Church & Dwight Plans Virgin Plastic Reduction Goal for Consumer Products Packaging

Church & Dwight has shared with industry organization As You Sow its commitment to set a total virgin plastic use reduction goal. In response, the group has withdrawn its shareholder proposal with the company. 

The proposal was filed in light of Church & Dwight’s low rankings on As You Sow’s “2021 Corporate Plastic Pollution Scorecard” and asked the company to report on how it would reduce plastic packaging. 

In dialogue between As You Sow and Church & Dwight after filing, the company attested to its commitment to productive action on plastic pollution prevention and shared its preexisting plans to announce a substantial virgin plastic packaging reduction goal in publication of its 2022 Sustainability Report anticipated in April 2023. 
 
The goal will reduce, by 2025, an absolute amount or percent of virgin fossil-fuel-based plastic packaging over a recent baseline year. The company communicated it will achieve the goal through a variety of strategies, including packaging redesign, product innovation, increased recycled content use, and reusable packaging. 

“It is encouraging to see an increasing number of companies, like Church & Dwight, recognize the need to reduce overall use of plastic,” said Kelly McBee, waste program coordinator at As You Sow. “We applaud Church & Dwight for stepping up to set a plastic use reduction goal for achievement by 2025.” 

Church & Dwight marks As You Sow’s seventh withdrawal in acknowledgment of a commitment to set a reduction goal.

As You Sow’s work to engage companies on plastic packaging reduction has been catalyzed by a 2020 landmark study by Pew Charitable Trusts, “Breaking the Plastic Wave”, which said immediate and sustained new commitments throughout the plastics value chain are needed, including actions by brand owners, consumer goods companies, and retailers to reduce at least one-third of plastic demand through elimination, reuse and new delivery models.