Kodak unveils new worldwide sustainability goals

The new Sustainability Goals will be the fourth set of voluntary goals established by Kodak, building on the company’s long history of public commitment to health, safety, and environmental performance. The new goals broaden Kodak’s focus by boosting expectations for products, suppliers, and employees. In addition to the pursuit of the Sustainability Goals, worldwide manufacturing sites will continue to set additional local goals.

The goals announced today supersede the Responsible Growth Goals established in 2006 and include an emphasis on enabling employees to integrate sustainability principles into their everyday work, a target for increasing the number of Energy Star-qualified products, and a renewed initiative to measure and further reduce Kodak’s water usage worldwide.

The Responsible Growth Goals were originally announced in 2006. Unlike former goals that mainly focused on the company’s traditional manufacturing footprint, the Responsible Growth Goals represented a significant expansion of focus, introducing product stewardship and social responsibility elements, as well as operational excellence.

As part of that program, Kodak reduced energy use and greenhouse gas emissions by 40% since 2002, surpassing its 20 percent target. Kodak reduced occupational injury rates by 65% since 2002, exceeding its target to reduce rates by 50 percent.

The prevention of 1.1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions since 2002, the equivalent of taking more than 190,000 cars off the road, is a hallmark of Kodak’s progress. A portion of this progress is attributable to Kodak’s digital transformation. However, roughly half of the overall progress is the result of applying the principles of lean manufacturing and process design, as well investments in energy-efficient equipment.

“Much of this substantial progress comes down to the creativity and dedication of Kodak employees,” said David Kiser, Director of Health, Safety, Environment and Sustainability and Vice President, Eastman Kodak Company. “For example, at Eastman Business Park in Rochester, employees looked for opportunities within the site’s transformation. Because of their diligent work, we realized significant energy savings that allowed us to close a 67-megawatt power plant. It’s that kind of ingenuity that gives us confidence in meeting our new set of public goals.”

For its efforts, Eastman Business Park earned the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Champion Award in 2007, the highest award for energy efficiency for industrial facilities. In addition, Kodak’s world headquarters building in Rochester was designated as Energy Star certified in 2008.

Kiser also noted that he is very proud of the work by employees and Kodak leadership in reducing employee safety incidents.

“During a time when extraordinary demands are being placed on our workforce and on our leadership due to the competitive and economic pressures facing all companies today, there has been an intense focus on keeping people safe on the job, as reflected by the nearly two-thirds reduction in these incidents,” Kiser said.