SC Johnson's CEO on Doing the Right Thing, Even When It Hurts Business

SC Johnson has a long history of taking action to address concerns related to the environmental or health effects of the chemicals in our products. One of the most notable examples of such a decision concerned Saran Wrap. The key to Saran Wrap's success was that it created an impenetrable barrier to odor. Its other competitive advantage was superior microwavability. Polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC) was responsible for both those unique differentiators. Around the time we acquired Saran Wrap, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, environmental groups, and consumers began to express concern over the use of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Fortunately, we soon had a process in place that would help us reevaluate our use of PVCs. We called the process Greenlist. It launched in 2001 and has been one of the most significant steps in our ongoing sustainability efforts.