Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc. on June 7 announced five-year goals for improved environmental and social performance across the company's operations and released Sustainability in ACTION, its inaugural corporate social responsibility (CSR) report.
The 2015 Corporate Social Responsibility Goals address the company's operations throughout North America and the Caribbean. They also provide the framework for the inaugural CSR report, now available on the company's Web site, www.drpeppersnapple.com/sustainability.
"Our evolution into an integrated beverage business has strengthened our ability to serve our customers and consumers while maintaining our responsibility to serve the needs of society and the planet we all share," said Larry Young, DPS president and chief executive officer. "Setting and achieving long-term goals to improve our environmental and social performance is a vital part of achieving sustainable growth, because these goals reflect the best interests of the people who make, sell, buy, invest in, and enjoy our brands every day."
The company's five-year targets focus on the areas of environmental sustainability, health and wellness, philanthropy, workplace environment and ethical sourcing. They include:
Environmental Sustainability
- Improve energy efficiency in manufacturing operations by 10 percent per gallon of finished product.
- Increase product shipments per gallon of fuel used by 20 percent.
- Replace 60,000 vending machines and coolers with Energy Star-rated equipment that is approximately 30 percent more energy efficient.
- Reduce water usage and wastewater discharge ratio in manufacturing operations by 10 percent per gallon of finished product.
- Recycle 80 percent of solid waste in manufacturing.
- Conserve more than 60 million pounds of PET plastic through package re-engineering and increased use of post-consumer recycled material.
All reduction targets are set against baseline data for the 2009 calendar year.
Health and Wellness
- Continue to provide a full range of products, with at least 50 percent of innovation projects in the pipeline focused on reducing calories, offering smaller sizes and improving nutrition.
- Support local and/or national programs that encourage active lifestyles and fitness.
Philanthropy
- Contribute a total of 100,000 volunteer hours and attain an annual giving level of $10 million in charitable cash donations, with the majority of support focused on fit and active lifestyles, environmental sustainability, emergency relief and community celebrations.
Workplace Environment
- Maintain team leader engagement scores comparable to or better than those of other high-performing companies.
- Reduce lost-time injury frequency rate by 25 percent.
Ethical Sourcing
- Conduct annual third-party risk assessments of all suppliers and audit any high-risk suppliers to ensure full compliance with the company’s Ethical Sourcing Code of Conduct.
Highlights of DPS CSR Report
Sustainability in ACTION details the progress made since DPS became a public company listed on the New York Stock Exchange in May 2008. It also discusses current initiatives that will help DPS achieve its long-term CSR goals.
For example, DPS is addressing environmental sustainability by reducing fuel consumption with logistics software that configures shorter, more efficient delivery routes and by installing idle shut-down and electronic speed limiters. The company has numerous package engineering projects under way that are producing lighter plastic bottles across most sizes and formats and is identifying opportunities to incorporate post-consumer recycled content into PET containers. And by using de-ionized air rather than water to rinse containers on most production lines, the company is conserving approximately 10,000 gallons per day on each line.
DPS's approach to health and wellness emphasizes the wide range of diet products and "better for you" choices available in its portfolio, such as the newly launched Mott's Medleys, a juice with two fruit and vegetable servings in every eight-ounce portion. In addition, the company has been actively involved on the industry level in initiatives such as the School Beverage Guidelines, which have cut beverage calories shipped to America's schools by 88 percent, and First Lady Michelle Obama's Clear on Calories Initiative, which is providing consumer-friendly calorie information on the front of containers, vending machines and fountain equipment.
DPS is also directing more of its philanthropic resources in support of programs that emphasize and promote active lifestyles, from sponsoring youth sports leagues and tournaments to a companywide effort this year to build playgrounds with the national non-profit KaBOOM!
"We have much to be proud of as an organization that's only now two years old," said Young. "But this is only a starting point for us. Looking beyond our performance to date and the goals we've set for 2015, we understand that sustainability – whether environmental, social or economic – is an ongoing journey. There's much more to do, and we look forward to engaging our stakeholders to help ensure that day-in and day-out, our focus is always on continuous improvement throughout our business."
About Dr Pepper Snapple Group
Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc. is a leading producer of flavored beverages in North America and the Caribbean. The company’s success is fueled by more than 50 brands that are synonymous with refreshment, fun and flavor. In addition to its flagship Dr Pepper and Snapple brands, its portfolio includes Sunkist soda, 7UP, A&W, Canada Dry, Crush, Mott's, Squirt, Hawaiian Punch, Penafiel, Clamato, Schweppes, Venom Energy, Rose's and Mr & Mrs T mixers.
