Claims that annual survey shows growing demand for environmental products and green job creation

Alluding to its 2011 Sustainability Progress Report, DuPont has announced that its environmental footprint has continued to shrink. The company highlighted the following statistics as evidence to back up its claim: It delivered a 75% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions and a six per cent reduction in absolute energy use since 1990, while increasing production by 40% during that same period. It is increasingly focused on helping businesses integrate sustainability as a growth strategy, which is reflected by an annual customer survey that shows an increased demand for products with environmental benefits.

According to DuPont, an annual survey of more than 3,500 customers, conducted in August 2011, showed they want safer materials, a reduction in water and energy use in manufacturing and improved environmental profiles throughout the lifetime of their products. Customers, evidently, indicated a seven per cent increase in green job creation from the design and manufacturing of products with environmental benefits, while an overall 28% said their business saw an increase in new green jobs over 2010, and two-thirds believe that environmental benefits in products would continue to have a positive impact on job creation over the next five years.

The company claimed that in 2010, it generated revenues of USD 1.6 billion from products that helped its customers and their consumers reduce greenhouse gas emissions, with much of the increase coming from revenue growth in areas like photovoltaics and from engineering polymers used in light-weighting of vehicles. DuPont estimates that these products have reduced greenhouse gas emissions throughout the supply chain by more than 6.5 million metric tonnes between 2007 and 2010. Since 1990, its own energy reduction has declined by six per cent, resulting in a USD 6 billion savings in energy purchases, and enabled the company to exceed its 2010 goal to hold total energy use flat. It said that its new avowed goal is to reduce non-renewable energy use by 10% per dollar of price adjusted revenue by 2020.

DuPont’s sustainability goals are reportedly tied to business growth in areas of agriculture and nutrition, safety and protection, materials, electronics and communications and energy.

“While reducing our footprint continues to be important, our growing focus is on how to use DuPont science and innovation to bring new products to the marketplace that improve efficiencies and sustainability throughout the entire value chain,” said Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer, Linda J Fisher. “We see DuPont having an expanded role to provide sustainable solutions to our customers around the world as population dramatically increases.”