OEGSTGEEST, the Netherlands — November 6th, 2017 — Avery Dennison has been recognised by edie, the market-leading information resource for sustainability-oriented companies, as a finalist in the 2018 Sustainability Leaders Awards. Avery Dennison was named in the Employee Engagement and Behavioral Change category for Sustainable September, its annual employee engagement campaign.
“We reach out to employees to encourage sustainability year-round,” explained Amy White vice president Communications at Avery Dennison Label and Graphic Materials Group, “but Sustainable September is our biggest, most concerted effort. For a full month we communicate through a variety of channels to all employees globally, and we also ask them to share their ideas, efforts and enthusiasm with their fellow employees.”
This year’s campaign theme was Together We Can, and focused on moving from individual to collective action. The theme was a natural progression from “Change Begins with Me,” the theme in 2016, which underscored the idea that sustainability depends on the contribution of every individual. The 2016 campaign reached more than 20,000 employees. As a result of the campaign, 81% of employees reported having a better understanding of the company’s sustainability goals, and 84% said they planned to take action to operate more sustainably at work, at home, or in their community.
Avery Dennison is a materials science and manufacturing-industry leader in sustainability, focused on improving the social and environmental impacts of not only its own operations but also the impacts of its suppliers, customers and end-users. In 2015, the company announced eight sustainability goals it intends to reach by 2025, including at least a 3% absolute reduction in greenhouse gasses year over year; sourcing 100 percent certified-claim paper, of which 70 percent will be Forest Stewardship Council–certified; and becoming 95% landfill-free, with at least 75 percent of waste reused, repurposed or recycled. The company’s progress is reflected in its most recent sustainability report, All of Us, Every Day, a title that speaks to the importance of employee commitment in creating companywide change.
Other finalists for the Employee Engagement and Behavioural Change award are Hilton, Freedom Group,Landsec and UK Green Building Council, London Metropolitan University, Swansea University, University of London, Pukka Herbs and Do Nation, Unite Students and the NUS, and Virgin Atlantic Airways.
“It’s an honor to be named among such a diverse range of organisations that are finding new ways to capture employees’ imaginations and engage them in effecting change, “ Amy White said. “Sustainability rises and falls on the level of dedication among employees, from executive leadership on down. It’s inspiring to see so many companies demonstrating commitment across all levels of the organisation, where the mechanics of sustainability happen daily. We’re proud to stand alongside them.”
About Avery Dennison
Avery Dennison (NYSE: AVY) is a global leader in pressure-sensitive and functional materials and labeling solutions for the retail apparel market. The company’s applications and technologies are an integral part of products used in every major industry. With operations in more than 50 countries and more than 25,000 employees worldwide, Avery Dennison serves customers in the consumer packaging, graphical display, logistics, apparel, industrial and healthcare industries. Headquartered in Glendale, California, the company reported sales of $6.1 billion in 2016. Learn more at www.averydennison.com.