Owens Corning Sustainability Report Cites Improvements

Owens Corning recently released its sixth annual “Sustainability Report,” highlighted by year-over-year intensity reductions in all environmental goals set and a list of innovation-driven achievements. Accomplishments highlighted in the report include a reduction in waste-to-landfill intensity by 22% in 2011. That represents an absolute reduction of more than 37,000 metric tons. Owens Corning also reduced its toxic air emissions intensity by 37% last year, amounting to an absolute reduction of 236 metric tons.

This is reportedly the first year the company is comparing against its new 2020 goals. Introduced last year, the 2020 goals are designed to expand the scope and further raise the bar on its commitment to sustainability.

“At Owens Corning, sustainability is a core business strategy,” said Frank O'Brien-Bernini, vice president and chief sustainability officer. “Operationally, this drives decision making that considers the economic, social and environmental impacts of everything we do.”

Highlights of the year include the following.

• The company achieved a 10th consecutive year of safety improvement, reflecting a commitment to employees to have an environment that fosters injury-free lives.
• Significant progress was reportedly made toward achieving 2020 goals, including year-over-year intensity reductions across all environmental footprint reduction goals.
• The entire Residential Insulation product line transitioned to EcoTouch®, made with 99% natural materials. This innovation reportedly led to the most significant product transformation in the company's nearly 75-year history.
• The company sponsored volunteer opportunities to revitalize neighborhoods in multiple ways and provided insulation products and enough shingles to reroof more than 370 homes for those in need.

For additional information, visit http://sustainability.owenscorning.com.