DALLAS, April 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Kimberly-Clark Corporation (NYSE: KMB) today released its 2008 Sustainability Report, Shaping a Healthier World, which highlights the company's ongoing efforts to build sustainability into all aspects of its business.

"It is truly inspiring to see how the passion of our employees fuels our sustainability efforts," said Kimberly-Clark Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Tom Falk. "Because of their hard work, we used less water, less energy and produced less carbon dioxide in 2008, even though we made more products than ever before."

In addition to environmental achievements, the report highlights the commitment Kimberly-Clark employees around the globe have demonstrated to improving the lives of people in their respective countries and communities, including programs and causes like El Salvador Verde, MedShare International, earthquake relief in China, and the United Way in the U.S. These programs, and many others, have benefited not just from the financial support of Kimberly-Clark, but also from the contributions and labor of love of K-C employees.

Falk continued: "We truly appreciate and celebrate our sustainability successes to date, but we know our work is not complete. We know that we must continue building our company in a world of increasingly scarce resources and vulnerable ecosystems. Because sustainability is a core value at Kimberly-Clark, we know that making better choices for the environment and society often means making better choices for our business."

The full web-based 2008 Sustainability Report is available online at www.kimberly-clark.com/aboutus/sustainability.aspx along with the 2008 Sustainability Report Summary (PDF), which will be translated into the following languages by early May: German, Spanish, French, Italian, Polish, Russian, Danish, Swedish and Norwegian.

For the first time, an introductory video from Tom Falk welcomes website visitors to the report. In the video, Falk also recognizes K-C's Korean affiliate, YuHan-Kimberly, for its Keep Korea Green program, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. The program has helped restore thousands of acres of Korean forestlands and has become synonymous with K-C brands in that market.

Additionally, an external assessment of the report, conducted by the five independent members of Kimberly-Clark's Sustainability Advisory Board, can be found within the web-based report. This panel advises the company on sustainability issues, and provides a more independent view of K-C's sustainability programs.

Highlights in Shaping a Healthier World include:

• For the fourth consecutive year, Kimberly-Clark led the personal products category of the 2008 Dow Jones Sustainability World Index.
  
• Since 2005, K-C has increased its energy efficiency by 4.5 percent and achieved a 7 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions per ton of production at its manufacturing facilities.
  
• 98% of the wood fiber Kimberly-Clark used on a global basis in 2008 came from suppliers or forestlands certified to one of five internationally-recognized sustainable forestry systems.
  
• Kimberly-Clark's total contributions to good causes around the world totaled $22.7 million in 2008, including more than $4 million contributed by K-C employees in conjunction with the K-C Foundation's Matching Gifts program and K-C's United Way campaign.
  
• GovernanceMetrics International ranked K-C in the top one percent among nearly 4,200 companies surveyed in its most recent rating. The top-ranking companies were recognized for best-in-class corporate governance standards.
  
• K-C China received the Most Admired Corporate Citizen award from the China Corporate Citizenship Committee.
  
• YuHan-Kimberly has been recognized for its excellent ethical management in the Korean Business Ethics Index 2008 conducted by the Ministry of Knowledge Economy and the Institute for Industry Policy and Study. The Korean Management Consulting Association has named YuHan-Kimberly one of the most admired companies in Korea for five consecutive years.
  
• Recognition from The United States Environmental Protection Agency:
  
  • EPA Energy Star Partner of the Year for K-C's work in 2008
    
  • EPA SmartWay Transportation Excellence Award for the second consecutive year
    
  • Ranked ninth on the EPA's list of Fortune 500 companies using green power.

Kimberly-Clark Corporation

Kimberly-Clark Corporation

Kimberly-Clark and its trusted brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 175 countries. Fueled by ingenuity, creativity, and an understanding of people's most essential needs, we create products that help individuals experience more of what's important to them. Our portfolio of brands, including Huggies, Kleenex, Scott, Kotex, Cottonelle, Poise, Depend, Andrex, Pull-Ups, GoodNites, Intimus, Plenitud, Sweety, Softex, Viva and WypAll, hold No. 1 or No. 2 share positions in approximately 70 countries. We use sustainable practices that support a healthy planet, build strong communities, and ensure our business thrives for decades to come. We are proud to be recognized as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies® by Ethisphere for the sixth year in a row. To keep up with the latest news and to learn more about the company's 150-year history of innovation, visit kimberly-clark.com or follow Kimberly-Clark on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.

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