A bump in the road
We had one case in which a product went through the Earthwards process, but needed further revamping later. Simponi, a product offered by our pharmaceutical company Janssen, initially used packaging to ship product samples that had room for improvement, and we heard about it from some of our health care customers.
The original packaging we used to ship samples to rheumatologists included large single-use foam containers with cooling packs to maintain proper temperature. We got some unfiltered feedback, which we heard loud and clear: "Your insulated box was not big enough! Please send a Volkswagen-sized box next time."
Our team took this feedback to heart and revamped the packaging by using a greener shipping box that was a fraction of the size of the foam shipper and 50 percent lighter than the original packaging. The container can be reused up to 100 times, uses USA-certified, bio-based cooling materials, and can be 100 percent recycled at the end of its life. The new shipper also helps prevent the disposal of more than 99,000 cubic feet of foam annually. Now, our customers receive a smaller, more convenient package that saves them space and the cost of disposing of the shipping packaging.
Environmental and social benefits
Through Earthwards, we also support social initiatives and help communities around the globe. A great example of this is our o.b. tampons line in Europe. Not only do we use 15 percent more sustainable packaging materials than the previous version of the product, it uses 100 percent renewable energy in the product manufacturing process. Additionally, the product sales support community health education programs in Germany.
Another example is our Band-Aid Brand Adhesive Bandages. We achieved a more than 10 percent reduction in secondary packaging and 20 percent weight reduction of tertiary packaging. The manufacturing process now requires 30 percent less energy compared to the previous process and we work with socially responsible local Brazilian cooperatives to produce recycled paper for the product.
Band-Aid image by STILLFX via Shutterstock
