishwasher tips, home hygiene tips and hard surface cleaning tips.

But what do you think of this kind of programme? Do you like them? Do you think they are important? Do you think they work? Do you prefer to buy products from companies that are concerned about environmental issues?

I look forward to your comments.

As we approach the end of the second quarter of 2009, the conversation inevitably turns to our progress to date and what else we’ll have to anticipate before the year is through. I did the same over the weekend, and can reflect on a first half of 2009 already rich with challenges and changes.

I began the year working in Supply Services at Reckitt Benckiser Healthcare in Hull, UK, where I had the opportunity to determine which pallets were to be shifted from one warehouse to another over a period of approximately 3 weeks. While concentrating on their movement, I also had to ensure they were deliverable throughout the process, something that was successfully achieved. This, along with a number of other projects, made my stay in the UK an unforgettable experience. Most important, however, was the valuable experience gained in our healthcare business.

Shortly after my return, our entire office travelled to South Africa in recognition of a successful 2008. As part of our trip, we visited a village where we donated goods and planted trees, while a Reckitt Benckiser XI played (and lost) a game of football against the local team, who are also supported by funds generated by Reckitt Benckiser. We all agreed that it was not only an incredibly well organised trip replete with fantastic hikes and entertaining evenings, but also one that provided an insight into a totally different world afflicted by problems largely alien to us.

Back in Germany, I’ve been working – among other things – on a few projects aimed at improving our packaging and making it more environmentally friendly. The launch of the Calgon Energis pack – which comes in a pouch rather than a plastic box – signals our new direction and Reckitt Benckiser’s commitment to reducing emissions. While mainly involved in overseeing supply chain activities – from initial production to our warehouse and on to our customers – this made me feel a part of RB’s commitment to make its products more ‘green’. It’s interesting to read the debate that’s currently taking place on the Reckitt Benkiser Linked In page, on the economy and climate change.

With July just around the corner, I’m now looking forward to the projects that will fill the second half of the year.

Friends of mine who work in careers ranging from medicine to charity have asked how I feel ethically about working in such a large corporate organisation with a mission to make profit.
I say that I’m extremely proud because Reckitt Benckiser is unlike any other I know.
I don’t blame them for being curious about the corporate sector and its corporate responsibility practices, as you often hear bad press about large scale organisations’ social responsibility when it goes wrong.
But at Reckitt Benckiser, social responsibility is at the forefront our daily practices.
Our CEO, Bart Becht, actually visited the branch I work at to personally present Carbon 20, a new global initiative to reduce the carbon footprint of all our products.
For him to do this himself signals just how much RB will focus on the environment going forward.
It’s motivating because I can – and have to – participate in this in my day job.
Strepsils is the fastest growing global brand we have, so it’s critical we get on board. For example we have changed all our plastic external packaging to a more sustainable version as well as vetting all our suppliers to ensure they also comply by strict social responsibility guidelines.
In our office we even have 3 compartment bins, each of which we use to separate out paper, plastic and general waste. It’s made so easy for us to make a personal difference.
RB has been hosting an ongoing conversation about corporate social responsibility on LinkedIn and the Reckitt Benckiser Facebook page.

However, our social responsibility doesn’t just focus on the environment but also on charity.
Save The Children is our official charity and not only are there many opportunities to participate in fundraising initiatives but anyone in the business can suggest an activity where they fundraise and RB will match it!
A group of 61 employees have just returned from an amazing fundraising trek in the Himalayas for Save the Children in which they were also given the opportunity to help out at local schools projects.
Reckitt Benckiser is unlike any other large scale corporation I know in this respect and I’m extremely proud to be part of it.