Chemical Firms Report Carbon Management Progress

Some 26 percent of major chemical companies now report top-level carbon management strategies, according to a survey by IT firm Computer Sciences Corporation and Chemical Week magazine.

This figure is up from 15 percent in 2010, according to the 2011 Sustainability and Compliance Survey, released on Nov. 2.

The survey also shows a sharp year-on-year increase in the number of companies reporting consideration for customer imperatives on sustainability performance in their buying decisions. Despite this, companies reported that in terms of internal resources and budgeting, government-mandated regulations continue to dominate sustainability expenditures.

Procter & Gamble, used as a case study in the survey, has said that while most consumers are receptive to eco-friendly products, the “mainstream consumer” – about 70 to 80 percent of the population – will not tolerate trade-offs in performance or cost just to be green.

In October, P&G’s 2011 sustainability report showed that it had made progress on reducing some environmental impacts but took a step back on others.

The company’s scope 1 CO2 emissions rose from 2.8 million to 2.9 million metric tons in 2011, but scope 2 emissions fell from 1.4 to 1.3 million metric tons. Its percentage of waste recycled rose from 63 to 69 percent, the report said.

Picture credit: [F]oxymoron