healthy, emphasized Auriemma. Significant investment on the part of major chemical companies will be required as technology continues to move forward and R&D investment is increasing. Solutions will be more “product category” focused than in the past and product efficacy must be maintained. Ultimately, it will be the consumer who will judge our success. The sustainable supply chain A panel discussion on the Future of Sustainability in the Supply Chain, chaired by CSPA Chairman Paul Siracusa, provided practical examples of how two companies—BASF and Scotts—are adapting their business models to adjust to market demands for more sustainable products. Denise Peterson of BASF said her company analyzed 50,000 products under its Sustainable Solutions program and categorized them in four buckets on various attributes. Dr. Jeff Pinkham of The Scotts Co. described Miracle-Gro’s pillars of sustainability and the progress the company is making in establishing 1,000 new green spaces in the U.S. (they are halfway there). “The future of sustainability is the supply chain,” said Peterson. “Collaboration up and down the supply chain is critical.” She noted that BASF competes in just about every consumer product category and earns 1,200 patents a year. The company analyzed its sustainability efforts from the feedstocks it uses to transportation of finished products. Internally, BASF recently analyzed 50,000 of its products, measured their sustainability line-by-line and segmented them into four categories: accelerator (novel product), performer (standard product), transitional (products that require work) and challenge (products that will be phased out). BASF also created a Supply Chain Index to make sustainability part of every employee’s job and to measure sustainability efforts. Pinkham recited Scotts’ Mission Statement: “To help people of all ages express themselves on their own piece of the Earth.” Scotts walks the walk. Several years ago, it eliminated phosphorous from its lawn fertilizer formula—even though it sold 10,000 tons of phosphorous a year. More recently, Scotts took neonicotinoid, a chemical linked to the collapse of honeybee colonies, out of its GrubEx line. Scotts introduced the Snap automatic dispenser to help improve dispensing and reduce overdosing. Pinkham stressed that a green, healthy lawn isn’t just aesthetically pleasing, it provides environmental benefits, such as a haven for pollinators (birds and bees), oxygen generation, reduced water run-off and soil erosion, water filtration, cooling effects and sequestered greenhouse gases. As part of its sustainability outreach, Scott’s teaches consumers how to use less water to achieve a healthy lawn and sponsors research on ways to reduce water use. The company plans to launch drought-tolerant, slow-growth seed that requires less mowing, organic pesticides and biodegradable packaging. Fisk Johnson speaks out… Dr. Fisk Johnson, Chairman & CEO of SC Johnson, provided a passionate defense of the science behind the products his company sells. He discussed the many communication challenges facing companies that use chemicals in consumer products and he advocated four steps to address them. These include elevating the standard of safety and subjecting the standards to outside scrutiny; increasing ingredient transparency; no greenwashing; and advocating for better chemical regulation. Johnson noted that everything we touch, eat and breathe on a regular basis is a chemical; but just because everything is chemicalrelated, doesn’t mean people relate to chemicals. Chemophobia The Future of Sustainability in the Supply Chain panel included, from left, Denise Peterson (BASF), moderator Paul Siracusa (CSPA Chairman) and Dr. Jeff Pinkham (The Scotts Co.). Tammy Westerman, Senior VP of Business Development, State Industrial Products, received the Charles Allderdice Award, the CSPA’s highest honor, presented by CSPA Chairperson Paul Siracusa (right). Westerman retired at the end of 2014 after a distinguished career with State Industrial. CSPA Chairperson Paul Siracusa (right) presents Jim Bloome, VP of Engineering, Packaging Technologies, Inc., with the Volunteer Recognition Award for the Aerosol Division. Bowen 22 Spray March 2015
Spray March 2015
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