Our emphasis on energy efficiency improvements has provided an opportunity to generate costs savings and to reduce our CO2 emissions. While Colgate is not an energy-intensive company, we are still working hard to improve energy efficiency all around the globe to do our part in conserving electricity, natural gas and fuel oil. From 1998 through 2007, we reduced the amount of energy to produce a ton of product by approximately 28%. Our 2002 to 2010 target is to attain a 25% reduction of energy use per unit of production. In 2007, we reduced energy consumption per ton by approximately 18% as compared to 2002 levels. We continue to strive to reduce our energy use on an absolute basis even as our business continues to grow.
Projects that have contributed to energy reduction include:
- Construction of a Silver LEED-certified manufacturing facility in Morristown, TN, which uses 17% less energy than plants of similar size
- Installation of a cogeneration unit at our facility in the Morristown, NJ Mennen plant in 2007, resulting in decreased CO2 emissions, increased reliability, and cost savings
- Realigning power distribution at the Hill’s, Los Angeles plant
- Recovering heat through a new system that saved 74% of heating costs in Halinow, Poland
- Identifying and fixing even very small compressed air leaks in machines in Gebze, Turkey
As a way to encourage energy efficiency throughout the Company, Colgate has created a Global Energy Reduction Team comprised of internal energy and environmental experts. The team recruited volunteers to work over the intranet to create various energy-reduction procedures and materials. Specifically, this team leads the energy initiative by identifying and communicating new ideas and best practices for energy-saving opportunities, and by supporting on-site energy surveys. Since 2003, most of Colgate’s largest sites have participated in comprehensive third-party energy surveys, resulting in the identification of numerous energy savings projects which have now saved the Company more than $2.5 million per year in energy costs. Recognizing that all sites, large and small, can do their part to reduce energy use, the team also created the “CP Energy Reduction Guidebook” and distributed it to all manufacturing and research facilities around the world. While continuing with third-party surveys of large sites that use the most energy, the guidebook has been instrumental in local efforts to find additional reduction opportunities. Additionally, the team has developed a complementary website which helps in identifying energy-saving opportunities and created an energy reduction e-training program in 2007. This tool has been launched at all Colgate facilities worldwide.
In 2006, the founders of the Global Energy Reduction Team were recognized for helping Colgate people around the world work together to reduce energy needs by the Company’s “You Can Make a Difference Award” program.
In 2005, Colgate joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star program as a partner company, making a commitment to continuously improve the energy efficiency of its operations.
Energy Use Efficiency
Goal: 15% reduction (1998-2006)
Actual Performance: 26% reduction (1998-2006)
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