P&G promotes 'green' technologies among MNCs

CABUYAO, Laguna, Philippines – Procter and Gamble Philippines (P&G) has cut its carbon emissions by eight percent to promote “green” technologies and practices among multinational firms.

The 420 employees of the P&G plant located in this town have embarked on a program dubbed “Greenovation,” aimed at minimizing “carbon footprint” by reducing consumption of water and electricity, practicing proper waste disposal and lessening carbon dioxide emissions.

P&G is using natural lighting through the solar photovoltaic panels and passive skylights installed in various locations in the plant.

P&G plant manager Samuel Garcia said the solar panels reduce energy consumption in the plant by 33,000 kilowatt-hour per year.

Likewise, it minimizes carbon dioxide emissions by seven to eight percent annually, Garcia said.

“We’re getting close to P&G’s global target of 10 percent by 2012,” Garcia told reporters during a media tour here yesterday.

P&G, which operates in 80 countries, is one of the leading manufacturers of personal care products, household cleaning, laundry detergents, prescription drugs and disposable nappies.

Aside from utilizing solar energy, the plant engineers have also installed motion sensors that detect human activity in the hallways and offices which automatically turn the lights on and off as needed.

They also constructed a special facility inside the plant to collect rainwater which will be used to water plants and flush the toilets, Garcia said.

“Plans are also underway to introduce waterless urinals and expand the rainwater collection project,” he said.

Apart from these initiatives, Garcia said their employees are also participating in waste reduction project dubbed, “Waste-to-Tree.” The project is being implemented in partnership with the Haribon Foundation.

Garcia said P&G employees and their families recently planted 1,000 trees in the Caliraya watershed in this province.

“The employees and their families collected and sold some five tons of recyclable materials. The proceeds were used to buy seedlings,” he said.

Garcia said they aim to plant 2, 000 more seedlings in June this year.

“As one of the major manufacturing plants of P&G worldwide, we have embarked on these projects to make sure we remain true to our mission of ‘Touching Lives and Improving Life’,” Garcia said.

“We are constantly innovating so that every aspect of our operations, from the equipment we use, the products we bring to the market and even the way we work, is done in the most responsible and sustainable manner possible,” Garcia said.

Jaime Endaya, P&G country pubic relations manager, said the company is also involved in several community projects like the “Tide 3pid Project” which they implement together with the GMA Foundation and the “Sagip Tubig” program with the Bantay Kalikasan of ABS-CBN.

Endaya said P&G continues to invest in research and innovation to create products that help communities live in a more sustainable way.

Endaya said the company has launched Downy Isang Banlaw (One Rinse), a fabric conditioner that rinses and freshens in just a single step, effectively reducing water usage during the rinse by around 60 percent.

“With Downy Isang Banlaw, households can save approximately 480 liters per month in water used for rinsing clothes,” he said.

The P&G Cabuyao Plant, which serves the Philippines and several markets in Southeast Asia, manufactures products such as Tide, Ariel, Downy Fabric Softener, Pampers and Safeguard. It also houses imported P&G brands like Pantene, Head & Shoulders, Olay and Pringles.

P&G provides employment to 138, 000 people worldwide, 2,000 of them by P&G Philippines, Garcia said.