Seventh Generation Launches Climate Fingerprint Report & Framework

Report takes a big-picture approach to measuring climate impact and holding corporations accountable in driving meaningful industry change

BURLINGTON, Vt., Sept. 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Recognizing that traditional CSR reporting is incomplete, out of date and does not fully account for business decisions that have significant impact on the climate crisis, leading household and personal care company and green products pioneer Seventh Generation today launched its Climate Fingerprints report, outlining a new framework and approach to comprehensively measuring climate impact.

"Businesses continue to churn out the same commitments and climate reports that do not meet the urgency of the moment," said Alison Whritenour, Chief Executive Officer, Seventh Generation. "Historical approaches to climate reporting, including our own, have missed the broader picture and we are proud to usher in the next generation of climate leadership through the launch of the Climate Fingerprint framework."

In 2004, Seventh Generation pioneered radical transparency in CSR reporting with the launch of its first Corporate Consciousness Report. The 2021 Climate Fingerprints report marks the next evolution in the company's leadership, introducing a groundbreaking methodology that will serve as a guidepost for where Seventh Generation focuses its next level of corporate action and, with the help of partners and other industry players, drive meaningful change. The Climate Fingerprints framework goes above and beyond individual business operations to factor in the impact of all areas where the company has influence and invests resources, including banking, marketing, insurance, investments, advocacy, philanthropy, tax dollars and corporate governance, for the betterment of society and the world we live. Simply put, this approach acknowledges the impact that corporate cash has on supporting the fossil fuel industry and follows the money to understand how to better drive change and measure Seventh Generation's impact on the environment beyond our traditional metrics.

"Every dollar a company spends can either support an economic system that extends our dependence on fossil fuels, while destabilizing the climate, or can help to speed the transition to a just renewable energy economy," said Ashley Orgain, Chief Impact Officer, Seventh Generation.  "Just like our products, each of these systems comes with a price paid in atmospheric carbon. Understanding it is perhaps the final frontier in our quest to be a "real zero" business. We consider this report a summons to arms and a call to action."

Report highlights include:

• Progress against our 2030 Science Based Target: Reduce absolute greenhouse gas emissions 90% from 2012 base year
• Our ambition and target to convert all Seventh Generation manufacturing partners and vendors to renewable energy and green power.
• A methodology developed by the Carbon Bankroll Initiative to calculate the financed emissions of Seventh Generation's cash, approximately =9,700 MT/CO2e

Determining the climate impact of the suite of ancillary services businesses procure does not come with a comprehensive roadmap. Fortunately, there are efforts underway to tackle parts of this puzzle. Seventh Generation consulted experts working in this space, including The Outdoor Policy Outfit, Project Drawdown, The Sunrise Project and Clean Creatives, and drew from their collective brainpower to create an evaluation methodology that includes quantitative and qualitative elements.

The company's Climate Fingerprints report also uses a strong equity lens, centering communities who have been adversely impacted the most and longest by the climate crisis. Seventh Generation's  strategies and action plans will be developed through a just and equitable lens, using the Climate Fingerprint approach as the foundation.

For more information on the Climate Fingerprint framework and Seventh Generation's progress to-date, please visit: Seventh Generation 2021 Fingerprints Report.

About Seventh Generation
For more than 30 years, it's been Seventh Generation's mission to help you protect your world with our environmentally conscious and effective household products. Our products are solutions for the air, surfaces, fabrics, pets and people within your home -- and for the community and environment outside of it. Seventh Generation offers a full line of laundry, dish and household cleaners, baby products including Free & Clear diapers, training pants and baby wipes, plus recycled paper products and recycled plastic trash bags and personal care products. The company derives its name from the Great Law of the Iroquois Confederacy that states, "In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations." For information on Seventh Generation products and mission visit www.seventhgeneration.com.

SOURCE Seventh Generation