Spotlight on Partnerships
A TRACK RECORD OF ENVIRONMENTAL INNOVATION
1990
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Breaking Ground
In the first collaboration between an environmental group and a leading corporation, EDF’s partnership with McDonald’s does away with foam-plastic sandwich boxes and eliminates 150,000 tons of packaging waste over ten years. Other restaurants quickly follow suit.
1996
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Rethinking Product Design
Environmental Defense Fund and SC Johnson creates a partnership to integrate environmental considerations into the design of SC Johnson's consumer products and packaging.
1997
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Reducing Waste
Starbucks partners with EDF to reduce waste and increase the use of reusable mugs and exploring alternative cup designs. Later, Starbucks introduces the first takeout cup with post-consumer recycled content..
1998
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Developing Greener Packaging
EDF joins forces with UPS to develop new packaging for overnight shipping that saves energy and reduces solid waste and air pollution..
1999
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Creating Tools for Packaging Design
EDF and Bristol-Myers Squibb create MERGE, a computer program to help design better product packaging, later used by more than 100 companies.
2000
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Shifting to Hybrid Trucks
EDF begins a partnership with FedEx to develop a cleaner, more efficient delivery truck. The resulting hybrid electric trucks, with a powertrain designed by Eaton Corporation and launched in 2004, cut smog-causing emissions by 65%, reduce soot by 96% and get 50% better mileage. Today, all major U.S. truck manufacturers offer midsize hybrids and more than 100 fleets use them.
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Collaborating with the Utility Industry
Entergy joins EDF’s climate partnership, becoming the nation’s first electric utility to pledge to cap its greenhouse gas emissions.
2001
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Cutting Catalogs
Working with EDF, Norm Thompson Outfitters switches all its catalogs to recycled paper. This sets a new standard for the catalog industry, and leads other catalog companies like L.L. Bean and Dell, Inc., to adopt recycled paper.
2003
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Reducing Health Impacts of Animal Agriculture
Spurred by concern over the dangers of antibiotic overuse, EDF works with fast-food giant McDonald’s to adopt Spurred by concern over the dangers of antibiotic overuse, EDF works with fast-food giant McDonald’s to adopt that asks suppliers to curb drug use in animals raised for food. Soon thereafter the top four U.S. poultry suppliers announce that they are eliminating the use of human antibiotics as growth promoters.
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Utilizing Recycled Office Paper
Citigroup partners with us to switch all of its office operations to recycled paper and to reduce the paper used by its 130,000 employees.
2005
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Assessing Nanotechnology Risk
DuPont and EDF work to develop the industry's first framework for responsible development and use of nanomaterials. The framework will allow DuPont and other organizations, big and small, to comprehensively assess and manage potential lifecycle risks during the product development process.
2006
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Wegmans Food Markets and Bon Appétit Management Company
EDF announces a partnership with Wegmans Food Markets and Bon Appétit Management Company to adopt new purchasing policies for farmed king salmon that meet strong health and environmental criteria.
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Cleaning Corporate Fleets
EDF, in partnership with fleet management company PHH Arval, launches the Greenfleet Project to improve the environmental performance of commercial fleets and significantly curb global warming emissions. All the major fleet management companies follow with their own “green” offerings and in 2010, another fleet management company, Donlen, and EDF lead an industry-wide commitment to cut greenhouse gas emissions 20% by 2016.
2007
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Moving in with the Largest Company in the World
EDF becomes the only environmental group to open an office at Walmart’s headquarters in Bentonville, Arkto better leverage the market clout of the company. With 100,000 supplier companies, Walmart’s global supply chain offers the opportunity to create a competition for environmental innovation. First up, EDF helps design a packaging scorecard for suppliers that reduces packaging impacts in hundreds of consumer products.
2008
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Greening Portfolios
Following on EDF’s involvement in the acquisition of Texas utility TXU Energy by leading private equity firms KKR and TPG, where we negotiated the cancellation of eight planned dirty coal plants, KKR and EDF announce the "Green Portfolio" Partnership. National media outlets cite the partnership as a significant step in incorporating environmental performance into PE firm portolio company management. By 2009, the project reports total savings of $160 million in operating costs as well as 345,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions, 8,500 tons of paper, and 1.2 million tons of waste in just two years (cumulative).
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Embedding Energy Efficiency into Corporate America
EDF launches the EDF Climate Corps summer internship program. Over its first three years, the program identifies energy efficiency projects with the potential to saves host companies $440 million in net operational costs, cut enough energy to power 85,000 homes, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 550,000 tons per year. About 70 companies have participated to date, including Cisco, Dell, HP, AT&T, Intuit, eBay, Target, Verizon, Xerox and many others.
2009
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Launching the Innovation Exchange
Environmental Defense Fund launches the Innovation Exchange, an online resource that allows businesses to quickly identify and share ways to improve their environmental performance and reduce costs. As part of the Innovation Exchange, EDF creates the Solutions Labs to explore approaches for transforming business practices and creating new environmental opportunities.
2010
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Investing in the Environment
Carlyle and EDF announce a new collaboration and the launch of EcoValuScreen – a pioneering environmental due diligence screen that systematically incorporates environmental opportunities to improve operations and create value into the early stages of the investment process. The screen is to be used by Carlyle’s U.S. and European buyout funds to more effectively evaluate target company operations, identify the most promising environmental management opportunities, and incorporate them into the post-investment management plans.
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Reducing Carbon and Energy Use
In conjunction with EDF, Walmart announces a goal to eliminate 20 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions from its global supply chain by the end of 2015. This represents one and a half times the company's estimated global carbon footprint growth over the next five years. The duo also launch an initiative to install next generation solar technology at 30 Walmart sites, with an eye to expanding solar power over time.
