Smallest Environmental
Footprint
MakingLives Better

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

Our Businessin 2020

2020

GlobalSustainability
ReportLeadership
MessageLeadership
MessageOur Businessin 2020

Table ofContents

3
4
5

A Message from Mike Hsu

A Message from Lisa Morden

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade
MakingLives Better
Smallest Environmental
Footprint

Legal Notice; Forward-Looking Statements
All statements in this report that are not historical, including goals for andprojections of future results, the expected execution and effect of oursustainability strategies and initiatives and the amounts and timing of their
expected impact, constitute forward-looking statements that are basedon management’s expectations and beliefs concerning future events
impacting the company. Many factors outside our control, including
competitive pressures, evolving legal and regulatory requirements, andsocietal and market conditions globally and in the markets in which we
do business, could cause actual results to vary.
There can be no assurance that these future events will occur as
anticipated. Forward-looking statements speak only as of thedate they were made, and we undertake no obligation to publicly
update them. Please see Kimberly-Clark’s latest Annual Reporton Form 10-K and subsequent SEC filings for a discussion ofrisk factors as they relate to forward-looking statements.

9

Making Lives Better
Social Impact
Caring for Our Community
Inclusion & Diversity
Talent Development

Our Business in 2020

This report portrays Kimberly-Clark's progress through stories that highlight
our work around the world as well as key data and metrics, prepared inaccordance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Sustainability ReportingStandards “Core” level. Our reporting time frame covers January 1 throughDecember 31, 2020.

15

Human Rights & Ethical Practices

Our Business

Ingredients & Transparency

Responding to COVID-19

Product Quality & Safety

Leading Through Social Unrest

Environmental, Health & Safety

Our Strategy for the Decisive Decade
Our Strategy

40

Smallest Environmental Footprint
Plastics Footprint

Focusing on What’s Essential

Forest Footprint

Driving Benefit Across Our Value Chain

Carbon Footprint

Our Goals and Progress

Water Footprint

For more detailed data, metrics and disclosures, see the 2020 Sustainability Report Addendum.

Leadership
MessageOur Businessin 2020

Living Our Values
A Message from Mike Hsu
A Message from Lisa Morden

A Message from Mike Hsu
Reflecting on the past year, I am incredibly proud of how

This sense of purpose is at the core of our ambitious

Kimberly-Clark and our people responded in a powerful way

sustainability strategy, which we introduced last year: to upliftwhen the world needed us the most.

the lives and well-being of 1 billion people around the world

MakingLives Better

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decadeby 2030, with half the environmental footprint in the areas
The health and safety of our employees has been and remains

where we can make the biggest difference – climate, forests,

our priority. We took swift action to protect our teams at thewater, and plastics.

outset of the COVID-19 pandemic to keep our people andtheir families safe and healthy. We prioritized care for our

We know the hard work is still ahead of us. Yet, theemployees so we could provide the essential products thatconversation around sustainability is changing, and growing

the world was counting on.

for good means that we must be bolder and act faster toaddress the social and environmental challenges facing ourAs the world's focus expanded beyond the pandemic toconsumers, our communities, and the planet. In setting theseinclude social and racial injustice, our values dictated how

goals for ourselves, we believe we are futureproofing our

we would use the strength of our culture and trusted brands

business for generations to come.

to advocate for and promote inclusion, drive diversity, anddisrupt bias - at first with our employees around the world,This year’s report showcases the incredible response from ourand later in the communities where we live and work.

teams to an extraordinary year, and it reflects how we live our
purpose every day.

Smallest Environmental
Footprint

These once-in-a-lifetime events forced us to both embraceand redefine how we care for each other, our customers,

Mike Hsu

our consumers, our communities, and our planet, and they

Chairman, CEO, and Proud Employee

affirmed a shared purpose for our company that was not fully

Kimberly-Clark

realized until the pandemic required a singular focus on care.

Leadership
MessageOur Businessin 2020
Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

A Message from Mike Hsu
A Message from Lisa Morden

The Essentials for a Safer,
Healthier WorldA Message from Lisa Morden
The past year presented previously unimaginable

Amidst this backdrop, we launched Kimberly-

progress—and the impacts, including those driven

challenges that put health and safety at the forefront

Clark’s 2030 ambitions, aimed at improving

by climate change, are far-reaching. Thousands ofwhile illuminating social and environmental gaps

the lives of 1 billion people in underserved

women and girls miss school and work every day

that still need to be bridged. For Kimberly-Clark, it

communities around the globe. With asince they lack access to clean, safe toilets andreminded us how closely we are all connected, andcommitment to reducing our environmental

are unable to manage their periods.

of the urgency of the work ahead to achieve ourfootprint by 50% over the coming decade, we'reenvironmental, social, and governance goals.

focused on the areas where we can make theThis year’s report shares how our teams cared

greatest difference, including climate, water,

for each other, our consumers, our communities,

forests, and plastics.

and the planet. Further, our experiences

MakingLives Better

The safety of our people has remained our top

have taught us that we can move quickly topriority, and we have taken extra precautions
across our global operations to keep employees

Kimberly-Clark is using its unique position to help

achieve incredibly challenging goals and thatand their families safe while ensuring that

address these challenges and drive initiatives

an unwavering focus on health, safety, andconsumers have continued access to ourthat support the United Nations Sustainable

sustainability can illuminate ways of working

essential products.

Development Goals for good health and well-with purpose and urgency.

Smallest Environmental
Footprint

being, gender equality, and clean water and
The COVID-19 crisis has also increased awarenesssanitation as well as life on land, climate, and life

We look forward to keeping you postedof the complex relationship between humans andbelow water.

on our progress.

between health, safety, and sustainability.

Our work also serves to tackle longstanding social

Lisa Morden

Preserving natural resources and improving public

inequities. The lack of basic sanitation for 1-in-Vice President, Safety, Sustainability,

health and hygiene are essential to helping people

4 people around the world makes communities

and Occupational Healthlead safer, healthier, and better lives.

less resilient to disease and impedes economic

the world around us, and the critical connection

Leadership
MessageOur Businessin 2020
Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

Our BusinessResponding to COVID-19
Leading Through Social Unrest

Our Businessin 2020
Our essential heroes responded to the strain of 2020 with incredible
care for each other, our consumers, and communities around theworld. The year brought a series of profound disruptions—to ourpeople and operations, our consumers, and our value chain—highlighting greater social issues in the process.

MakingLives Better

The COVID-19 pandemic tested our resilience, both asindividuals and as a business committed to helping people
live better lives. The demonstrations that erupted in late
May spotlighted longstanding social inequities around theworld and challenged us to chart a better, faster, and more

Smallest Environmental
Footprint

comprehensive way forward.
The urgency of these obstacles brought a renewed
sense of purpose for how we care for others andimprove people’s lives.

Our Malaysian team donated care packages that included Huggies, Kotex, and Kleenex products to 16,000 affected families. YB Dato’ Sri Dr. Santhara
Kumar, Deputy Federal Territories Minister, pictured here, recognized Kimberly-Clark for the contribution.

Making
Lives Better

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

Our Businessin 2020

Leadership
MessageOur Business
Net Sales

149

Our BusinessResponding to COVID-19

years inbusiness

Leading Through Social Unrestand its trusted brands areNorth America

an indispensable part of

1/4$19.14bilion sales
in 2020175+

countries,
regions, andterritories where
our brands
are sold

including Huggies, Kleenex,
Scott, Kotex, Cottonelle,
Poise, Depend, Andrex,
Pull-Ups, GoodNites, Neve,

46%

life for people in more than

Plenitud, Viva, and WypAll,
hold the No. 1 or No. 2 shareoutside North America

position in 80 countries.

We are headquartered in
Dallas, Texas, with approximately
46,000 employees* worldwide andoperations in 34 countries.

Fueled by ingenuity, creativity, andan understanding of people’s mostessential needs, we create productsthat help individuals experience
more of what’s important to them.
For nearly 150 years, we’ve had theforesight to find new ways to make lives
better. From creating new categories

Smallest Environmental
Footprint

54%

Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB)

175 countries.

of the world’s
population
uses one of
our products
every dayOur portfolio of brands,

to starting new conversations, we areconstantly innovating our products andour practices to serve and care for the
ever-changing needs of the people wetouch at all stages of life.

* Number includes employees of Softex, which
Kimberly-Clark acquired in September 2020.

Diapers & Baby Wipes

Consumer Tissue

K-C Professional

Diapers

Facial Tissue

Training & Swim Pants

Bathroom Tissue

Baby Wipes

Paper Towels

Facial Tissue, Bathroom
Tissue, and Paper Towels
for away-from-home use

Feminine Care
Incontinence Care

9.3$
bilion6.7$
bilionWipersSafety Products

3$bilionOur Strategy for theDecisive Decade

Our Businessin 2020

Leadership
Message

Responding to COVID-19
Kimberly-Clark responded to the

We remain vigilant at every office,

COVID-19 pandemic by helping to

manufacturing facility, and distribution

provide needed supplies to font-line

center throughout our global operations

Our Businessworkers and impacted households

in our efforts to keep our people

Responding to COVID-19

and supporting relief efforts aroundsafe and healthy. We have rigorous

Leading Through Social Unrest

the world. Our response is guided

COVID-19 safety protocols, which wereby our commitment to our value ofdeveloped in line with guidance fromcaring, which starts with our people

recognized public health authorities.

Consumers: Kimberly-Clark teams

Foundation donated over $8 million to assist

and their families and extends out

These protocols are dependent on local

stepped up to help our consumers

with COVID-19 response and recovery efforts

to our partner, our customers and

COVID-19 health conditions and include

and customers have access toaround the world. The Foundation donatedconsumers, communities, and tomask requirements, work-from-homeessentials they need most - the$2.5 million to UNICEF and its programs

those in need.

options where practical, temperature

comforts of home and health that our

focused on preventing the spread of the virus

scans at facility entry points, regulartrusted brands provide every day. We

by providing hygiene and medical kits tocleaning of work areas, shift rotations,accelerated our production globally.

schools and health facilities, and by increasing

Our efforts focus on three key areas:

2 Caring for Our Customers &MakingLives Betterand social distancing reminders wherechildren’s access to health, education,

people gather.

And when consumer uncertainty andand social services during the pandemic.

Our protocols encourage employees toshifting market demands caused

Another $2.5 million went to the International

stay home when they feel unwell, and,toilet paper shortages in stores,

Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent

is more important than thewhere applicable, we have enhanced

our brands like Cottonelle andSocieties and the American Red Cross.

health and safety of ourpaid leave policies.

Andrex launched a #ShareASquare

1 Caring for Our People: Nothingpeople, who enable us toprovide the products people

Smallest Environmental
Footprint

3 Caring for Those in Need: The Kimberly-Clark

count on to maintain good
health and hygiene.

movement.

Leadership
Message

Leading Through Social Unrest
against systemic inequities and violence.

Our priority is to cultivate a workforce where all are
included and empowered to do their best work—where differences are valued and essential for success.

Responding to COVID-19

Companies large and small—including Kimberly-Clark—recognized the responsibility we have to reexamine our cultures;

We champion the ongoing progress made by our passionate

Leading Through Social Unrest

root out racism, discrimination, and bias; and foster more inclusive and diverse workplaces that welcome and engage

employee resource groups and non-discrimination policies,

people of all races, cultures, and identities.

yet we remain focused on the responsibility that we must do

In 2020, the world was shocked by the tragic deaths of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and George Floyd. The death
Our Businessin 2020of George Floyd in late May broadened the Black Lives Matter movement and sparked a summer of worldwide protests

Our Business

Smallest Environmental
Footprint

MakingLives Better

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decademore. Our executive team is leading by example by driving
While this kind of work isn’t

conversations about systemic racism and inequality. We’ve

new to Kimberly-Clark, 2020

taken concerted action, including increased employee

demonstrated that integrating
inclusion and diversity is a social
imperative and enabler of ourbusiness goals.

We know shifting a complex,
established system andcreating new norms takessustained management
attention and personal
work by everyone in theorganization. As the events of2020 unfolded, the urgencyof racial justice galvanized
us into collective action: We
committed to do more, movefaster, and enable change.

By leading withinclusion, we were
better prepared inthis moment to listen
to each other andtruly understandthe need for aworkplace reality forour employees thatmatches our values
and aspirations.

engagement in caring conversations and addressing
unconscious biases with team leader training and resources.
We also introduced a series of town halls led by our global
Inclusion & Diversity team to lay the foundation for our longterm strategy.
Through these actions, we can be a catalyst for conversation,
understanding, and community-building. We know that we
can affect immediate change by looking inward—to challenge
our comfortability, educate ourselves, and improve ourcompany for the future.
Kimberly-Clark doesn’t hold the answers, but we are holding
tight to our values of caring and being accountable, andErin Mitchell Richesonthat begins with each of us. Caring means truly listening,

VP, Global Inclusion &empathizing, and seeking to understand. It means being

Diversity

inclusive and valuing the differences, and commonalities, thatmake us stronger.

Leadership
MessageOur Businessin 2020
Focusing on What’s Essential
Driving Benefit Across Our
Value Chain
Our Goals and Progress

Smallest Environmental
Footprint

MakingLives Better

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

Our Strategy

Our Strategy
for the Decisive
DecadeWe commemorated our Kleenex® brand’s 50th anniversary in Taiwan, China with a celebration at our Hsin-Ying site. This facility has produced nearly 7
billion Kleenex® Brand packs since its inception in 1971.

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

Our Businessin 2020

Leadership
MessageOur Strategy
As we take action to solve

It is also clearer than ever that wesustainability challenges for thecannot effectively and equitably

decade ahead, we are building on

address these environmental

our past successes, scaling up ourchallenges if we don’t also address

use of efficient new technologies, andthe challenges of inequality anddelivering solutions that address theaccess to education, hygiene, andchallenges facing our planet.

sanitation.

We’re proud of the progress we have

Our ambitious goals areintended to spur innovation
and action on building a better
future.

Our Strategy

made to date. We have improved

Focusing on What’s Essential

the lives of more than 25 million

Driving Benefit Across Our
Value Chain
Our Goals and Progress

people through programs such as
Toilets Change Lives and the Kotex“Period or Not, She Can” promise,

MakingLives Bettersurpassing our 2022 goal to advanceBy 2030, we aim to:

Advance well-being in underserved and vulnerable
communities around the world, helping

1 billion people

Reduce our absolute Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by

50% (by 2030)
Reduce our Natural (Northern) Forest Fiber footprint by

50% (by 2025)

the wellbeing of 25 million people. We
have reduced our GHG emissions by
32.1% versus our 2015 baseline anddecreased our water usage in water-

Reduce our plastics footprint by

50%

stressed regions by 32.5%.
Smallest Environmental
Footprint

Reduce our water footprint in water-stressed areas byHowever, we believe accelerated
action is needed to stay ahead of
the imperatives of the global climate,biodiversity, and plastics crises.

50%

Making
Lives Better

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

Our Businessin 2020

Leadership
Message

Focusing on What's Essential

Our Strategy
Focusing on What’s Essential
Driving Benefit Across Our
Value Chain
Our Goals and Progress

At Kimberly-Clark,
we’re committed to
improving the lives of
1 billion people while
striving to operatewith the smallest
environmental
footprint, helping tosafeguard natural
systems, and doing
the right thingfor people andcommunities.

Making Lives Better

Smallest Environmental Footprint

We create opportunities for social impact with our purpose-driven brands and products.

We help sustain and reinvigorate natural systems bystepping up to meet the challenges that science andCaring for the health and well-being of people at all stages of life

our stakeholders have identified.

Challenging stigmas and championing the progress of women everywhere

Reducing the use of new fossil
fuel-based plastic

Championing a world where all enjoy access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene

Enabling circular systems

Promoting inclusion and diversity within our business and society at large

Reducing our forest carbon footprint

Protecting the rights of workers across our supply chain

Supporting biodiversity and forestdependent communities

Smallest Environmental
Footprint

Protecting the health and safety of our employees, customers, and consumers
Reducing GHG emissions across our value
chain, in line with science
Furthering ingredient transparency to ingredient transparency
Building resilience to water risk
Delivering product safety and quality

Our Businessin 2020

Leadership
Message

Driving Benefit Across
Our Value Chain
An important lesson we have learned
over the years is that we can only
sustainability ambitions with our

Sustainable water use​
Water stewardship​

Water stewardship​

Forest carbon footprint​

Human rights andethical practices​

Zero waste to landfill​

Biodiversity

Scope 3 carbon emissions

Scope 1 & 2 carbon emissionscommercial plans.

Our Goals and Progress

We are building purpose-led
brands that create sharedvalue for our business andstakeholders by innovating
solutions to global challenges.

Post-consumer
waste

definition of our global challenges,
Smallest Environmental
Footprint

we have considered these goals
against our value chain. The result isa strategy focused on addressing key
impacts and opportunities across the
lifecycle of our products, and we havechallenged our brand, innovation,and supply chain teams to develop
new solutions that move the needle.

Health andwell-being of people​
Empowerment of
women and girls
Access to cleanwater and sanitation

kM

fg

.

Recovery
Scope 3 carbon emissions

ti o n(SDGs) provide the best shared

Residual
waste

Kimberly-Clartribu

Sustainable Development Goals

Supplier Mfg.​

D is

Recognizing that the United Nations’

Raw MaterialssDriving Benefit Across Our
Value Chain

Coer

Focusing on What’s Essential

nsm

Our Strategy

P ro d u c t
E n d - o f - L i fe

MakingLives Better

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

succeed at scale when we align our

Forest-dependentcommunities​

um

e rs

Cu

o
st

Improving access

Scope 3 carbon emissions

Leadership
Message

Our Goals and Progress

Our Businessin 2020

Strategic
Focus

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade
MakingLives Better

Our
Goals

Target Year

Progress1

Make lives better throughpurpose-driven brands.

Advance the well-being of 1 billion people
through innovation and programs that deliver
essentials to underserved2 communities.

2030

25.7M

50% reduction in the use of new, fossil fuelbased plastics from a 2019 base year.

2030

2.8%

75% of the material in our products either
biodegradable or recovered and recycled.

2030

70.9%

100% of our packaging reusable, recyclable,or compostable.

2025

82%

20% average recycled content across plastic
packaging.

2025

2.5%

100% of our manufacturing waste diverted
from landfill to beneficial uses.

2022

96%

SDG
Focus

BETTER LIVES

Social Impact

Smallest Environmental
Footprint

Our 2030
Aspiration

Our Strategy

SMALLEST ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT

Focusing on What’s Essential
Driving Benefit Across Our
Value Chain
Our Goals and Progress

Plastics Footprint

Reduce our plastics3 footprintby 50% through reductions,renewables, and recycled
substitutes, or by introducing
reusable products or circularsystems.

1. Progress reflects impact of COVID-19.
2. We identify "underserved" populations based on (1) inability to pay for existing products, (2) inadequate distribution, (3) underdeveloped waste-management infrastructure, or (4) other disparities such as lack of education, social stigmas, etc.
3. Plastics reductions are by weight.

Leadership
Message

Strategic
Focus

Our
Goals

Target Year

Progress

Reduce our natural forest
footprint by 50% while unlocking
the power of the world’s forests
to help solve the climate andbiodiversity crises.

Reduce our Natural (Northern) Forest Fiber2
footprint by 50% from a 2011 base year.

2025

19%

Source 90% of our tissue fiber from
Environmentally Preferred Fiber (EPF) sources.

2025

84%

Set a science-based goal to reduce Scope 3
land-use emissions by 2030.

2030

In progress

Reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 GHG
emissions by 50% over a 2015 base year.

2030

32.1%

Reduce absolute Scope 33 GHG emissions by
20% from a 2015 base year.

2030

3%

Reduce our water footprint by 50% in waterstressed regions.

2030

32.5%

Conduct 30 stakeholder engagements inwater-stressed regions that result in improved
access to fresh water.

2030

In progress

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

Our Businessin 2020

Forest Footprint

Our 2030
Aspiration

Carbon Footprint

Our Strategy
Focusing on What’s Essential
Driving Benefit Across Our
Value Chain
Our Goals and Progress

MakingLives Better

Water Footprint

Smallest Environmental
Footprint

Do our part in the fight against
climate change by minimizing thecarbon footprint of our products
and brands and reducing ourdirect emissions by 50% andvalue chain emissions by 20%.

SDG
Focus

Reduce our water footprintby 50% in water-stressedregions by creating significant
improvements in our supply
chain and the surrounding
communities, ensuring ongoing
access to fresh water for all.

2. Natural forests are composed of native species that self-regenerate and contain key elements of native ecosystems
such as wildlife and biological diversity. To us, this primarily includes boreal fibers known as Northern Bleached
Softwood Kraft (NBSK).

3. Reduction target is focused on emissions from the Greenhouse Gas Protocol's Scope 3 Category 1 (Purchased Goods
and Services) and Category 12 (End of Life Treatment of Sold Products).

Leadership
MessageOur Businessin 2020
Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

Making Lives
BetterMakingLives Better

Social Impact

With the UN SDGs as our roadmap, we're putting our brands

Caring for Our Communityand supply chain to work to solve some of today’s most

Inclusion & Diversity

pressing challenges while working to lift up vulnerable andTalent Development

underserved people around the world.

Human Rights & Ethical Practices
Ingredients & Transparency
Product Quality & Safety

We live our purpose by elevating care and improving

Environmental, Health & Safety

the quality of people's lives with our essential health

Smallest Environmental
Footprint

and wellbeing solutions.

We partner with WaterAid to provide communities in Bangladesh and around the world with access to sanitation and hygiene.
Photo Credit: Jannatul Mawa, WaterAidOur Businessin 2020

Leadership
Message

SocialImpactOur Strategy for theDecisive Decade

We deliver essentials for abetter life to one quarter of theworld's population every day.

But millions worldwide remain in need,Through our social impact ambition,

lacking access to basic products

we aim to advance the wellbeing

and services that could dramaticallyof 1 billion people in underserved

improve their quality of life.

communities.

Social Impact
Caring for Our Community

Smallest Environmental
Footprint

MakingLives Better

Inclusion & Diversity
Talent Development
Human Rights & Ethical Practices
Ingredients & Transparency
Product Quality & Safety
Environmental, Health & Safety

The Huggies Brazil teampartnered with 12 NGOs
across the country to
donate and distributeover 1 million Huggies
diapers to more than
3,000 families in need.

Leadership
Message

Program Ambition
Around the world, 500 million women and girls still lack access tomenstrual health solutions and 2 billion people lack access to basic
sanitation (World Bank). Countless babies are born with limited access
Our Businessin 2020

to maternal and neonatal healthcare that could dramatically improvetheir quality of life.

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

We believe we are uniquely positioned to help tackle these challenges.

Who Wants to Be a (Humanitarian) Billionaire?
Kimberly-Clark's chief scienctist, Pete Dulcamara, believes we have an opportunity to become billionaires if westop defining billionaire as someone who accumulates a billion dollars and instead define it as someone who
Social Impact

helps a billion people.

Smallest Environmental
Footprint

MakingLives Better

Caring for Our Community
Inclusion & Diversity

At Kimberly-Clark, we see the connection between menstrual hygiene and sanitation, and know we have a

Talent Development

huge opportunity to make an impact.

Human Rights & Ethical Practices
Ingredients & Transparency
Product Quality & Safety
Environmental, Health & Safety

We don't shy away from a challenge that has the potential to positively impact
people's lives. When we address access to essentials like water, sanitation, andhygiene while at the same time breaking down barriers for women, it's not thatdifficult to see that we can all become billionaires.

Leadership
Message

Strategic Focus
As we launched these global ambitions amidst a global pandemic, our brands have been guided by purpose to ensure embedding

Our Businessin 2020social good sits at the core of their business. Here are some of our key programs and impacts since our program started in 2015.

SDG

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

Key programs
and impacts​

Caring for Our Community
Inclusion & Diversity

MakingLives Better

We champion a world where
all enjoy access to clean waterand sanitation.

Our programs have impacted more than 3M since2015 including:

Our programs have impacted nearly 4M since 2015
including:Leading Brands​

Social Impact

Talent Development
Human Rights & Ethical Practices
Ingredients & Transparency
Product Quality & Safety
Environmental, Health & Safety

Our programs have impacted more than 16M
since 2015 including:

1.6M

1.3M

Babies and young children benefited fromNo Baby Unhugged partnershipStudents benefited from our U by Kotex program inAustralia and the Pacific Islands​

1.5M$15,000

Lives impacted by National Diaper Bank Network(USA) since 2015

$500,000

Smallest Environmental
Footprint

We challenge stigmas andchampion the progress of
women everywhere in pursuitof gender equality.

We care for the health andwell-being of people at allstages of life.

Donations given to support education programsfor safer, healthier workplaces

1.7M

People benefited from Andrex partnering with WaterAid
to build and renovate public toilets in Bangladesh​

233

Grants awarded to 30 female entrepreneurs to
help them bounce back from hardships related to
COVID-19 ​Communities given access to sanitation services andclean water through Scott’s partnership with Water
for People​

>36M

1.25M

Period products donated to the Alliance for Period
Supplies since 2018

People benefited from Neve’s partnership with UNICEF
to support WASH programs​

While we recognize we have a longand our brands reached 8.5 million

Kimberly-Clark Foundation, whose

way to go to achieve our 2030 goalpeople in vulnerable/underservedsocial and community investmentsof reaching 1 billion people, we arecommunities with our programs andaid in our work to increase access tolaying the groundwork for accelerated

initiatives, pushing us beyond our initialsanitation, help children thrive, andimpact in the years to come.

2022 goal to impact 25 million lives.

empower women and girls.

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

25.7M
Caring for Our Community
Inclusion & Diversity

MakingLives Better

These efforts are supported by the

2.3M
Social Impact

Smallest Environmental
Footprint

Throughout 2020, Kimberly-Clark

Talent Development
Human Rights & Ethical Practices
Ingredients & Transparency
Product Quality & Safety
Environmental, Health & Safety

lives impacted
since 2015

COVID-19/other

3.2M

empowering
women & girls

3.9M

Goal

Our Businessin 2020

Leadership
Message

Goals and Performance

Advance thewell-being of1billion people

through innovation andprograms that deliver
essentials to vulnerable
and underserved*
communities*We identify "underserved" populations
based on (1) inability to pay for existingproduct, (2) inadequate access to
distribution, (3) under-developed wastemanagement infrastructure, or (4) otherdisparities such as lack of education,social stigmas, etc.

access tosanitation

16.2M

helping children
thrivePhoto Credit:
Jannatul Mawa,
WaterAidLeadership
Message

Case Study: 100 Years of Leading with Purpose

Our Businessin 2020

More than a 100 years ago, WorldWar I nurses began using KimberlyClark’s bandages as makeshift sanitarynapkins, so they could continue theirlifesaving work without worrying about
their periods.

PurposeWe exist to ensure a period never gets inthe way of any woman’s progress

After the war, the resilience andresourcefulness of those nurses inspired the

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

introduction of a whole new category of
personal care products. They also inspired
the launch of our Kotex brand.
Throughout the century that followed, those

MakingLives Better

Social Impact

Smallest Environmental
Footprint

To champion her progress, oursocial impact programs drive lastingchange for women and girls

products have advanced, but the brand’s
purpose has remained essentially the same:

Caring for Our Community

to ensure that a period never gets in the

Inclusion & Diversity

way of any woman’s progress. To make that

Talent Development

promise a reality for women and girls around

Human Rights & Ethical Practices
Ingredients & Transparency

the world, Kotex takes a holistic approach to

Product Quality & Safety

social impact.

Environmental, Health & Safety

Fight the ​Stigma

Open Doors ​for Her

Build Futures with Education

Working with our partners, we’reThrough local, brand-led efforts

Particularly in the developing

focusing on efforts to increasearound the globe, we’re opening

world, lack of menstrual hygiene

knowledge and make societal

doors for women to pursue

management contributes tochanges to eliminate period stigma.

independent futures.

school dropout, stunting her future
opportunities.

Leadership
MessageOur Businessin 2020

Fight the Stigma

Open Doors for Her

Every day, somewhere around the world, more than 800 million womenand girls are experiencing their period, yet 500 million of them lack accessto hygienic period products. In both developing and developed nations,cultural taboos, discrimination, and lack of menstrual education create
stigmas and barriers that impact women’s and girls’ rights, stifling theiropportunities.

Promoting Women’s Innovation in the Sanitation Economy

She Can Initiative

In October, Kotex partnered with the Toilet Board to launch Women in the Sanitation Economy
Innovation Lab, a six-month program that cultivates women-led and/or women’s-health-focusedstartups. The program features five women-led businesses hailing from the United States, United
Kingdom, and Kenya.
The participating businesses receive mentorship and training from 12 Kimberly-Clark global employees
who help them roll out their services and products, including recycling solutions for menstrual products,

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decadewaterless toilets, toilets for people with special needs, cloth diapers and laundering services, andhealth education and skills to more than 1.6 million women and girls in Nigeria, Vietnam,

their goals and positively contribute to some of the world’s most pressing sanitation issues.

to a combination of educational efforts, mass media campaigns, and skills-building
trainings that help girls and young women take control of their menstrual health andCaring for Our Community
Inclusion & Diversity

MakingLives Better

sustainable menstrual products. We support these women entrepreneurs in their journey to achieve

China, India, Brazil, and Colombia. Over three years, Kotex is devoting $2.5 million

Social Impact

Smallest Environmental
Footprint

Kotex’s She Can initiative aims to fight stigmas and barriers by delivering menstrual

Talent Development
Human Rights & Ethical Practices
Ingredients & Transparency
Product Quality & Safety
Environmental, Health & Safety

their futures.

Leadership
Message

Build Futures with Education
U by Kotex Schools Program
Our U by Kotex Schools Program aims to prepare young girls
Our Businessin 2020for their first period by providing fully syllabus-compliant
lesson plans, interactive digital teaching materials, andproduct samples to be delivered by someone they trust: theirteacher. The program has been active in Australia and New
Zealand since 2014, and in 2020, it expanded to reach over
30,000 students in Papua New Guinea, Fiji, and other PacificOur Strategy for theDecisive DecadeIslands nations. Since 2016, the program has reached nearly
1.3 million students.

Social Impact
Caring for Our Community

Smallest Environmental
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MakingLives Better

Inclusion & Diversity
Talent Development
Human Rights & Ethical Practices
Ingredients & Transparency
Product Quality & Safety
Environmental, Health & Safety

We have the opportunity to positively
impact people's lives in these countries
by visiting high schools in local
communities and providing educationand products. We are creating
normality around menstruating bystarting conversations and challenging
taboos.
Elizabeth Harrington
U by Kotex Pacific Islands Manager

Our Businessin 2020

Leadership
Message

Caring for Our
Community

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

Our caring value drives our culture, and we are committed to supporting
communities through company giving and employee volunteerism.

The Kimberly-Clark Foundation
In 1952, we established the Kimberly-Clark Foundation to

The Kimberly-Clark Foundation’s Community Partners program recognizes

For nearly 70 years, we have been a strong

support our commitment to charitable giving. The Foundation

the volunteer efforts of U.S. employees and their spouses, making $500

supporter of United Way. In Kimberly-

Caring for Our Community

was built around our promise to be a good employer andgrants to charitable organizations where those employees volunteer for

Clark communities throughout the United

Inclusion & Diversity

a good neighbor, and to help those in need gain essentials

a minimum of 30 hours per year. U.S. employees are able to double their

States, we raise money through enthusiastic

Talent Development

through a portfolio of health, humanitarian, economic, anddonations to qualified charitable organizations through the Foundation’s

campaigns and participate in United Way

environmental initiatives.

Matching Gifts program.

volunteer events.

Social Impact

MakingLives Better

United Way Annual Campaign

Human Rights & Ethical Practices
Ingredients & Transparency
Product Quality & Safety
Environmental, Health & Safety

Extending our impact beyond direct corporate funding andemployee-led giving, the Foundation supports targeted

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causes through financial contributions, Kimberly-Clark
product donations, and volunteer hours.
Each year, employees from Kimberly-Clark facilities aroundthe world participate in a variety of volunteer activities tosupport local nonprofit organizations.

$42.2M

total giving in 2020

$1.4M

employee gifts matched in 2020

$1.9M

annual campaign contributions toUnited Way in 2020

Leadership
MessageBrands Giving Back

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

Our Businessin 2020

In 2020, Kimberly-Clark’s trusted brands led initiatives toprovide better care for communities around the world.

Kimberly-Clark

Kleenex

HuggiesIn the UK, Kimberly-Clark donated 1 million

In Australia and New Zealand, Kleenex teams

Huggies North America launched a

Andrex toilet rolls, 248,000 Kleenex Brand®

partnered with Lifeline to raise awarenesspartnership with Hand to Hold, facilitating

tissue boxes, and over 100,000 Huggies

and funding for crisis support and suicide

support groups and podcasts for parents withproducts, reaching 2,284 charities across theprevention services. The brand committed

infants in neonatal intensive care.

country to help families in need.

to donating up to AU$200,000 in matchedPoisedonations so that Lifeline can continue

Our Huggies team in Brazil announced ato provide around-the-clock services topartnership with BC2Mammy to launch “MaisAustralians and New Zealanders in need.

Abraços Academy” through our Huggies
website. The Academy gives our Huggies

Social Impact
Caring for Our Community

Poise in North America provided 50 grants towomen-led businesses, totaling $500,000.

Kotex

MakingLives Better
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Talent Development
Ingredients & Transparency

Scott

The Kotex India team partnered with theMunicipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai toprovide 1 million Kotex pads to women in need.

Product Quality & Safety
Environmental, Health & Safety

free online business training designed tostrengthen their business skills and fuel their

Inclusion & Diversity
Human Rights & Ethical Practices

moms and dads the opportunity to receive

Our Scott brand in the United States committed$500,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of America,

Our Kotex brand in Latin America partneredsupporting the families of essential workers

with the Red Cross to distribute 1.3 million

during COVID-19 by keeping nearly 300 clubs

Kotex products to nurses, healthcare workers,

open and providing emergency childcare.

and people in need across Argentina, Peru,
Bolivia, Chile, Uruguay, and Paraguay.

entrepreneurial ideas.

Leadership
Message

Employees Strengthen
Communities Around the Globe
Kimberly-Clark is working to advance the well-being of 1 billion people in

Our Businessin 2020

underserved communities around the world by 2030​. Our employees help
make this ambition a reality. Here are a few of their stories.

Scott S., Jenks, Oklahoma

As a child, Kimberly-Clark

When the COVID-19 pandemic

Nine years ago, Jenks manufacturing facility employee

employee Sonia wanted

hit Northern Italy, Sonia knew

Scott almost lost his daughter after she swallowed ato help people. Her dreamthat she wanted to help

penny. The doctors at The Children's Hospital at Saintwas to become a doctor

strengthen and care for her

Francis in Tulsa, Oklahoma, saved her life. He usedor a nurse, but she couldn’t

community. Kimberly-Clark

this experience to strengthen his community throughCaring for Our Community

afford to attend a university.

ardently supported her

volunteering.

Inclusion & Diversity

Instead she joined the Red

decision to volunteer, andTalent Development

Cross as a volunteer. Today,

Sonia dedicated two months

Ingredients & Transparency

Sonia is proud to work at

to working full-time on the front

Every morning, I get to wake up and spend another

Product Quality & Safety

our manufacturing facility inlines of the pandemic responseday with my daughter, and now I have a unique

Environmental, Health & Safety

Romagnano, Italy.

with the local Red Cross.

opportunity to help save someone else’s life. ThroughOur Strategy for theDecisive Decade

Sonia S., Romagnano, Italy

MakingLives Better

Social Impact

Human Rights & Ethical Practices

Kimberly-Clark’s volunteering and donation matching
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programs, we can help care for the communities
Being a volunteer in several fields, I have now been able towhere we live and work. I work really closely with theappreciate what Kimberly-Clark is doing for the environment,Children’s Hospital, helping raise money so they have

health, and people. I’m grateful that I could be there for those

the resources they need and providing entertainment

who needed support. I’ll never forget the elderly people who

for the patients.

just wanted a hand to hold so they wouldn’t be alone.

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

Our Businessin 2020

Leadership
Message

Inclusion &Diversity

Social Impact
Caring for Our Community

MakingLives Better

Inclusion & Diversity
Talent Development
Human Rights & Ethical Practices
Ingredients & Transparency
Product Quality & Safety
Environmental, Health & Safety

Kimberly-Clark’s path to growth andfoundation for everything we do. We

prosperity rests on building a more inclusive

believe that diverse teams achieve

and diverse, global organization. Employing

better business outcomes and thatpeople from disparate backgrounds, cultures,teams generate these results whenand experiences amplifies our ability tothey are activated by a culture ofgather insights, foster innovation, andinclusion that recognizes, values, andunderstand the culture, context, and mindset

utilizes the diverse perspectives onof consumers around the world.

the team.

Our journey to build a more inclusiveand diverse Kimberly-Clark began
a decade ago, and in late 2019 weembarked on the next phase of ourstrategy by exploring the barriers
that can prevent true equity in theworkplace.

We started by changing the program
name to Inclusion & Diversity (I&D)
and reflecting this change in I&D
team titles. By emphasizing building
an inclusive environment first, we will
be able to focus our culture on truly
unleashing the unique greatness

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inside of each individual—greatness
We determined that diversity actions alonethat is based on embracing different

would not be enough. We used to call our

backgrounds, experiences, andinitiatives in this area “Diversity & Inclusion,”perspectives, to create the ideas thatbut we realized that sustainable impact could

carry us forward.

only be achieved by first making inclusion theLeadership
Message

An Inclusive Culture Is Our Foundation
While that strategy rework was underway,
the worst realities of systemic racism werebrought into focus with the killings of Breonna
Our Businessin 2020

Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, andother Black Americans.
The protests, marches, and unrest that
unfolded across the globe in late May
2020 brought this work into greater focus.
Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

We kicked off a series of conversations
inside Kimberly-Clark, examining the topics
of racism, discrimination, bias, and ourcommitment to a truly inclusive culture. These
conversations were candid, sometimes raw
and personal, and they tested our values andSocial Impact
Caring for Our Community

See pg. 8, "Leading Through Social
Unrest"

But the work here is just beginning. It’s only by

Ultimately, by building a more inclusive global

building a workplace environment where people feelorganization that applies its diverse experiences andIngredients & Transparency

welcomed, valued, and respected that we become apassions to our trusted brands, we will make life better

Product Quality & Safetycompany where diverse individuals feel empowered tofor people all around the world.

Environmental, Health & Safety

work, contribute, and innovate. And it’s only by living

Inclusion & Diversity

MakingLives Better

beliefs.

Talent Development
Human Rights & Ethical Practices

that inclusion, day in and day out, that our culture
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truly reflects our corporate values and aspirations.

Leadership
Message

Kimberly-Clark Global Inclusion & Diversity Strategy

Our Businessin 2020

1

How: Show you care. Be real,Develop a Kimberly-Clark community whose

accepting, open, and curious.

deepened understanding and daily actions

Find common ground and respect

drive inclusion, embrace diversity, and empower

different perspectives.

authenticity.

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

2 Leverage Leadership

Caring for Our Community

Raise the standard, expecting our leaders

recalibrate the approach.

to act as cultural enablers who build diverse,

Lead with courage, intention, andhigh-performing teams and infuse inclusion into

accountability.

3 Empower Employees

How: Unlock different identities,

Inclusion & Diversity

Empower talent to thrive, and embrace hiring,individuals, and ideas.

Talent Development

promotion, and development practices that

Seek, demand, and leveragereflect our diverse consumer base.

different points of view.

Human Rights & Ethical Practices
Ingredients & Transparency
Product Quality & Safety
Environmental, Health & Safety

4 Accelerate Action
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How: Self-reflect and actively

decision-making and the workplace experience.

Social Impact

MakingLives Better

Create Community

Integrate I&D into everything we do, using ourstrength to combat inequities for our people,
our consumers, and our communities around theworld to make lives better today and tomorrow.

How: Disrupt, speak up, and standup. Own the change.

Leadership
MessageOur Businessin 2020CEO Action

Global Inclusion Week

She Can Connect

Our CEO Mike Hsu pledged on

In September, Kimberly-Clark

In 2020, we launched the “She Can

behalf of Kimberly-Clark to support

conducted its first Global Inclusion

Connect” initiative across our Asia-a more inclusive workplace for

Week, during which we held over 75

Pacific, Latin America, Europe, Middle

Connect
Virtual network
forumsemployees, community, and society

workshops, small-group discussions,

East, and Africa operations, providing

through CEO Action. Signatories

leadership panel discussions,a platform where the next generation

pledge to:

keynote addresses, and collaborativeof Kimberly-Clark’s female leaders

brainstorming sessions, all centeredcan connect, inspire, express, andon inspiring our people to bettergrow. Aimed at supporting andunderstand and activate a culture

accelerating women’s professionalof inclusion. These events reacheddevelopment opportunities andmore than 3,000 employees in more

boosting their visibility, the program

than 50 countries and covered topics

includes mentorship and sponsorshipsuch as the value of cross-cultural

opportunities where participants canteams, viewing inclusion as a growthlearn from other women’s experiences

strategy, the power of diverse thought,

in the company, expand their personalfinding your individual I&D voice, andnetworks, and build self-awareness andbalancing inclusion and beliefs.

their personal brand.

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

Cultivate environments that
support open dialogue on
complex, and sometimes
difficult, conversations about
inclusion and diversity

Implement and expand
unconscious bias education
Social Impact

Kimberly-Clark CEO Mike Hsu hosted

Caring for Our Communitya Global Town Hall as part of theMakingLives Better

Inclusion & Diversity
Talent Development
Human Rights & Ethical Practices
Ingredients & Transparency
Product Quality & Safety
Environmental, Health & Safety

Share best-known inclusionand diversity programs andinitiatives among signatories,
as well as those that havebeen unsuccessful

week’s events, where he sharedreflections on Kimberly-Clark’s 10-year

124

women participatedin the program

Selfawareness& personal
brand

ExpressSheCan

Lean circles& paneldiscussions

InspireWomen Mentoring
Women program andnetwork-buildingThis initiative contributes both to ouremployees’ own development and to ourpipeline of strong women talent.

diversity journey and introduced our
new global I&D strategy and goals.
We are proud to have won

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Grow

In 2020, Kimberly-Clark earned a place in:recognition from leadingorganizations for our approach to

Engage boards whendeveloping and evaluating
inclusion and diversity
strategies

promoting and nurturing an inclusiveand diverse workplace environment

2020+ Top Companies
for Executive Women by
Working Mother Mediaand advancing leadership
opportunities for women.

See full list of awards

2020 Diversity
Best Practices
Inclusion Index

Leadership
Message

Talent Development

Our Businessin 2020Developing talent andleaders at all levels in theorganization is critical to our
long-term success. To attract,
engage, develop, reward,
and retain the best and the
Our Strategy for theDecisive Decadebrightest, we strive to create
an inclusive work environment

Authentic: Our heritage is
one of honesty, integrity, andcourageously doing the rightthing.

that fosters personal andprofessional growth.
Kimberly-Clark’s values play
Social Impact

MakingLives Better

Core Values

a critical role in establishing

Caring for Our Community

this work environment. Our

Inclusion & Diversity

employees strive to live byTalent Development

these principles every day

Human Rights & Ethical Practices
Ingredients & Transparency

and use them as a compass

Product Quality & Safety

for engaging with partners,

Environmental, Health & Safety

consumers, customers, andAccountable: We takeownership for our business andour future.

Innovative: We are committed
to new ideas that add value
for our customers, our business,and our world.

each other. Our values unify
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our employees, shaping ourculture and the future weenvision for our company.

Caring: We respect each otherand care for the communities
where we live and work.

Strong leadership
requires ongoingcoaching andfeedback, so weencourage our leaders
to frequently engage
in open dialogue with
their employees. These
conversations were
especially importantduring the pandemic,
when business priorities
and objectives werechanging rapidly.

Employee Resource Groups
Kimberly-Clark is proud to offer employees the opportunity tojoin Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). These groups include
networks for those of African, Hispanic, Latino, and Asianancestry, women, and LGBTQ+, as well as parents, caregivers,
people with disabilities, military veterans, and new employees.
Our ERGs promote career development by allowing employees
to connect with and learn from one another and help amplify
our inclusion and diversity efforts through our Global Caring
Conversations.

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

Our Businessin 2020

Leadership
Message

Kimberly-Clark’s
Learning Culture
At Kimberly-Clark, we cultivate a learning culture that not only enables our employees

In 2020, we launched the Activating Inclusive

We also developed five training modules

to positively impact billions of lives but also provides them with the knowledge to

Leadership Lab, a three-week program

covering topics essential for success in our

know how to make a lasting difference. Our learning culture empowers our employees

exploring unconscious bias mitigation andnew socially distanced work environment,

to meet the moment by knowing our business, leading with impact, and living our

inclusive leadership strategies. To date, 40% of

enabling our employees to remain engaged.

purpose and culture. The result is a company focused on creating a better world forteam leaders in North America have completed

the products we make, the workplace we cultivate, and the communities we serve.

the course. We are now rolling out the training
to all global managers during 2021.

These modules include:

Kimberly-Clark emphasizes building employee

Personal Well-Beingknowledge and capabilities on human rights.
Through training and other tools, we enable
our operations and supplier-facing teams to

Individual Productivity

understand, identify, and act on forced labor
Social Impact
Caring for Our Communityand other potential human rights risks in our
supply chain.

Team Productivity

MakingLives Better

Inclusion & Diversity
Talent Development
Human Rights & Ethical Practices
Ingredients & Transparency

Meeting Productivity

Product Quality & Safety
Environmental, Health & Safety

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Technology Tools

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

Our Businessin 2020

Leadership
Message

Human Rights &Ethical Practices
accountability, innovation, and caring

Rights Policy establish Kimberly-

enable us to provide better care for a

Clark’s ethical expectations andbetter world.

create accountability across key issue

Our Ethics and Compliance Program

Caring for Our Community
Inclusion & Diversity

MakingLives Better

Our Code of Conduct and Humanareas.

Social Impact

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Footprint

Kimberly-Clark’s values of authenticity,

Talent Development
Human Rights & Ethical Practices
Ingredients & Transparency
Product Quality & Safety
Environmental, Health & Safety

fosters a culture of integrity that

These commitments extend beyond

supports our employees in living out

our corporate walls to also encompass

these values and ensures a workplace

our suppliers’ employees andwhere all are treated with respect.

workplaces.

In recognition of our
ethics policies andpractices, Kimberly-Clark
was once again named
one of the "World's Most
Ethical Companies" in2020 by the Ethisphere
Institute, an independent
research center that
promotes best practices
in corporate ethics andgovernance.

Leadership
Message

Social Compliance & Human Rights
We believe that all workers within our supply chain shouldbe treated with respect and in accordance with our

Key Elements in Our Human Rights Risk Mitigation Process for Kimberly-Clark
Operations and Suppliers

workplace and human rights standards. Our values, which are
Our Businessin 2020

communicated through our Social Compliance Standards,
guide our interactions with our suppliers, partners, customers,
and consumers worldwide.

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

These standards are an extension of KimberlyClark’s commitments to our own people, and arealigned with international principles such as theInternational Labor Organization’s “Declaration on
Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work,” UN
Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights,
and the UN Global Compact.

Smallest Environmental
Footprint

MakingLives Better

Social Impact

The objective of our social compliance program is to

Caring for Our Community

proactively manage salient human rights risks across

Inclusion & Diversity

our supply chain. By holding ourselves and our suppliers

Talent Development

accountable, we help ensure that workers in our supply chain

Human Rights & Ethical Practices
Ingredients & Transparency
Product Quality & Safety
Environmental, Health & Safety

enjoy safe, fair, and equitable working conditions.

1

2

3

4

Defining andprioritizing our salient
human rights risks.

Building internal andsupplier capability toproactively manage
these risks.

Using audits, selfassessments, andother tools to monitor
performance andimplement corrective
measures to address gaps.

Sharing supplier andmill social compliancedata with internal andexternal stakeholders.

Leadership
Message

Human Rights Risk Assessment and Management
The diversity of the products, geographic locations, markets,and regulatory systems associated with the procurement of

The most salient human rights risks identified werein the following areas:

goods and services from more than 25,000 suppliers around
Our Businessin 2020

the world can potentially expose Kimberly-Clark to a myriadof risks arising from the countries in which these suppliers are
based, and the types of goods or services they provide, which
include some of the raw materials we use in our products and

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

Discrimination and Harassment

our procurement processes, practices, and dealings with
suppliers is an essential element of safeguarding human rights
throughout our supply chain while progressing the global

Wages and Benefits

eradication of modern slavery and human trafficking.

Social Impact

MakingLives Better

Occupational Health and Safety

outsourced services.
Addressing these risks through a systematic approach to

Kimberly-Clark’s Supply Chain Human Rights Governance

Caring for Our Community

Committee consists of senior representatives from sustainability,

Inclusion & Diversity

procurement, external contract manufacturing, legal, labor

Talent Development

relations, human resources, and Kimberly-Clark’s regional

Human Rights & Ethical Practices
Ingredients & Transparency

organizations. The Committee meets quarterly to identify

Product Quality & Safety

emerging human rights issues, escalations, and responses.

Environmental, Health & Safety

In 2019, the Committee, in consultation with more than 50
geographically, demographically, and functionally diverse
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Modern Slavery (including child & forced labor)

stakeholders, took steps to identify potential salient human rights
risks based on likelihood, severity, and ability to remedy.

Indigenous and Land Rights

Access to Water and Sanitation

Environmental Impacts (including climate change& post-use waste)

We outline the steps that Kimberly-Clark
has taken to combat slavery and humantrafficking globally in our annual Modern
Slavery disclosure. Operations and suppliers
assessed to have elevated human rights risks
are prioritized for additional due diligence.

When a supplier is found to be in non-In 2020, pandemic-related travel

ensure our manufacturing facilities

compliance with our Social Compliancerestrictions impacted our ability toand key suppliers are meetingStandards, Kimberly-Clark engages with theconduct physical audits of suppliers andour standards for social andsupplier to develop a corrective action plan.

Kimberly-Clark's manufacturing sites.

environmental performance. These

Depending on the concerns raised, corrective

third-party auditors use a risk-based

actions could include supplier investments

In order to continue monitoring

approach to measure compliancein infrastructure, equipment, or training;supplier performance while also

across key issue areas, including childdevelopment of new policies or procedures;

adhering to applicable COVID-19

labor, forced labor, discrimination,or provision of remedy for affected workers.

health and safety protocols, weInclusion & Diversity
Talent Development
Human Rights & Ethical Practices
Ingredients & Transparency
Product Quality & Safety
Environmental, Health & Safety

Our audit program typicallyassesses more than 150
facilities annually in highrisk geographies andindustries, helping us identify
non-compliance and drive
improvements. We adhere
to the principle of mutual
recognition in order to avert
audit fatigue and may choose
to accept recent audit reportsthat have been completed byaccredited audit firms utilizing
internationally recognized
standards.

Progress

Leadership
MessageOur Businessin 2020
Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

We engage third-party auditors tobusiness integrity.

Caring for Our Community

MakingLives Better2020 Audit Results

workplace health and safety, andSocial Impact

Smallest Environmental
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Auditing Against
Our Standards

76%

164

audits conducted out of 215 originallyscheduled for 2020

100%

increased utilization of alternative
If needed, Kimberly-Clark may provide

tools such as Kimberly-Clark’s in-support to the supplier by sharing good-house Self-Assessment Questionnaire

practice examples or connecting them withfor in-scope, low-risk suppliers as wellconsultants or other expert resources. We

as Sedex Virtual Assessment reports

track completion of the agreed improvement

for medium-risk suppliers, which weplans through evidence provided by the

conducted using video conferencing.

supplier and/or through a follow-up audit.

100%of Kimberly-Clark facilities audited
meet our social compliance targets
for the year

Where non-compliant findings are
Our approach is always to collaborate to

identified with suppliers, we engage

improve conditions for workers, but in rarewith them to implement corrective

circumstances where a supplier is unwilling or

action plans and improve theirunable to address significant gaps, we may

performance, to ultimately createneed to terminate our relationship with thesustainable change for the benefit ofsupplier. Since 2012, we have completed more

people, the environment, and business.

than 1,100 audits that have contributed to

We consider suppliers and facilities

improved working conditions for more thancompliant when no major findings are

170,000 workers across our external

identified or remain unresolved.

supply chain.

85%

85%

of suppliers audited in2020 conformed with our core social
compliance requirements

Our Businessin 2020

Leadership
Message

Ingredients &Transparency

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

Our brands produce essential products that people
use every day to make their lives healthier, cleaner,and more convenient.

by removing all microbeads, triclosan, and nonylphenol

they’re trusting our commitment to safety—which starts by

ethoxylates from Kimberly-Clark Professional skincare

using safe materials and sending our products through our

products, as well as all parabens and phenoxyethanol fromrobust Product Safety Analysis.

our baby and feminine care wipes.

they buy our brands and we are committed to sharing ourKimberly-Clark proactively gathers chemical composition

To give our consumers greater peace of mind, we aim topractices and providing ingredient information that is clear,information for each raw material used in manufacturing,boost transparency into our product ingredients—a majorreliable, and accessible.

including confidential disclosures collected from suppliers, forundertaking, given that our brands after hundreds of products

product safety analysis and checks against legally restrictedaround the world, incorporating thousands of ingredients.

We know people want to know what they are getting when

Social Impact

MakingLives Better

When consumers choose our instantly recognizable brands,

Caring for Our Community

substances relevant to the product form and country of sale

Inclusion & Diversity

to ensure compliance.

Talent Development
Human Rights & Ethical Practices
Ingredients & Transparency
Product Quality & Safety
Environmental, Health & Safety

In the near term, we intend to publish ingredient information in
our high-priority markets. Our long-term plan calls for disclosing

We are furthering our commitment to safety
and transparency through efforts to use thesafest ingredients, simplify our formulations, andincorporate more naturally sourced alternatives.

all our ingredient information worldwide, giving consumers thedata they need to make smart, informed choices.
Our North America website includes a master list of

Smallest Environmental
Footprint

ingredients used in our North American consumer products.
In 2020, we joined the Green Chemistry and Commerce

In Europe, our brands’ websites include lists of baby and child

Council (GC3), a multi-stakeholder collaborative that drives

care ingredients.

the commercial adoption of green chemistry by catalyzing andguiding action across industries, sectors, and supply chains.
Over the past several years, we’ve aligned with emerging
public and scientific consensus on problematic ingredients

We aspire to use the safest ingredients,
as defined by a science-based approachto product safety, and provide open andtransparent details about those ingredients.

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

Our Businessin 2020

Leadership
Message

Product Quality& Safety

Smallest Environmental
Footprint

MakingLives Better

Social Impact

The well-being of our consumers is our highest priority,

Product quality depends on many

which is why it is our policy to deliver products that meetvariables. Kimberly-Clark uses a Right

all regulatory requirements and meet or exceed consumer

First Time process that is intended

expectations. Every one of our businesses, functions,to capture data on a product’sand facilities is expected to align with our Quality Policy,

whole supply chain, from materials

Our business unit presidents are responsible for overseeing thewhich defines the principles that guide how we design,

procurement and manufacturing tosafety of our products and services, from initial introduction to

manufacture, and deliver safe, high-quality products acrosswarehousing, distribution, and point-

ongoing reviews for regulatory compliance and alignment withevery brand.

of-sale quality/appearance. We also

public safety expectations.

provide a single end-of-pipe metric

Our product safety policy lays out our commitments in three key areas:

1

Management Accountability

2 Safety Assessments

Caring for Our Community

Our corporate Quality Management System sets our internal

intended to ensure that every aspect

Inclusion & Diversity

standards and aligns with industry best practices, the varyingof getting that product to the end

All our products undergo safety assessments by qualified

Talent Development

regulatory expectations of the nations and regions in whichuser is done right, the first time andexperts, in accordance with international standards of humanIngredients & Transparency

we operate, and the internationally recognized ISO 9001 andevery time.

health risk.

Product Quality & Safety

ISO 13485 quality standards.

Human Rights & Ethical Practices

Environmental, Health & Safety

3 Chemical Management

Senior management is responsible for overseeing compliance

Safety and environmental data is carefully collected andacross these stringent requirements, which drives continuous

used to develop business strategies for reducing, restricting,

improvement and helps ensure Kimberly-Clark products areor eliminating chemicals of concern, and advancing safer

safe and effective for consumers. Efforts at our individual

alternatives.

facilities are also supported by on-site quality assurance
systems.

Leadership
Message

Environmental, Health & Safety

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

Our Businessin 2020

Kimberly-Clark’s
performance in workplacesafety and environmental
management arepoints of pride at ourcompany, yet we aspire
to do better.

Our Environmental, Health &The model includes detailed

We completed 17 engagements prior

Safety (EHS) Maturity Modelcriteria, indicators, and evidence

to the COVID-19 pause and began

specifies varying levels of

requirements for sites to assess andan additional seven later in the year,

performance against the

document their EHS maturity levelwith completion anticipated in 2021.

company's objectives of:and performance against objectives.
Sites that have completed the

We are committed toprotecting the lives of1

the people working in our

Improving EHS
mindsets, behaviors,and capabilities

facilities and living in ourSocial Impact

MakingLives Better

EHS Maturity Modelcommunities, so we work

Caring for Our Community

tirelessly to improve our

Inclusion & Diversity

safety programs and set strict

Talent Development

requirements to help prevent

Human Rights & Ethical Practices
Ingredients & Transparency

adverse impacts to the local

Product Quality & Safety

environment.

Environmental, Health & Safety2

Increasing risk
reduction andcompliance

In 2019, we announced a newprocess demonstrated a substantial

program and roadmap to elevate

improvement in both total reported

our EHS performance company wide.

incident rate (TRIR) and incident

In 2020, all Kimberly-Clark sites

severity rate compared to the priorconducted an EHS Maturity Model

year. The improvements were also

self-assessment and developedreflected in a 53% Maturity Journeyself-improvement plans.

Score improvement by year-end
versus their baseline. This success3

Managing EHS
systematically

Based on these assessments, eachdemonstrates our ability to drivesite reported an initial Maturity

improvements and positively impact

Journey Score, allowing us to

EHS performance.

focus our 2020 efforts on raising
Smallest Environmental
Footprint

the scores of lower-maturity sites.
This was accomplished through an
EHS diagnostic and improvement
planning process, including on andoff-site education, training, andexposure to leading practices atmore mature sites.

Our goal is for all Kimberly-Clarksites to achieve at least Level 3
maturity by year-end 2021, withthe top 5% of sites achieving
Level 4.

0.24

Total
Reportable
Incident Rate
(TRIR) in 2020
Our safety vision is to realize
an incident-free workplace

98%*

Environmental
Compliance
Score*The Environmental Compliance Score iscomprised of three different variables: (1)on-time closure of major audit findings,(2) on-time completion of audits, and(3) on-time closure of environmental
compliance exception reports.

Leadership
MessageOccupational Health & Safety
As the global demand for essential
products increased during the
pandemic, the health and safety of
Our Businessin 2020

our people remained a top priority.
We took extra precautions in linewith guidance from global healthauthorities in our offices, facilities, anddistribution center operations.

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

In partnership with our crisis
management teams around theworld, our Occupational Health and
Safety organization played a crucialrole in our response to the COVID-19
pandemic. We embedded andSmallest Environmental
Footprint

MakingLives Better

Social Impact

enforced robust and rigorous protocols

Caring for Our Community

to protect our people while still

Inclusion & Diversity

ensuring supply chain and operational

Talent Development

continuity.

Human Rights & Ethical Practices
Ingredients & Transparency
Product Quality & Safety
Environmental, Health & Safety

By prioritizing thehealth and safety of
our employees, wehave been able to keep
working to provide ouressential products.

Leadership
MessageOur Businessin 2020
Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

Smallest
Environmental
Footprint
At Kimberly-Clark, we believe the health and well-being of

Smallest Environmental
Footprint

MakingLives Betterour people, consumers, and company depend on securing
a healthy environment. Thats why we aim to reduce ourfootprint in every aspect of our operations.

Plastics Footprint
Forest Footprint
Carbon Footprint
Water Footprint

Pictured: Josie, an employee at our Kimberly-Clark Professional facility in Villey-Saint-Étienne (VSE), France. VSE worked diligently to reduce its relianceon virgin fiber and produced a product based on 100% secondary fiber.

Our Businessin 2020

Leadership
Message

Plastics
Footprint
Plastics have offered society a multitude
of benefits, but the world's ability to cope

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decadewith plastic waste is being overwhelmed,

Smallest Environmental
Footprint

MakingLives Better

prompting growing environmental concerns

Plastics Footprint
Forest Footprint
Carbon Footprint
Water Footprint

This is why we aspire to develop
innovative materials and alternatives
to traditional plastics while supporting
development of the circular economy.

This ambition includes efforts to cut the plastics*

While we don’t have all the answers, wefootprint of our products and packaging byrecognize that in order to thrive as a business

50% by 2030—a complex and challenging

today and for generations to come, it isundertaking that requires incorporation ofimperative that we address these challenges.

and demands from governments, NGOs, andsystems thinking, partnerships, and collaboration

consumers for more sustainable alternatives.

from sourcing through to end-of-life.

*virgin, fossil-fuel-based polymers

Our Businessin 2020

Leadership
Message

Program Ambition
The challenges associated with preventing plastic pollution

That’s why we are collaborating across our research, engineering

The complexity of the interconnected environmental

are highly complex - ranging from the cost-competitivenessand marketing teams and with our commercial partners to findchallenges also requires that our approach be informed byof alternative materials to variability in regulatory schemes

ways to reduce our use of traditional plastics, to acceleratescience, so we are continuing to use life cycle assessment

to lacking or ineffective recycling infrastructure – however,development of renewable and recycled substitutes, and toto help us understand potential tradeoffs and co-benefits

we believe that consumers shouldn’t have to compromisecontemplate alternative product solutions. We’re also working

associated with our plastics reduction efforts. These

between the essentials they rely on to make their lives betterwith key external partners to promote and inform the transition toassessments deepen our understanding of environmental

every day and caring for the environment.

a more circular economy. This requires a deep understanding of

impacts across the value chain, from raw materials to

how products are not only designed, but how they are used andproduction and distribution to use and beyond.

disposed of in the diverse markets and cultures around the world.

gingReduce/free-of

Derived fromnatureDesign withcircularity in minduc

ts & Packa

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

Enabling Circular Business Models

Stakeholder
engagementrsh

ip Develont

Forest Footprint
Carbon Footprint
Water Footprintne

Plastics Footprint

Part

Smallest Environmental
Footprint

MakingLives Better

Pro
d
e
pm

Circularbusiness
model

Local market
activation

Scaling partnerships
for impact

Leadership
Message

Strategic Focus

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

Our Businessin 2020

Our strategic focus includes three key areas: Packaging, Product and Circular Systems.

Packaging

Circular Systems

While 82% of our packaging is currently reusable,

We know we will only be successful in our ambitions

recyclable, or compostable, we know there are

if we support development and maturation of

ongoing challenges associated with packaging

waste management infrastructure in both emerging

films, and we’re engaging key suppliers to replaceand mature markets. These systems are essential

virgin, fossil-fuel-based polymers with more recycled

to furthering the recovery and processing of ourcontent. Availability of supply can be challenging

products and packaging after use. To identify

where recycling systems are not well established, butsuitable solutions for local contexts, we’re focused on

we anticipate that growing demand signals will play aestablishing collaborative external partnerships withrole in accelerating collection and recycling. We also

waste management experts, NGOs, and communities.

continue to explore new compostable, recyclable, andMakingLives Better

renewable packaging options.

Product
Currently, 71% of the material in our products isbiodegradable, recovered, or recycled, but weSmallest Environmental
Footprint

must focus on shifting from traditional plastics torenewable or recovered materials while maintaining
the high standards of quality and performance ourconsumers expect from our trusted brands. We arealso considering how we can design our products to
Plastics Footprint
Forest Footprint
Carbon Footprint
Water Footprint

be more recyclable, biodegradable, or compostable.

Reduce ourplastics
footprint by
50% throughOur Strategy for theDecisive Decade

reductions,renewables,and recycled
substitutes, or

MakingLives Betterby introducing
reusable

Smallest Environmental
Footprint

products
or circularsolutions

Plastics Footprint
Forest Footprint
Carbon Footprint
Water Footprint

82%

2.8%

50%

100%

footprint reduction innew, fossil-fuel-based
plastics by 2030 froma 2019 base yearof our packaging
reusable, recyclable, orcompostableby 2025

71%

75%

of the material in
our products either
biodegradable orrecovered andrecycled by 2030

96%

100%

of our manufacturing
waste diverted fromlandfill to beneficial usesby 2022

2.5%

20%

average recycledcontent acrossplastic packaging
by 2025

Progress

Goals

Our Businessin 2020

In 2020, we continued to makeprogress and drive meaningfulchange through our efforts to
reduce plastic in our products andpackaging and divert manufacturing
waste from landfills.

Aspiration

Leadership
Message

Goals and
PerformanceOur Strategy for theDecisive Decade

Our Businessin 2020

Leadership
Message

Product and Packaging Innovations

Piloting paper-basedalternatives to flexible

MakingLives Better

plastic packaging​techniques to identify

recyclable

environmental and social risks

packaging in
DryNites​
Introduced diapers in

Smallest Environmental
Footprint

Applying advanced mapping

Using 30%

North America made withplant-based ingredients
Packaging
Plastics Footprint
Forest Footprint
Carbon Footprint
Water Footprint

Product

Exploring recycling

within our fiber supply chain
Launched 30% recycled

Focusing on renewable,

content in secondary

bio-based, and recycled-

packaging in Korea
Using bio-based packaging
for Kotex in Russia

content materials​
Pilot to remove
unnecessary plastic

Removed handles on

Transitioning from multi-

baffles in the UK

Andrex wrapped packs,

layered materials toand recovery business

Launched compostablereduced plastic waste

saving 31 tonnes ofmono-materials, whichmodels for our products

FemCare pads in Korea ​by 82 tonnes per year​

plastic per year​

can be recycled​Our Businessin 2020

Leadership
Message

Regional
Partnerships for a
Circular Economy

A

US Plastics Pact, Founding Activator (Consumer & KCP):
Collaborative initiative which seeks to unify stakeholder

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decadeapproaches to design, use, and reuse across the entire

MakingLives Better

Waste Recycling ConsortiumGD

enhance visibility of the Social
Fingerprinting standard and

New Materials Institute (University of Georgia): Helps

methodology to improve working

industry and businesses adopt bio-based, fully

conditions and worker financial

biodegradable, or completely recyclable materials

stability in the informal recycling sector

and material-management systems that generate lesswhile boosting the supply of recycled content. The

waste and promote circularity.

emphasis of this signature initiative is on creating end

ReSource: Plastic: A global, multi-stakeholder

markets for low-value plastics, like flexible packaging,

initiative helping companies implement

which are more likely to leak into the environment.

strategies and solutions to end plastic

NGOs to tackle plastic waste through the delivery of
ambitious 2025 commitments.

Smallest Environmental
Footprint

Alliance (TFSA) with the Inclusive

TFSA and iWrc to scale up andthe plastics value chain, the UK government, andD

Kloof Conservancy: Collaboration with EDANA todevelop community-based solutions for diapers in

Water Footprint

E

Connecting the Trash Free Seas

commitments pledged by 2025.

UK Plastics Pact: Brings together businesses from acrossCarbon Footprint

E
F(iWrc): Connecting our partners

C
Forest Footprint

A
B

plastics value chain, with collective delivery of several

B

Plastics FootprintC

informal settlements in South Africa.

F

Global​pollution and support circularity.

Waste Ventures: Hyderabad, India–based social

Trash Free Seas Alliance, Steering Committee

enterprise that educates and incentivizes waste

member: A global partnership founded by the

pickers to collect soft plastic packaging.

Ocean Conservancy brings together industry,G

science, and conservation leaders to solve
ocean plastic pollution.

REDCycle: Sets up collection points where consumers
can drop off certain flexible plastic packaging used in
Kleenex, Cottonelle, and Huggies.

Full list of our memberships

Our Businessin 2020

Leadership
Message

Operational Waste and Zero
Waste to Landfill
We continue to work toward our goal of achieving zero

Seventeen of our Asia Pacific manufacturing sites are leading

The efforts of our local manufacturing facilities and regional

manufacturing waste to landfill by 2022 across all our

the way with 100% landfill diversion. Pathum Thani, Thailand

and global teams are getting us closer to our ultimate goal.

operations.

and Kimcheon, South Korea achieved this milestone in 2020,

At our facilities, we are working to create waste inventories

while the other sites have been landfill-free since 2016.

that catalog each waste stream’s composition, quantity,

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

We have achieved 100% landfill diversion at more thanhalf of our manufacturing sites around the world withkey contributions coming from our Asia Pacific and Latin
America operations.

consistency, and handling practices. This process helps
We added five additional landfill-free sites in Latin America

identify opportunities for landfill diversion and prepares ain 2020, bringing the total number of landfill-free sites in thatglide path for hard-to-divert waste streams.

region to seven. We continue to divert 96% of operational
waste from landfills to higher-value alternatives.

Waste Diversion Rate*

MakingLives Better

2016
2017

95%

2018

95%

Smallest Environmental
Footprint

2019
2020

Plastics Footprint
Forest Footprint
Carbon Footprint
Water Footprint94%* Kimberly-Clark calculates landfill diversion using the most recent three months of data.

96%

96%

Leadership
Message

Stories from Across
Our Organization

MakingLives Better

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

Our Businessin 2020

In 2020, regional and local teams initiated some ofKimberly-Clark’s most inventive and impactful wastereduction efforts.

Tuas Edge Board Initiative

Huggies 'Tiniest
Footprint'

Our Tuas manufacturing

This simple change has

Our Huggies brand in the UK

facility in Singapore reduced

reduced the thickness ofmade significant progress

packaging waste through thethe packaging material foron the plastic-reduction

Edge Board Projector project,

Kimberly-Clark’s baby wipes

goals outlined in its Tiniest

which improves packaging

by nearly 10%, allowing theFootprint mission. Huggies

strength by adding amill to save approximately

removed 359 tonnes ofsmall paperboard edge to

500 tons of paper material

plastic from its total wipes

boxes. Prior to this initiative,

per year.

portfolio (based on annual

Kimberly-Clark’s packaging

volumes). The Huggies teammaterial had to be thickalso launched a new Pure

to withstand the stacking,

Biodegradable wipe which

distribution, and delivery ofis free of all fossil fuel-based

the company’s products. With

materials.

the addition of the wellSmallest Environmental
Footprint

designed add-on, the teamis now able to use thinner
packaging material.

Plastics Footprint
Forest Footprint
Carbon Footprint
Water Footprint

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

Our Businessin 2020

Leadership
Message

Stories from Across
Our Organization
Sustainable Packaging for KCP Products in Latin America

Concern about unnecessary

We also removed the plastic

In 2020, the Kimberly-Clark

Kleenex® products in KCP’s Central

paper packaging with 30% PCR inplastic packaging is growing

baffles from all Kleenex

Professional (KCP) team in Sitio Del

American and Caribbean region.

Central America. The team plans toamongst our consumers andboxes, replaced premium

Nino, El Salvador, switched from virgin,

These products are now labeled

carry this out in their whole portfolio

other stakeholders in theranges with a paper baffle,

fossil fuel-based plastic to 30% post-with the legend: "100% recyclableof products in 2021.

United Kingdom and Europe,and introduced 30% recycledconsumer recycled (PCR) content

packaging with at least 30% of

so to ensure a more resilient

plastic (PCR) on Kleenex

in the packaging for Scott® andrecycled plastic." This is our first tissue

business, our team in the UK

multi-box packaging.

created two new programs,
Andrex Greener Pawprint and

The projects have so far

Kleenex Every Step Counts.

delivered a combined

These programs outline

elimination of 133 tonnes ofcommitments to reduce theplastic and 622 tonnes ofbrands’ plastic footprint

virgin plastic annually.

and bring to market more

MakingLives Better
Smallest Environmental
Footprint

Plastic Packaging Reduction in the UK

sustainable solutions.

In 2020, we removed plastic handles on all wrapped
packs of Andrex and introduced 30% recycled plastic(PCR) on Andrex packaging. The team also worked
with the UK’s largest retailer, Tesco, to remove thesecondary packaging on Andrex pallets.
Plastics Footprint
Forest Footprint
Carbon Footprint
Water Footprint

Our Businessin 2020

Leadership
Message

ForestFootprint

Smallest Environmental
Footprint

MakingLives Better

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

As Kimberly-Clark works to provide the essential products
our consumers need to care for themselves and their families,
we are committed to doing so in a manner that cares for theworld’s forests and the diversity of life they support.

Plastics Footprint
Forest Footprint
Carbon Footprint
Water Footprint

Kimberly-Clark employees in Taiwan, China volunteered
their time to maintain local forest landscapes. As Taiwan’s#1 tissue, Kleenex®️ Brand has been spearheading
environmental initiatives, such as the country's first
FSC®-certified tissue product in 2009.

Kimberly-Clark remains fully committed to our

In addition to our efforts on forest carbon and land-use emissions,existing responsible fiber sourcing ambitions,biodiversity protections, and Indigenous rights support, we also planand to identifying new ways in which we canto update our fiber procurement policy in 2021 to better reflect thedemonstrate leadership in this space.

challenges facing forests and people in the decade ahead.

Leadership
Message

Forests & Climate

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

Our Businessin 2020

Forests store hugeamounts of carbon andare the world’s best
available technology
for removing CO2 fromthe atmosphere. Thismeans that the way
forests are managed,
as well as the kinds ofproducts that are madefrom them, can impact
global greenhouse gas
emissions in both positive
and negative ways.

Forest Biodiversity

Forest Communities

conducting a new life cycle

Kimberly-Clark is committed

Kimberly-Clark is taking

assessment of conventional

to eliminating deforestation

steps to understand how

virgin wood fibers, alternativeand forest degradation.

our responsible sourcing

non-wood fibers, and recycled

To protect forest biodiversity,

practices can support thefibers used in our tissue

we are working toward two

leadershi and authority

products. We are giving special

key goals.

of Indigenous and other

Working with sustainability
consultant Quantis, we arefocus to evaluating both thebiogenic and fossil carbon
impacts of these different fiber
types over a tissue product’s
life cycle and intend to use theresults to establish KimberlyClark’s first ever baseline of our
Scope 3 land use emissions.
We intend to set a new 2030

MakingLives Better

Scope 3 land use emissions
reduction target approvedby the Science Based Targets
initiative (SBTi). This will follow thefinalization of our baseline andSmallest Environmental
Footprint

the future release of SBTi targetsetting guidance for the forest,
land, and agriculture sectors, aswell as GHG Protocol Corporate
Accounting Standards for land
Plastics Footprint
Forest Footprint
Carbon Footprint
Water Footprint

use emissions and removals.

1

marginalized forest

Reduce by 50% ouruse of natural forest
fibers, which for
Kimberly-Clark areprimarily fibers from
northern boreal andtemperate forests.

our use2 Increaseof environmentally
preferred fibers,
which include
recycled fiber,sustainable
alternative nonwood fibers, andvirgin wood fibersthat have been
chain-of-custodycertified by the
Forest StewardshipCouncil (FSC®)

communities within oursphere of influence, beyond
our existing commitment
to FSC®.

Leadership
Message

Canada’s Boreal Forest
Canada’s boreal forest is anecosystem of global significance on
par with the world’s tropical forests

That's why we're committed
to reducing our natural forest
fiber footprint by 50% by 2025.

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

Our Businessin 2020for the environmental, social, cultural,and economic value it provides. The

We remain committed to supporting

North American Boreal Forest biome,

broad uptake and robust

inclusive of Canada and Alaska,

implementation of the new FSC

is estimated to contain 25% of theCanada forest management standard.

world’s remaining intact primary

And we will be conducting a review of our fiber procurement policy in 2021 to identify

forests. Intact forests are increasingly

additional ways in which our fiber sourcing can support the ecological, social, andunder threat, and are uniquely

economic resilience of Canada’s boreal forest and other forests around the world.

important in mitigating the climate
and biodiversity crises.
Deforestation is not a principal threat
to Canada’s boreal forest given
strong laws and regulations requiring
post-harvest replanting on Canada’s

MakingLives Better

public forestlands, which accountfor over 90% of Canada’s forests.
However, a focus on legally required
replanting and overall forest extent
alone can obscure other important

Smallest Environmental
Footprint

issues related to commercial
forest management in Canada’s
boreal, including Indigenous rights,
biodiversity conservation (including
forest management impacts on
Plastics Footprint
Forest Footprint
Carbon Footprint
Water Footprint

Kimberly-Clark's forthcoming Task Force on Climate-related Financial
Disclosures (TCFD) report will address in part the physical risks that climatechange poses to our fiber supply chain in Canada’s boreal and other forest
regions around the world.

caribou habitat), and climate change.

stockpiling all contributed to a large and unanticipated surge indemand for our at-home tissue products in 2020. Demand for our

Our Businessin 2020away-from-home Kimberly-Clark Professional products, which
account for the greatest percent of our recycled fiber use, declined
as people were confined to their homes.
Due in large part to these unforeseen circumstances, we ended 2020
with a 19% reduction in our use of natural forest fiber (NFF) against our
Our Strategy for theDecisive Decadegoal of a 50% reduction, down from a 31% reduction in 2019. Our use ofenvironmentally preferred tissue fiber (EPF) in 2020 was 84%.

Despite these events in 2020, Kimberly-Clark remains
fully committed to our existing responsible fiber sourcing
ambitions, and to identifying new ways in which we candemonstrate leadership in this space.
In addition to our efforts on forest carbon and land use emissions,

Smallest Environmental
Footprint

MakingLives Betterbiodiversity protections, and Indigenous rights support, we also plan
to update our fiber procurement policy in 2021 to better reflect thechallenges facing forests and people in the decade ahead.

Plastics Footprint
Forest Footprint
Carbon Footprint
Water Footprint

natural forest
footprint by 50%
while unlocking
the power of theworld’s forests
to help solve theclimate andbiodiversity
crises.

19%50%

reduction of our natural(Northern) forest fiber*
footprint by 2025 froma 2011 base year

84%

90%

of our tissue sourced
from environmentally
preferred fiber (EPF)
source by 2025

*Natural forests are composed of native
species that self-regenerate and containkey elements of native ecosystems suchas wildlife and biological diversity. To
us, this primarily includes boreal fibers
known as Northern Bleached Softwood
Kraft (NBSK).

Progress

Reduce ourGoals

COVID-19 lockdowns, work-from-home rules, and consumer

Aspiration

Leadership
Message

Goals and PerformanceOur Strategy for theDecisive Decade

Our Businessin 2020

Leadership
Message

Stories from Across
Our Organization
Our Australia team launched theKimberly-Clark is one of several

In 2020, Kimberly-Clark began using

Kleenex ECO toilet paper range, thecompanies supporting and advisingpublicly available spatial data andfirst 100% FSC®-certified bamboo

FSC® US and FSC® Canada in their

ArcGIS software to analyze and map

product. The toilet paper is madeefforts to assess and quantify thethe overlap between commercial

from responsibly sourced bamboo, apotential carbon benefits of FSC®-

forests in our key sourcing regions andnaturally regenerating crop that is one

certified management practices inenvironmental and social attributesof the world’s fastest-growing plants.

North American forests.

of interest to Kimberly-Clark and our
key stakeholders, such as Indigenous

Our personal care manufacturing
facility in Paris, Texas, attained
FSC® chain-of-custodycertification, enabling our
Huggies Special Delivery diapers
to be labeled as FSC®-certified.

MakingLives Better
Smallest Environmental
Footprint

Kimberly-Clark and the Forest Stewardship Council®

Supporting FSC®
Research on Forests asa Climate Solution

Using Technology to
Support Responsible
Fiber Sourcing, Today
and Tomorrow

This new research will evaluate thelands, intact forest landscapes, andpotential role of FSC®-certified

species-at-risk such as woodlandforests as a credible climate solution

caribou.

beyond their current role as thegold standard in responsible forest

This data provides our teams withmanagementa spatially explicit, science-based
understanding of potential risks in our
fiber supply chain and helps inform
our fiber procurement strategies.

Plastics Footprint
Forest Footprint
Carbon Footprint
Water Footprint

Our Businessin 2020

Leadership
Message

CarbonFootprint

Smallest Environmental
Footprint

MakingLives Better

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

We know how
aggressive our actions
must be to reduce ourcarbon footprint.

Plastics Footprint
Forest Footprint
Carbon Footprint
Water Footprint

Kimberly-Clark has proven we can meet ambitious GHG-reduction

We are accelerating our efforts to help build a low-carbon economy

targets, exceeding our initial 2022 target four years ahead ofand avert the worst impacts of climate change.

schedule. Backed by that success, we aspire to do our part to put ourworld on a path toward effective climate solutions.

Leadership
Message

Program Ambition

Our Businessin 2020

Our customers, consumers,
and investors expect KimberlyClark to respond to the climate
crisis with strong, specificcommitments and actions to
mitigate and reduce climate
impacts throughout our supply
chain.

40% reduction on the same timeline.
In 2020, we went further, announcing
our new, SBTi-approved 2030 GHG
goals. The new goals call for a
reduction of our absolute Scope 1
and 2 emissions by 50% (baseline2015) and reduction of absolute
Scope 3 emissions from purchased

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

goods and services and end-of-life
That's why we committed to aggressive

treatment of sold products by 20%

GHG emissions reduction targets that(baseline 2015).

are science-based, meaning they
are aligned with the Paris Climate

In a changing climate and business

Agreement's principal goal of limiting

environment, we know we need to do

global temperature rise to well below

more. The need to be transparent about

2°C above pre-industrial levels.

climate impacts across the business

Smallest Environmental
Footprint

MakingLives Betteris becoming increasingly important,
We have executed on aggressive

so understanding and managing risksenergy and climate goals. In 2016,

and opportunities across our value

following completion of a successful

chain is no longer optional.

five-year sustainability plan, we set
a goal of reducing our Scope 1 and 2

That's why Kimberly-Clark plans to

GHG emissions by 20% (baseline 2005).

adopt the TCFD framework.

In 2019, we announced that we hadachieved our goal four years aheadof schedule, prompting us to double
our emissions-reduction target to a
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Leadership
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Strategic Focus

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

Our Businessin 2020

Reducing thecarbon footprintof our productsmeans pursuing
comprehensive
climate objectives
based on our fourpillars.

Driving Greater Energy
Efficiency Throughout Our
Operations

Enacting Innovative
Conservation Efforts

Embracing Tomorrow's
Alternative/Renewable
Energy Technologies

Driving Emissions Reductions
Across Our Full Value Chain

Kimberly-Clark uses a Lean energy

We want to continuously improve

Our carbon footprint strategy also

Our GHG reduction goals extend beyond ourstrategy to drive a culture of energy

sustainability and cost efficiency

involves significant investment inin-house operations to include indirect value-conservation at our manufacturingof our products, so we identify andrenewable and alternative energy

chain (Scope 3) emissions from our suppliers andsites. An energy management system

operationalize capital projects thatgeneration. We look for suitablecustomers.

is embedded into each facility’s daily

deliver manufacturing cost savings

conditions for installing solar ataccountability process, positioning

through improved energy efficiency

our facilities, make large-scale

We’re aiming to reduce Scope 3 emissions fromenergy efficiency as a priority at theand reduced consumption.

power purchase agreements ofpurchased goods, services, and end-of-lifeclean electricity to further reduce

treatment of sold products by 20% by 2030

We aim to uncover new

our reliance on fossil fuels, andcompared to our 2015 baseline.

opportunities for innovation throughleverage evolving decarbonizationenergy assessments, workshops,

technologies to get the most out of

Our teams collaborate closely on initiatives

improvement and standard

best practices analyses, andthe fossil fuels we still employ.

to reduce our plastic and fiber footprints andchanges to deliver efficiencies

benchmarking, in parallel with oursame level as safety, quality, delivery,
and cost. We focus on: Operational systems – process

Nine of our manufacturing facilities

consideration their life cycle carbon impacts.

employ cogeneration units that burn

The Scope 3 emissions implications of actions

energy meters and dashboards

natural gas to generate electricity andtaken in these areas is significant, so it’s criticalto aid real-time energy

reuse the waste heat to produce steamthat we have a strong understanding of co-

management

for use in the manufacturing process.

benefits or trade-offs that may exist.

Lean energy initiatives.
MakingLives Better Management infrastructure – Mindset, behaviors, andSmallest Environmental
Footprint

ensure that all business decisions take into

As part of our 2030 SBTi commitment,

capabilities – improvement

Kimberly-Clark will continue to pursueof trainings, awareness, andworking with strategic partners

recognition

to develop and install thermal
decarbonization technologies to

Plastics Footprint
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Carbon Footprint
Water Footprint

power our high-thermal-load facilities
around the world.

32.1% reduction of GHG emissions
versus our 2015 baseline, with a

Our Businessin 2020year-on-year reduction of 4.3%
points against 2019, based on our
total Scope 1+2 market-based
inventory.
These percentages translate to120+ energy conservation projects
and energy best practices
adoption, representing a total
GHG emissions reduction of

42,000 MTCO2e

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decadea reduction of 213,700 MTCO2efrom 2019 to 2020, and helped us
achieve a 3.7% improvement inenergy intensity, from 10.7 MMBTU/
BDMT* in 2019 to 10.3 in 2020.
Though COVID-19 safeguards
such as restricted travel forced
postponement of some energy
MakingLives Better

projects in 2020, we were able toconduct virtual working sessions that
kept small and medium-sized energy
conservation projects on track.

Smallest Environmental
Footprint

Some of the GHG emissions
reductions we expected to achieve in2020 have been shifted out to 2021.

Plastics Footprint
Forest Footprint
Carbon Footprint
Water Footprint* MMBTU/BDMT = one million British thermal
units / bone dry metric tons

40+ Lean Energy operational
systems improvement activities,
representing GHG emissions
reduction of

17,000 MTCO2e

I mpact of 11 alternative andrenewable energy projects,
providing GHG emissions
reduction of

135,000 MTCO2e

Structural asset changes,
manufacturing footprint
optimization, and other nonenergy and climate-related
activities, representing GHG
emissions reduction of

20,000 MTCO2e

Reduce thecarbon footprintof our products
and brands
by reducing
our direct andindirect (Scope 1+ 2) emissions by
50% and value
chain (Scope 3)
emissions by 20%

32.1%

50%

reduction of absolute
Scope 1 and 2 GHG
emissions by 2030 froma 2015 base year

3%

20%

reduction of absolute
Scope 3* GHGemissions from a2015 base year

* Reduction target is focused on emissions
from the Greenhouse Gas Protocol's
Scope 3 Category 1 (Purchased Goods
and Services) and Category 12 (End of Life
Treatment of Sold Products).

Progress

Our 2020 progress was driven by avariety of energy management actions:

Goals

In 2020, Kimberly-Clark achieved

Aspiration

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Message

Goals and PerformanceOur Strategy for theDecisive Decade

Our Businessin 2020

Leadership
Message

Stories from Across
Our Organization
Pursuing Energy Efficiency Initiatives

Investing in Alternative Energy

Kimberly-Clark executed more than 120 energy

In mid-2020, Kimberly-Clark’s

In 2018, the Chester manufacturing

Our Enstra manufacturing facility

conservation projects last year at our global

manufacturing site in Chester,facility was Kimberly-Clark’s largest

in South Africa completed a similar

manufacturing sites, leveraging energy best practices

Pennsylvania, fully transitioned

emitter of greenhouse gases,transformation in 2020, replacing its

to deliver 42,000 MTCO2e emissions reductions. Amongfrom a mix of coal-based fuel andaccounting for almost 10% of theinefficient coal boilers with a new

many other processes and building envelope efficiency

natural gas to a new, state-of-the-company’s total GHG emissions.

process-steam generation plant

improvements, our efforts included:art combined heat and power (CHP)

Following installation of the new

powered by two natural gas boilers.

cogeneration plant. This plant iscogeneration system, which is fueled

able to produce 42 megawatts ofby cleaner burning natural gas, theThe upgrade reduced greenhouseelectricity and repurpose waste heatfacility’s Scope 1 and 2 emissions fell by

gas emissions by 17,000 MTCO2e, afrom the generating process into

40% compared to the 2018 baseline.

52% reduction of Scope 1 footprint.

 Implementation of compressed air optimization Installation of variable frequency drives in fans andprocess pump motors

process steam for manufacturing.

The project also eliminates some tax
liability under South Africa’s carbon Upgrades to electrical infrastructure, tissue machine

tax system.

MakingLives Better

drying, and vacuum systems

Together, the new Chester CHP
plant and Enstra natural gas
boilers are lowering KimberlyClark’s GHG emissions by 167,000
MTCO2 per year, equivalent to a
4% reduction of the company’s
total GHG emissions.

Recovery of waste heat
In addition to our conservation efforts, we executed

Smallest Environmental
Footprint

more than 40 Lean energy sustaining activities,
delivering an additional 17,000 MTCO2e in savings. These
initiatives included improvements and optimizations
in manufacturing processes, improvements in energy
efficiency based on visual management, the use of
Plastics Footprint
Forest Footprint

the centerlining methodology to determine and adjust

Carbon Footprint

variables and ensure consistent results, and on-line

Water Footprintcontainment of energy overconsumption.

Jeff Hutter, Chester facility plant manager

Leadership
Message

Stories from Across
Our Organization

Our Businessin 2020

Investing in Renewable Energy
Kimberly-Clark is significantly scaling up ouruse of solar and wind power, both throughon-site installations and virtual power

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decadepurchase agreements (VPPAs).
In 2019, we completed on-site photovoltaic

MakingLives Better

This is equivalent torenewable sources, including virtualof the total electricity consumed byand direct PPAs and on-site solar

Kimberly-Clark's global operations.

generation, was 1,040,000 MWh.

Our first utility-scale VPPAs for two
wind power projects in Texas andOklahoma were executed in 2017 andoffset 100% of the electricity purchased
by Kimberly-Clark Professional™
manufacturing sites in North America.

2018

2019

Total Renewableelectricity

solar installations at Kimberly-Clark
manufacturing facilities and distribution

We followed up on this success by enteringsites in Tuas, Singapore; Pune, India; Cauca,

into another utility-scale VPPA with another

Colombia; and Guatemala City, Guatemala.

Texas wind project, Maverick Creek, which

In 2020, those installations generated 4,900

began delivering power in December 2020.

MWh of green electricity.

This contract will provide approximately

consumption

7.3%

increase

670,000 MWh of electricity to our North

Power PurchaseWe signed an agreement with the Rayos delAmerican Family Care business, covering

Agreements

Sol Solar Project in 2019 for a project that

100% of purchased electricity needs for their(virtual and direct)​

is currently under construction in Cameron

manufacturing sites and accounting for an

County, Texas. This direct PPA will supply 100% ofemissions reduction of 300,000 MTCO2e.

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Footprint

Plastics Footprint
Forest Footprint

2020 with renewable energy generated from

Carbon Footprint

another solar project in the region. The Rayos

Water Footprintdel Sol project will go online in 2022.

of electricity
consumption​

increase

4,900 M Wh
On-sitedemanded by the manufacturing facility in

1,040,000 M Wh
18%

7.2%

Care manufacturing facility in Paris, Texas.

company supplied 39% of the electricity

2020

1,036,000 M Wh

purchased electricity required by our Personal

For the first phase of the contract, the utility

18%

In 2020, the total electricity fromrenewable energy​

18%

increaseOur Businessin 2020

Leadership
Message

Water
Footprint
Around the world water stress impacts ordinary people and local economies.
At Kimberly-Clark, we feel these impacts across our value chain, from the sources of

To maximize our impact, we focus our efforts on regionsat the greatest risk and customize our approach andambition for the specific needs of each water basin.

Smallest Environmental
Footprint

MakingLives Better

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

our fiber to the communities where our employees and consumers live.

We aim to reduce the impact ofwater use at our facilities and in thesurrounding communities.

Plastics Footprint
Forest Footprint
Carbon Footprint
Water Footprint

We partner with NGO Water
For People to provide accessto toilets, drinking water, andhygiene education.
Photo Credit: Water for People

Leadership
Message

Program Ambition
and Strategic Focus

Our Businessin 2020

Although a global challenge, water stress is inherently a local issue. KimberlyClark’s ambition is to enact sustainable water use programs at all our
manufacturing facilities in water-stressed regions by 2030 and improve water use
efficiency at all other global manufacturing facilities.
Kimberly-Clark’s water strategy focuses on a series of short-term milestones
Our Strategy for theDecisive Decadethat will lead to long-term improvements across our own operations, in oursurrounding communities, and throughout our supply chain.
Our strategy is three-fold: 
Total Water Management: An integrated approach that helps mitigate
water risk related to quantity, quality, and aging infrastructure andprovides business benefits by increasing productivity and reducing waste
MakingLives Betterand the cost of compliance.
Lean Water: A culture focused on water conservation and water quality at
the manufacturing level, giving ownership and responsibility to all facility
employees to manage water at the same level as safety, quality, delivery,

Smallest Environmental
Footprint

and cost.
Water Stewardship: A holistic approach to water that focuses not juston our own facilities, but on creating greater water security for the entire
water basin.
Plastics Footprint
Forest Footprint

We will drive innovation for flushable products to be consistent with our

Carbon Footprint

ambition to champion a world where all can enjoy access to clean water,

Water Footprint

sanitation, and hygiene.

achieving sustainable water use at
all Kimberly-Clark manufacturing

Our goal is for the remaining
four tissue facilities to meet theirtargets by 2022.

Our Businessin 2020

facilities in water-stressed regions,
we know we’ll realize the greatest

We continue our work to understand

impact by targeting the most severely

what sustainable water use looks like

impacted regions first, as well as

for the remaining 18 manufacturing

those aspects of our operations thatfacilities in current or projected

are the most water-intensive.

water-stressed regions to ensure

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decadethat all facilities are able to achieve
Water is an essential input to ourtheir individual 2030 sustainabletissue manufacturing process, sowater use targets.

most of our initial water-responsibility
efforts have focused on enacting
sustainable water-use plans at the
12 Kimberly-Clark tissue facilities
located in water-stressed areas.

MakingLives Better

Seven of those facilities have now
met their sustainable water-use
targets, achieving a 41% reduction
in water use compared to the 2015baseline, and a 18% reduction in

Smallest Environmental
Footprint

absolute water use in 2020. Two of
the facilities exceeded their targets,with our facility in Kluang, Malaysia,
achieving a 66% reduction and ourfacility in Sitio del Niño, El Salvador,
Plastics Footprint
Forest Footprint
Carbon Footprint
Water Footprint

achieving a 65% reduction (both over2015 baselines).

Reduce ourwater footprintby 50% in waterstressed regions
by creating
significant
improvements
in our supply

Progress

Goals

While our 2030 ambitions call for

Aspiration

Leadership
Message

Goals and Performance

By 2030:

32.5%

50%

reduction of our water
footprint in waterstressed regions

chain and thesurrounding
communities
Conduct 30 stakeholder
engagements in water-stressedregions that result in improved
access to fresh waterKluangNahariya

Askar

Sitio Del Niño

Malaysia

IsraelBahrainEl Salvador

BernalHaderaFullerton

EnstraArgentina

IsraelCalifornia

South Africa

Puente Piedra

Mogi Das Cruzes

Cauca

BarbosaPeru

BrazilColombia

Colombia

Smallest Environmental
Footprint

MakingLives Better

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

Our Businessin 2020

Leadership
Message

Towards
Achieving
Sustainable
Water Use

Tissue facility
Target set and in progress
Plastics Footprint
Forest Footprint
Carbon Footprint
Water Footprint

Target set and achieved

Leadership
Message

Stories from Across
Our Organization

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

Our Businessin 2020

Bahrain Facility
Our Askar manufacturing facility in

They collaborated with the regional

Bahrain is located in one of the mostteam on a watershed analysis andwater-stressed regions in the world.

conducted a best practices audit

Empowered by Kimberly-Clark’swith other Kimberly-Clark facilities

global goal to reduce our waterand the local government to identify

footprint by 50% by 2030, the team atopportunities. The Askar team

the facility was determined to figure

deployed a plan to monitor, measure,out how to use every drop of freshand react to leaks and consulted withwater responsibly and efficiently.

technology providers to implement

Askar fresh water footprint

reduction

further water-saving solutions.

MakingLives Better

Over the last two years, Askar
has posted one of the largest
water reductions among all
Kimberly-Clark manufacturing
sites.

Employees were also engaged in

8.8 m3/MT

the process through workshops
and trainings to crowdsource and6.7 m3/MT

implement ideas. These efforts
enabled the facility to reduce its
water footprint by 44% over thelast two years. This project drove

Smallest Environmental
Footprint

44%

12 m3/MT

meaningful impact both internally at

63,100 m3

35,525 m3

Kimberly-Clark and throughout the

saved fromsaved fromsurrounding community.

2018 to 20192019 to 2020

Plastics Footprint
Forest Footprint
Carbon Footprint
Water Footprint

2018

2019

2020

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

Our Businessin 2020

Leadership
Message

Stories from Across
Our Organization
Driving Water Stewardship

At Kimberly-Clark Professional’s tissue

The process of extracting resources

Successfully reducing water stress requires a community

manufacturing facility in Koblenz,

from wastewater reduces pollutants

effort. That’s why we developed a private-public

Germany, we installed a new biologicaldischarged into Koblenz’s municipal

methodology that engages local businesses, government,

wastewater treatment plant thatwastewater treatment plant by 70%.

and NGOs in a water basin to review scientific assessments

optimizes water usage and delivers

In addition, the sludge producedof the particular watershed's challenges, share best practices

multiple benefits to the business.

by the wastewater treatment unit

and approaches, and implement solutions that drive

is sold to paper manufacturers

economic, social, and environmental value.

Dubbed “Project Camel,” theand other industries for use in theirsystem treats wastewater from the

manufacturing processes.

production process so it can be

MakingLives Better
Smallest Environmental
Footprint

Koblenz, Germany: Water Efficiency in Action

Plastics Footprint
Forest Footprint
Carbon Footprint
Water Footprint

Since 2018, we have used WaterLOUPE as a platform
to bring together multiple stakeholders to findsolutions at a local level that drive economic,
environmental, and social value.

recycled back into the facility. The

The Project Camel team wasprocess also uses an anaerobic

recognized internally with a 2020

digester to extract organics in

Crystal Tree Award for Teamthe wastewater and uses them to

Excellence in the Water Footprint

The WaterLOUPE dashboard depicts water scarcity risks for entire

produce methane biogas.

category. The project was also

watersheds due to climate change, population growth, and othershortlisted for an Ethical Corporation

factors over a 30-year time period. Local stakeholders including

Responsible Business Award formunicipalities, communities, businesses, and NGOs use these

Circular Innovation.

insights to identify potential solutions to conserve freshwaterThis biogas replaces up to 10%of the traditional natural gasthat powers the facility’s boiler
and reduces carbon emissions
by 1,000 MTCO2e annually.
It also powers a de-inking
plant, which converts recycled
paper into pulp that is used to
manufacture new tissue, towel,
and wipe products.

supplies and reduce the risk of water shortages.
We are in the process of deploying
similar projects in facilities aroundWe have deployed the WaterLOUPE tool in water-stressed

the world.

cities such as Cali, Colombia; Cape Town, South Africa; andSao Paulo, Brazil, fostering collaboration with NGO partners
and key stakeholders to bring more awareness to water risks
and develop sustainable water management plans at the
local level.

Smallest Environmental
Footprint
MakingLives Better

Our Strategy for theDecisive Decade

Our Businessin 2020

Leadership
Message