The annual report focuses on the company’s commitment to being a responsible food manufacturer. Highlighted performance and initiatives throughout 2011 include Hormel Foods:

• Being listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the second consecutive year, placing the company among the world’s top 10 percent of sustainable companies.
• Achieving outstanding results from the annual Environmental Sustainability Best of the Best competition among all Hormel Foods locations. In 2011, the competition generated entries throughout all business segments that resulted in the reduction of 695.2 tons of solid waste to landfill, an increase in recycling tonnage by 27 percent and more than 40.4 million gallons of water saved collectively.
• Enhancing the On Our Way to Ending Hunger program, with contributions of more than $5 million in cash and product to aid hunger-relief efforts in the United States and abroad.
• Distributing its Supplier Responsibility Principles, which were designed to ensure the quality of products and services received from suppliers follows the commitment of Hormel Foods to responsible environmental and social performance.
• Expanding the number of facilities that have been certified under the Global Food Safety Initiative-recognized food safety management standards.
• Improving performance on a number of key metrics, including:
• Beating the packaging minimization goal, reducing packaging by 4.2 million pounds;
• Beating the water reduction goal, reducing water consumption by 15 percent;
• Continuing to outperform the industry average for safety rates; and
• Implementing several significant capital projects designed to reduce energy use, expecting to see results in the 2012 fiscal year, as part of the new energy conservation goal.

“I am proud of our team for achieving outstanding results in fiscal 2011,” said Jeffrey M. Ettinger, chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer at Hormel Foods. “We will continue to responsibly conduct business following Our Way – the Hormel Foods values statement that defines how we operate every day in our approach to people, process, products, performance and philanthropy.”

The 2011 Hormel Foods Corporate Responsibility Report is the company’s fourth consecutive report that can be found entirely online. Also available is an executive summary that provides a condensed version of the full report along with key highlights. The online report can be accessed and the summary can be downloaded at www.hormelfoods.com/csr.

In alignment with the company’s commitment to philanthropy and in honor of the launch of the report, Hormel Foods will feature an online contest. For every retweet on Twitter announcing the release of the 2011 Hormel Foods Corporate Responsibility Report, the company will donate $6 to Feeding America (up to $5,000). Feeding America is the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief charity.

Hormel Foods plans to continue reporting on its environmental and social performance annually; the next report will be released in May 2013 for data spanning November 2011 to October 2012.

To date, 21 major brands have distanced themselves from SFI, ForestEthics says. Many of these companies also have made commitments to shift over to products certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.

For example, Shutterfly says it will give preference to FSC-certified products in all of its new paper purchases, and Pitney Bowes will give preference to FSC in all new paper purchases for internal use Both will avoid reference to the SFI program in external communications.

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Source: Environmental Leader

The mission of the International Green Industry Hall of Fame (IGIHOF) is to promote ecological sustainability excellence worldwide. IGIHOF’s mission is to recognize individuals and organizations for excellence and outstanding achievements in green industry. Induction ceremonies are held at various locations all over the world.

“It is a great honor to be inducted into the International Green Industry Hall of Fame for our efforts as a green and sustainable organization,” said John Shegerian, ERI’s Chairman and CEO. “And it is truly humbling to receive a similar honor as an individual. It’s really all a testament to our constant commitment to the proper disposal of electronic waste and the hazards it presents to our environment. We are passionate about doing everything we can, beyond our industry-leading e-waste recycling efforts, to be a green and sustainable organization as well. To enter this Hall of Fame beside sustainability and green industry legends is added motivation for us to continue our mission in new, innovative and industry-changing ways. The green business revolution is here to stay and we are proud to help lead the charge!”

“The ERI story is truly amazing,” said Sam Geil, Chair of the Board of Directors for the International Green Industry Hall of Fame. “In 2002, John and his team pioneered electronic recycling on a national and international level and built a socially responsible company earning a place in the Hall of Fame. ERI is an example of what can be accomplished with great people, hard work, disciplined commitment and innovation. The best part of this story is that they are just getting started.”

About Shegerian the individual Hall of Famer, Geil added, “John has also earned a place in the International Green Industry Hall of Fame as a Lifetime Achievement Award recipient for his tireless work as Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO of ERI, Co-Founder and CEO of 1-800-Recycling, Co-Founder and Host of Green is Good, and Co-Founder of Addicted.com. John is truly an industry icon as an entrepreneur, advocate, and innovator. He has no equal when it comes to success and passion in the Green Industry.”

Shegerian established ERI’s headquarters in Fresno in 2005 and since then, under his stewardship, the company has fast become the largest and most efficient recycler of electronic waste in the world. With longstanding private sector and government contracts and relationships, ERI is licensed to de-manufacture and recycle televisions, computer monitors, computers, and virtually all other types of electronic equipment with a cord.

ERI developed and houses the largest e-waste shredder in the world and processes more than 120 million pounds of electronic waste annually at its locations in California, Colorado, Indianapolis, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Texas, Washington State and Washington DC.

It was announced Friday that as inductees into the Hall of Fame, ERI and John Shegerian are enshrined into the Hall permanently and will be members for life.

For more information on recycling needs, visit www.electronicrecyclers.com , http://1800recycling.com or www.urbanmining.org .

Now the largest privately held recycler of electronic waste in the US, and the world’s first dual-certified electronic waste recycler, Fresno-headquartered Electronic Recyclers International is licensed to de-manufacture and recycle televisions, computer monitors, computers and other types of electronic equipment. ERI serves public sector clients via GSA contract GS-10F-0051Y and processes more than 120 million pounds of electronic waste annually at eight locations in seven states, including California, Washington, Colorado, Indiana, Massachusetts, Texas and North Carolina. For more information about e-waste recycling and ERI, call 1-800-884-8466 or visit http://www.electronicrecyclers.com .

The prototype home, which is expected to define the next generation of sustainable home building in this country, combines expertise from industry leading sustainable building practices in the United States and from European Active House Alliance practices. Construction began in early May and the 2600 square foot home is scheduled for occupancy in September.

The Active House USA home was designed incorporating Active House Alliance standards utilized in existing Active House Homes built around the world, and to meet, or exceed, four North American sustainable building certifications: Energy Star, EPA Indoor Air Plus, Building America Builder’s Challenge and ANSI ICC-700-the National Green Building Standard.

VELUX Group, the Danish parent company of VELUX America, was involved with the founding of the Active House Alliance in 2010 in Copenhagen Denmark. The Alliance has been involved with the construction of many Active House projects.

Mikkel Skott Olsen, chairman of the Active House committee, traveled from Denmark to attend the groundbreaking. “These homes take an innovative approach to energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and interaction with the surrounding environment,” he says, “and a holistic approach to sustainability and community conscious home construction.”

The Active House Alliance U.S. building partner is Kim Hibbs of Hibbs Homes, a Certified Green Professional through the National Association of Homebuilders and a leading custom green homebuilder in the St. Louis area. Project manager is Matt Belcher, a nationally recognized green builder, consultant, and educator. Belcher serves as Chair of the NAHB’s Green Building sub-committee. Architect is Jeff Day of Jeff Day & Associates.

The geographic location of the home is ideal because designing the prototype in St. Louis’s mixed humid climate requires that cold and warm climate specifications be taken into account, allowing for easy translations of the prototype into other homes in the United States.

This prototype home is unique in that it is being built as an infill project in an historic neighborhood close to downtown shopping and restaurants. The original home on the lot was in poor condition and not a good candidate for renovation.

“From careful deconstruction and recycling of materials, such as interior framing in the original home, to the extensive use of VELUX No Leak skylights for natural light and passive ventilation, solar panels for water heating, geothermal wells for a good part of the energy requirements, and other green elements and techniques, we are building a very efficient home that will perform well,” says builder, Kim Hibbs. “We even ground the concrete foundation of the original home into gravel for fill in the new construction,” he says.

Project manager Matt Belcher says his company, Verdatek Solutions, has diverted as much as 80 percent of an entire deconstructed home for reuse through cooperative organizations including Habitat for Humanity and Re-Source St. Louis. “After performing an environmental analysis on the building and removing items, such as Asbestos and floor tiles, we normally give ‘first crack’ at donating some of the viable components to participating organizations where interested parties can procure and reuse the materials.”

Belcher also points out that the Active House specifications are meant to be a guide to achieve high performance goals for building durable homes and managing the resources it takes to build, all with a sharp focus on energy efficiency to greatly reduce need for power and water use. “For example,” he says, “the Active House USA design incorporates natural light sources in our energy planning while adding to the comfort of living in the home.”

In addition to function, appearance was an important factor in the design of the home. The owners, David and Thuy Smith, made it clear that they didn’t want a “funky” home – just a “nice, Midwestern house” that didn’t “stick out” in the nearly-century old neighborhood.

Project architect Jeff Day, of Jeff Day & Associates in St. Louis, says that the two-story home will blend visually with the surrounding neighborhood, unlike more modern styles seen in some European Active House models. “A goal is to build the house with traditional design while incorporating efficiencies that will make utility costs negligible,” he says.

The University of Missouri Columbia Center for Sustainable Design will monitor and document energy data for the home during the first year of occupancy.

Stephan Moyon, director of sales for VELUX America, says that the project will demonstrate to construction professionals nationwide that quality, energy efficient skylights and windows can work together to result in a highly energy efficient home. “Active House principles illustrate the concept,” Moyon says, “of the interaction between homes and their occupants and why it is important for sustainability that all elements of design work together. It’s a message that is being conveyed to architects and builders throughout the country.”

For more information visit www.activehouse.info , www.velux.com , www.veluxusa.com , www.hibbshomes.com , or www.activehouseusa.com/press-room/ .

In September 2011, employees at Sonoco CorrFlex’s Rural Hall, N.C., fulfillment facility formed Team Green, focused on achieving landfill-free status in two years. Since the plant is a fulfillment facility, its materials mix frequently changes based on the current customer and project. One of the major challenges for the team was staying on top of the flux of materials and determining the best outlet for each. To better understand their current program, the team began tracking landfill and recycling tonnage. Dumpster contents were monitored, assessing those areas that needed work to reduce the plant’s landfill tonnage. Common recycling areas were set up in production and office areas, and employees were encouraged to bring in their recyclables from home.

The constant change within the temporary work force at Rural Hall posed another challenge for Team Green when implementing a shift in the plant’s recycling culture, as the personnel within the work force changes daily and many are non-English speakers. By working closely with the plant’s temporary staffing agency and using bilingual labeling, Team Green was able to overcome many recycling issues.

“In just eight months, Team Green was able to divert over 95 percent of Rural Hall’s waste through a mix of recycling, reuse and waste-to-energy,” said Harris DeLoach III, Sonoco Recycling representative for the Rural Hall facility.

A strong component of Rural Hall’s recycling program is the initiative to reuse articles that aren’t recyclable, or are difficult to recycle. Many old inventory items such as bags or boxes, previously slated as waste, are now distributed among employees. This initiative also includes items that can be reused by local non-profit organizations. Used work gloves, scrap bubble wrap and other items that were once thrown away now benefit non-profit educational programs within the community. Used computers, printers and other inventory items are donated to public schools in need of supplies for art or learning.

Additionally, management agreed to set up an Employee Recycling Account to collect funds from the new programs. The account is split at the end of the year among all permanent employees.

Created to recognize customer and Sonoco facilities for achieving significant milestones in landfill diversion and waste stream reduction, the Sonoco Sustainability Star Award program is composed of three tiers:

• Gold Star Awards, which recognize facilities that have achieved 99 percent landfill diversion;
• Silver Star Awards, which are given to facilities achieving 95 percent landfill diversion; and
• Bronze Awards, which recognize facilities that have made significant waste reduction achievements.

Learn more about our Sonoco Sustainability Star Award program at http://www.sonoco.com/productsservices/sonocorecycling/sustainabilitystarawards.aspx.

A recycling leader with 50 locations and expertise worldwide, Sonoco Recycling annually collects approximately 3 million tons of old corrugated containers, various grades of paper, metals and plastics. In addition, the Company has experts who provide secure, reliable and innovative recycling solutions to residential and commercial customers. Currently, Sonoco Recycling operates six material recovery facilities (MRFs) and serves nearly 150 communities in which curbside-collected residential and commercial materials are processed. The Company also provides recycling programs which identify waste reduction opportunities that reduce operating expenses for many of the largest consumer product companies in the U.S.

The project is a joint effort between PSE&G, the NJMC, which manages the landfill, and SunDurance Energy, an Edison-based solar developer, which did the construction. It was funded in part by an $8.5 million New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) American Recovery and Reinvestment Act State Energy Program grant awarded to the NJMC.  The installation of more than 12,500 solar panels on the closed landfill illustrates how clean energy projects can breathe new life into otherwise unusable sites, according to PSE&G’s president, Ralph LaRossa.

“This project opens a new chapter in New Jersey lore,” LaRossa said. “These landfills have sat dormant for years, and have been a familiar site to northern New Jersey residents for as long as I can remember. This project updates that story, showing how 21st century technology coupled with public-private partnerships can return even the most unusable space to a productive purpose.”

“With the support of the Christie administration, we hope that this is the first of several landfill solar projects that transform sites all over the state into a source of pride and clean renewable energy,” LaRossa added.

PSE&G owns and operates the solar farm and leases the land from the NJMC, creating a new source of revenue for the commission. The facility began operations in December 2011.

NJBPU President Bob Hanna, who attended the dedication ceremony, also noted: “Today’s dedication of the first solar project developed on a state-owned landfill is a major milestone in the Christie administration’s efforts to support renewable energy projects. “This project is a great example of the policies contained in the 2011 State Energy Master Plan because it supports the development of solar power with the added benefit of making productive an otherwise useless site.”

The NJMC is a regional leader in the production and promotion of renewable energy. In addition to creating the NJMC 1A Landfill Solar Project, the Commission in January unveiled a 120-kilowatt carport solar canopy consisting of 504 photovoltaic panels covering a section of the Commission’s main parking lot in Lyndhurst.

“The Christie administration, the Meadowlands Commission and PSE&G are leading by example in pursuing smart, effective and realistic renewable energy policies that help to improve the environment and boost economic growth,” said Marcia Karrow, executive director of the NJMC. “The Commission is happy to help advance the governor’s energy goals and pleased that the NJMC 1A Landfill Solar Project is now part of PSE&G’s Solar 4 All program.”

The Kearny Landfill Solar Farm joins three other PSE&G Solar 4 All projects (in Linden, Trenton and Edison, NJ) that utilize brownfields. Another brownfield solar farm is in development on PSE&G property in Hackensack. As with all Solar 4 All projects, power from the Kearny Meadowlands Landfill Solar Farm flows directly to the electric grid for the benefit of all PSE&G electric customers.

Solar 4 All is a $450 million program to develop 80 MW of solar capacity while creating good jobs, helping New Jersey reach its renewable energy goals and increasing the state’s reputation as a national leader in solar development. More than 64 MW already are in service, with the rest expected to be in service by late 2012 or early 2013.

The program is equally divided into two segments. The first consists of developing more than 20 centralized solar installations and includes the Kearny Landfill Solar Farm. The second consists of installing up to 40 MW of pole-attached solar panels in neighborhoods on utility poles in PSE&G’s service territory.

About PSE&G
Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) is New Jersey’s oldest and largest regulated gas and electric delivery utility, serving nearly three-quarters of the state’s population. PSE&G is the winner of the Reliability One Award for superior electric system reliability.  PSE&G is a subsidiary of Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated (PSEG) (NYSE: PEG), a diversified energy company (www.pseg.com).

About NJMC
The New Jersey Meadowlands Commission is the planning and zoning agency for the 30.4-square-mile Meadowlands District, which includes parts of 14 towns in Bergen and Hudson counties. The Commission’s objectives include promoting economic growth and development, including the redevelopment of brownfields, and environmental preservation and enhancement. Through its renewable energy initiatives the NJMC has shown that economic growth and environmental protection are not mutually exclusive goals and can go hand-in-hand to improve the economy and quality of life of New Jersey residents www.njmeadowlands.gov .

About SunDurance Energy, LLC
SunDurance Energy, LLC is a solar energy company that develops, designs, builds and operates megawatt-scale solar power solutions for the commercial, government, and utility-scale markets. An affiliate of The Conti Group, SunDurance Energy is a leading national solar provider, ranked #38 on Inc. Magazine’s list of America’s 500 fastest-growing private companies and #3 in the Energy Sector. SunDurance Energy is the recipient of the Interstate Renewable Energy Council’s 2009 Innovation Award and The Utility & Transportation Contractors Association’s 2010 Construction Safety Award.  For more information please visit www.SunDuranceEnergy.com.

“Kohl’s has a longstanding commitment to social responsibility with the goal of making a positive impact on the customers and communities we serve and the environment we share,” said Kevin Mansell, Kohl’s chairman, president and chief executive officer. “It is our hope that this report demonstrates this commitment and continues to serve as a resource each year on the advancement and integration of our CSR efforts – from our Kohl’s Cares programs to our social compliance efforts and ongoing collaboration with our suppliers.”

Kohl’s 2011 CSR Highlights

Sustainability – Kohl’s Cares®: Advancing Environmental Solutions: Kohl’s is committed to protecting and conserving the environment through innovative solutions that promote long-term sustainability.

• In 2011, Kohl’s revised its environmental strategies to reflect an enhanced focus on supply chain sustainability efforts and stakeholder engagement, with operational programs such as energy efficiency, building design and waste reduction continuing to serve as a key focus.
• As of the end of fiscal 2011, Kohl’s:
  • operated 121 solar arrays at stores and corporate facilities.
  • achieved ENERGY STAR labels for 677 locations.
  • achieved Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council for more than 200 locations and earned Gold LEED pre-certification on its prototypes for new and existing stores.
  • purchased more than 1.4 billion kWh of renewable energy credits, offsetting 100 percent of Kohl’s purchased electricity use.
  • recycled 78 percent of all operating waste.
  • surveyed the company’s top 300 vendors on their sustainability practices each quarter, with the average score improving seven points from 2010.
  • executed 18,880 backhaul trips to its distribution centers from vendors on return trips to stores, eliminating more than 4.3 million empty miles.
  • served as a participant in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Building’s Challenge, a founding circle member of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition and a participant in Business for Social Responsibility’s Energy Efficiency Pilot.

Waste management is a crucial part of caring for Central Park; since 1980, the number of annual Park visitors has tripled to nearly 40 million, and almost 2,000 tons of non-recyclable waste were removed by the Central Park Conservancy in 2010 alone.

The system will include the replacement of existing waste and recycling receptacles in Central Park with newly designed and infinitely recyclable aluminum receptacles. In addition to the Foundation contribution, Alcoa is donating aluminum to manufacture the recycling containers and enclosures and has enlisted Stephen Leonard, Design Practice Leader at Alcoa Technical Center, located near Pittsburgh, to serve as design adviser of the new bins. With his help, Central Park Conservancy identified Landor Associates as the design firm.

“We are excited to collaborate with Central Park Conservancy on an important initiative that will enhance the Central Park experience for millions of visitors,” said Klaus Kleinfeld, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Alcoa. “By developing a system that incorporates sustainable and recyclable material with light and durable functionality, we aim to provide a blue print for urban parks and public spaces around the world.”

“With more visitors coming to Central Park than ever before, waste must be managed in the most sustainable and efficient way as possible. That means more recycling, strategically placed receptacles, and innovative design,” said Doug Blonsky, President and CEO of the Central Park Conservancy. “Thanks to Alcoa’s support, we’ll be able to introduce a system to Central Park that improves the Park experience enjoyed by nearly 40 million people every year.”

Alcoa and the aluminum industry have a goal to increase can recycling rates in America to 75% by 2015. Alcoa and Alcoa Foundation have distributed more than 75,000 recycling bins and invested nearly $3.5 million in the last five years to community recycling programs across the country.

The Central Park Conservancy and Alcoa plan to familiarize local communities and visitors with changes in recycling and waste management through public outreach. An increase in the number of park-wide recycling receptacles will encourage the responsible disposal of bottles, cans, and paper by visitors, encouraging visitors to engage with Central Park in an environmentally friendly way. The system also will facilitate the flow of visitors along paths.

This effort will be the latest in the Conservancy’s movement over decades to improve trash management in Central Park. Since its founding in 1980, the Conservancy has removed waste receptacles from Park playgrounds to decrease rodent activity; removed the receptacles from major lawns to improve collection efficiency; broadened its precedent-setting “zone management” system, which divides the Park into 49 areas, each managed by its own zone gardener, to include waste removal; and embraced a ‘Carry In, Carry Out’ program that made visitors partners in keeping Central Park litter-free by carrying their trash out of playgrounds, woodlands, and landscapes.

The Conservancy plans to increase the number of receptacles in Central Park during peak seasons, weekends, and holidays and during major events in anticipation of spikes in the number of Park visitors.

The mission of the Central Park Conservancy is to restore, manage and enhance Central Park in partnership with the public, for the enjoyment of present and future generations. A private, not-for-profit organization founded in 1980, the Conservancy provides 85 percent of Central Park’s $42 million park-wide expense budget and is responsible for all basic care of the Park. For more information on the Conservancy, please visit centralparknyc.org.

“Our deep commitment to doing well by doing good traces back more than a century to the values and vision set by our founder, Milton Hershey,“ said John P. Bilbrey, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Hershey Company. “I am proud of our many, meaningful sustainability accomplishments during the past few years but we recognize this is a journey. Our team is committed to continually improving the way we do business and working to make our communities stronger. The new goals we have set for ourselves are fundamental to our business strategy and linked to how we will grow our business around the world.”

Hershey’s latest CSR Report outlines its priorities, programs, progress and new goals in the four pillars that define the company’s CSR framework:

• Marketplace, which includes the company’s commitment to fair and ethical business dealings;
• Environment, which includes Hershey’s environmental stewardship;
• Workplace, which describes efforts to create a desirable workplace for Hershey’s employees who contribute to Hershey’s success; and
• Community, which outlines Hershey’s focus on making a positive difference in communities around the world.

Progress Across All Four Pillars

The report outlines Hershey’s accomplishments in all four areas of its CSR framework and sets measurable new goals for future progress. Examples of progress include:

Marketplace

• Expanded commitment to cocoa communities in West Africa through a five-year, $10 million commitment to innovative initiatives that will raise living standards for 750,000 cocoa farmers and two million community members by 2020.
• Formed a partnership with Rainforest Alliance to certify the cocoa used in Hershey’s Bliss® chocolates and work with farmers to improve agricultural practices, increase sustainability and improve livelihoods.
• Launched CocoaLink, a first-of-its kind program funded by Hershey that uses mobile technology to deliver practical and critical agricultural and social training to rural cocoa farmers.
• Promoted “Happiness through Well-Being” with consumers through Moderation Nation, a program that provides information and resources for making balanced choices and promoting activity. The Hershey Center for Health & Nutrition also led and supported leading-edge scientific research on the cardiovascular health, weight management and cogitative function health benefits of cocoa, chocolate and nuts.

Environment

• Joined the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, a nonprofit association that develops and implements global standards for sustainable palm oil.
• Advanced its commitment to reduce its carbon footprint through a range of initiatives, including installing solar panels in certain facilities, achieving “zero-waste-to-landfill” status at three manufacturing plants as well as Hershey’s Chocolate World attraction, and forming a joint warehousing, transportation and distribution initiative with Ferrero Group to maximize distribution efficiencies, reduce energy consumption and fuel use, and cut GHG emissions.
• Achieved a recycling rate of 80% and saved more than $21 million through its various environmental initiatives in 2011.

Workplace

• Continued its top-tier employee health and safety record, improving lost workday case rates 29% since 2010 and improving total recordable incident rate by 15% compared to 2010.
• Logged more than 56,000 hours of training in subjects such as high-tech skills, ethics and leadership.
• Achieved a score of 100% on the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index

Community

• Increased cash donations to philanthropic organizations by 28% in 2011 compared to the previous year.
• Contributed more than $9.1 million dollars in cash and product donations through company and employee giving.
• Donated nearly 10,000 employee volunteer hours to deserving causes.
• Set a record for company giving to the United Way with more than $2 million, with employee contributions totaling a record $1.3 million and the company matching contribution totaling $850,000.
• Participated, through the Hershey’s Sales Teams (around the world), in 137 community volunteer events, surpassing goal of 100.

In 2011, The Hershey Company earned top honors from Forbes magazine in the Forbes Top Brands list. Hershey was ranked No. 1 for Ethical Leadership, No. 1 for Honest and Trustworthy, and No. 5 for Overall Brand.

Hershey’s new CSR report reflects a higher level of transparency compared to the company’s first report, attaining the Global Reporting Initiative‘s (GRI) B+ transparency level. GRI is a widely used standard that provides companies and organizations with a common framework to measure and report on sustainability performance.

The Power of Three is premised off of picking up a customer’s recycling, processing that recycling into new products, and then providing those products back to the customer in the form of new hand towels, tissue paper, and toiletry items. Fujitsu’s program is accomplished through a partnership with Casella, Foley Distributing, and SCA paper that redefines closed-loop recycling.

Fujitsu was the first in Clinton County to combine the Power of Three(TM) with Casella’s Zero-Sort(R) program. With Zero-Sort(R), all Fujitsu’s paper, plastic, glass, and metal are combined together in one single container. Casella’s Zero-Sort processing facility located in Rutland, VT mechanically sorts all of the material. Once sorted, the baled paper will travel just 45 miles to the SCA plant in Glens Falls, New York to be made into 100% recycled paper content products that will then be delivered back to Fujitsu by Foley Distributing.

Businesses that have converted over to Zero-Sort(R) typically see a 20-40% or more improvement in their recycling efforts. This typically saves them money on disposal costs, time in sorting, and streamlines their collection processes internally. Using Zero-Sort(R) Fujitsu has incredibly reduced the amount of waste they send to the landfill from 52% of their waste stream to only 3%. Aiming to improve, Fujitsu implemented Zero-Sort(R) bags in April 2012. Shrink wrap is collected in bags and put in the Zero-Sort(R) container. These Zero-Sort(R) bags help to recycle material that would have normally been thrown out as waste, pioneering yet another move toward a zero-waste facility.

“Fujitsu is very excited to be part of the Zero-Sort(R) Recycling Program and now The Power of Three Program with Casella Waste System,” stated Terry Beyer, Plant Manager of Fujitsu Plattsburgh facility. “Working with Casella’s Power of Three system, we are on a clear path to truly reusing our waste. It is exciting to be part of such an important and impactful effort.”

Casella is very hopeful for the future of this program and the positive impact it will have on the environment and its customers. “One of our goals as a company is to help our customers ensure that as few resources as possible are wasted,” said John Casella, Chairman and CEO of Casella. “We are intent in our mission of taking the things our customers do not want and transforming them back into things that they do. Our partnership with Foley Distributing and SCA Paper allows us to do just that.”