Tapping Into the Power of Brands to Create Purpose-driven Impact

SC Johnson brands are actively creating and implementing innovative solutions to some of the world's most challenging health and environmental issues, aiming to create a better world both today and for future generations. 

Our world is facing some daunting global environmental and public health challenges. Over 600,000 people die from malaria each year. Around 8 to 10 million metric tons of plastic ends up in the ocean annually. Green space is essential for good health, but, in many cities, we don't have enough of it. It will take everyone – consumers, businesses and government – working together to create the systemic changes needed to address them.

However, consumer goods companies and their brands bring unique strengths that are different from governments and social institutions when it comes to driving long-term change. These strengths can inspire creative ideas, bold moves, and collective efforts toward positive change. Brands with a clear purpose can do more than join the conversation; they can actively influence and drive solutions.

SC Johnson brands are a powerful force for achieving positive change through campaigns that connect with people, raise awareness and inspire action. Here's three example of SC Johnson brands leveraging their strengths to make a remarkable impact: 

Lots of Compassion 
Mrs. Meyer's, the garden-inspired brand from SC Johnson, sees gardening as more than just creating beauty -- it reflects their core belief in the interconnectedness of all living things. The brand launched the national initiative, Lots of Compassion, to celebrate and empower individuals who use gardening to cultivate compassion in their communities. 

Through financial aid and educational resources, the initiative helps people across the country transform empty lots into vibrant gardens for communal development. Why is this so important? Approximately 15% of land in U.S. cities sits empty or abandoned. This vacant space can have detrimental effects on communities, such as reduced mental and physical well-being, diminished community trust, and other negative outcomes. 

In 2023, the initiative successfully transformed its first lot in Chicago, in collaboration with the Emerald South Economic Development Collaborative. Lots of Compassion also provided funding for ten grants to additional communities in Michigan, Tennessee, California, Louisiana, South Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York in 2023.  The Lots of Compassion initiative has set ambitious goals for 2024, aiming to engage over 23,000 individuals in garden-based learning experiences and develop 70,000 square feet of gardening space. To support this effort, the initiative plans to allocate up to $200,000 annually over a five-year period, totaling $1 million by 2027. Additionally, from April 1st to July 31st, $1 from each sale of Compassion Flower hand soap on mrsmeyers.com, Walmart.com, and Walmart stores will be allocated to bolstering the Lots of Compassion initiative, further contributing to the overall goal.

 

Refillution:

For more than 40 years, the Ecover® brand has been dedicated to making a positive impact through promoting product refills, boosting their use of recycled plastic, and encouraging bottle recycling. However, in recent times, Ecover has been working to unlock the significant plastic waste reduction potential of refill and reuse options by expanding consumer access to refill options.

According to the World Economic Forum, half of global plastic production is for single-use. Reusing just 10% of plastic products, however, would reduce the amount of plastic waste reaching the ocean by 50%. Additionally, an Ellen MacArthur Foundation study noted that the widespread adoption of returning and reusing plastic packaging could help to cut greenhouse gas emissions by up to 69%.

Enter the Refillution.

Ecover cleaning products has been refining the Refill on the Go concept through partnerships with European retailers. Shoppers can refill their containers or purchase reusable packs from Ecover, which can be refilled up to 50 times. Reusability is crucial, considering that the average household discards about seven plastic bottles per week, leading to feelings of guilt among 52% of people. Moreover, nearly two-thirds of individuals express a desire for more refill stations in regular supermarkets. Currently, there are over 700 Ecover refill stations. To date, over 1MM refills have taken place saving over 42,000 kg of plastic.

To further promote the concept of refilling, in 2022, the brand launched The Ecover Refillery, a dedicated destination aimed at combating plastic waste through refills. By repurposing a traditionally polluting location – a gas station – into a refill station, the brand provides a space for people to refill their bottles, learn about reducing their plastic footprint, and, in Ecover's terms, 'Join The Refillution'.

The brand is also exploring a Return to Source model, where consumers return empty containers for cleaning and refilling after use. Ecover products were included in a recent trial program conducted by British supermarket chain Tesco in collaboration with Loop. This program offers daily products in prefilled, reusable containers. After use, customers return these containers to the store for cleaning, refilling, and reuse. According to Loop, replacing just three items with reusable alternatives during a weekly shopping trip could make a big difference. If customers in ten stores make this change, the reusable packages would be used and reused over two and a half million times annually.

 

Raid Certified Care/Closer to Care:

In Rwanda, malaria is a big problem, ranking as the seventh leading cause of death. What often goes unnoticed is that many local community members, mostly women, work as unofficial health workers. They spend a lot of time – days, weeks, and even months – caring for their communities, but this makes it nearly impossible for them to find steady jobs to support their families. 

SC Johnson's iconic brand Raid® recognized this dilemma and teamed up with the Society for Family Health Rwanda and together they developed the Certified Care educational program. This initiative trains and supports women to become officially certified Community Health Workers. These women are the first line of defense in identifying and treating malaria within their communities. By participating in this program, they not only gain the skills needed for the job but also have the opportunity to earn a fair wage for something they've been doing for free: caring for others. This not only helps them serve their communities better but also allows them to build a career for themselves.

On World Malaria Day 2023, the program marked a significant milestone: the official certification of 10,000 Community Health Workers through Certified Care. Moreover, SC Johnson's collaboration with the Society for Family Health Rwanda and the Rwanda Ministry of Health resulted in the establishment of nearly 70 health clinics across Rwanda. These clinics play a crucial role in combating malaria and other public health concerns, such as HIV/AIDS, family planning, nutrition, and access to clean water. Currently, Community Health Workers handle 55% of all malaria cases in Rwanda.

In confronting the many challenges of our era, from malaria to plastic pollution, from urban green space scarcity to community health empowerment, it's evident that no single entity can tackle them alone. Initiatives like Lots of Compassion, Refillution, and Raid Certified Care are just a few examples of the transformative power of leveraging SC Johnson brands to stand as beacons of innovation and purpose-driven action.