6.23.2004 ET

(CSRwire) RACINE, WI - SC Johnson announced that it has exceeded its goal to use even more Earth-responsible raw materials across all SC Johnson brands by improving its environmental classification score by 12.5 percent from its 2001 baseline year. In 2001, SC Johnson introduced its raw material classification system, Greenlist™ and established a goal of 8 percent improvement by 2002/03 in the areas of surfactants, propellants, home storage resins, insecticides and solvents.

To view the Greenlist™ case study (in PDF format) click here.

Developed to ensure that the company leaves a smaller footprint in the natural world, Greenlist™ has removed greater than 10 million pounds of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) since the program's launch. The Greenlist™ initiative currently helps reduce 2.6 million pounds of VOCs every year. "SC Johnson is proud of Greenlist™ and the positive environmental impact it offers to our product development process," says Scott Johnson, Vice President, Global Environmental and Safety Actions. "We are sharing the benefits of the Greenlist™ process in order for other companies to consider such an application."

In an effort to encourage the "greening" of the whole SC Johnson supply chain, the company is sharing this innovative sustainability tool with suppliers which represent 80 percent of the SC Johnson's raw material purchases. In some cases, Greenlist™ has led suppliers to develop and market new materials.

"We buy thousands of ingredients and raw materials for our products," says Dave Long, Manager, Sustainability and Innovation. "From a science-based standpoint, the greatest opportunity for us to further improve our footprint on the environment is in the materials we utilize in our products."

About Greenlist™
Greenlist™ is a system of classifying raw materials to improve the development of SC Johnson products. It rates materials according to their environmental impacts and allows the materials to be compared with one another for environmental and human health characteristics.

Each and every ingredient used by SC Johnson is given a Greenlist^TM score of Best (3), Better (2), Acceptable (1) or Restricted Use of Material (0). The RUM or "0" rating means that its use in any SC Johnson product requires direct approval from top company management - an authorization that Greenlist™ managers are reluctant to approve because of the company's high internal standards set for improving its material footprint. Scores are based on between four and seven criteria (depending on the type of ingredient and the appropriateness of the criteria to each element) and include biodegradability, aquatic toxicity, human toxicity, EU Environment Classification, source/supply, vapor pressure, octanol/water coefficient and other criteria appropriate for the functional category.

Every ingredient score is made available instantly online to SC Johnson chemists around the world, giving them the environmental rating they need to select the best-rated ingredient to fulfill any function. The program is integrated into the core of SC Johnson's business. On one hand, staff incentives are based on using top-rated raw materials, and on the other, the supply chain is 'greened' because suppliers are encouraged to offer products which get a high Greenlist score.

In 2003, Greenlist™ received the Wisconsin Governor's Award for Excellence in Environmental Performance.

SC Johnson's Environmental Legacy
SC Johnson has enjoyed a long history of environmental firsts including Greenlist™, placing the company among the most-recognized and awarded environmental leaders in the U.S. Among SC Johnson's innovations and awards are:

2004 - First consumer packaged goods manufacturer to offset the greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the paper, ink, printing process and shipping of all of its annual reports dating back 13 years through a contribution to Conservation International's Carbon Conservation Program to help save one of the world's most critically threatened biodiversity hotspots

2003 - Honored by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency with first-ever Lifetime Atmospheric Achievement Award; also first of two consecutive years company honored with Governor's Award for Excellence in Environmental Performance

2003 - First consumer packaged goods manufacturer to set up an innovative turbine system that simultaneously produces electricity and steam, SC Johnson is producing energy for Waxdale, its largest manufacturing facility in Racine, Wisconsin, U.S. This "cogeneration" project is improving air quality by utilizing waste methane from a local landfill that would otherwise be flared into the atmosphere while also freeing up enough electricity from more traditional sources to power 1,600 homes annually and saving enough natural gas to supply 1,400 homes each year

2002 - First consumer packaged goods manufacturer to join U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Climate Leaders program, a voluntary partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

2001 - Developed a new environmental classification system, Greenlist™ that actively integrates environmentally-preferred raw materials and packaging components into its products, thus setting new internal environmental standards that surpass regulatory requirements and drive innovation

1991 - Then-chairman Samuel C. Johnson became founding member of World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), current Chairman Dr. H. Fisk Johnson serves as Council Member today

1991 - President George Bush awarded SC Johnson a Presidential Citation for Environmental Quality Management, one of only 13 corporations recognized through the President's Environment and Conservation Challenge Award program. The Citation acknowledged the company's achievements in integrating responsible environmental practices and processes throughout its worldwide organization.

1991 - Among first companies to issue an annual corporate environmental report

1990 - Among leading companies to set specific, measurable goals to reduce pollution and waste from products and processes; throughout the 1990s, cut 420 million pounds of waste

1975 - SC Johnson voluntarily and unilaterally eliminated chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) propellants, three years before the U.S. mandate.

1955 - Pioneered water-based aerosols to reduce environmental impact and improve safety and performance

1935 - Conducted one of the world's first environmental audits when H.F. Johnson, Jr. led an expedition to Fortaleza, Brazil to identify sustainable ways to source wax from the Carnauba Palm, a critical ingredient in the company's products at that time

To learn more about Greenlist™ and SC Johnson's sustainability efforts, please visit www.scjohnson.com where you can access an electronic version of our 2004 Public Report.

SC Johnson is a family-owned and -managed business dedicated to innovative, high-quality products, excellence in the workplace and a long-term commitment to the environment and the communities in which it operates. Based in Racine, Wisconsin - a 2003 All-America City, the company is one of the world's leading manufacturers of household cleaning products and products for home storage, air care, personal care and insect control. It markets such well-known brands as WINDEX®, PLEDGE®, GLADE®, SHOUT®, ZIPLOC®, EDGE® and RAID®. The 118-year old company employs approximately 12,000 people and sells products in more than 110 countries. SC Johnson contributes at least 5% of pretax profits (nearly four times the national average of corporate giving) into programs designed to improve quality of life in our host communities around the world. For more information, visit www.scjohnson.com.

For more information please contact: