The Clorox Company Announces Multi-Year Investment in Environmental Justice through Partnerships with City Parks
The Healthy Parks Project kicks off on Earth Day with an initial $200,000 commitment to Oakland Parks and Recreation Foundation; more cities to follow
OAKLAND, Calif., April 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Clorox Company (NYSE: CLX) today announced the launch of a new initiative to advance environmental justice through investment in community parks to help provide better access to green spaces among underserved communities. The Healthy Parks Project aligns the company's purpose to champion people to be well and thrive every single day with its commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. In the project's first year, Clorox will support parks organizations, with grants totaling more than $300,000, where it has large employee bases – starting in Oakland, California – benefiting the health of local communities.
"The critical issue of environmental justice bridges our ESG commitments to healthy lives, a clean world and thriving communities," said Chief People & Corporate Affairs Officer Kirsten Marriner. "Communities thrive when people have access to green spaces, yet many neighborhoods have historically not had access to this critical resource. We want all people to have equal access to beautiful and healthy parks."
To launch the Healthy Parks Project, Clorox is donating $200,000 to the Oakland Parks and Recreation Foundation in its hometown to support the improvement of parks in West Oakland, a neighborhood disproportionately impacted by poor health outcomes, according to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and the West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project. The donation will support historic DeFremery Park in particular, with specific projects identified through engagement with the local community and consultation with the City of Oakland. Clorox will donate another $100,000 this year to additional locations near its facilities and teammates.
To amplify the impact of the partnership, Clorox teammates will be able to personally support the initiative through volunteer events and online education about environmental justice. And Clorox teammates in the U.S. and Canada will also receive $25 each to donate to an environmental justice nonprofit of their choice through the company's employee giving program.
This environmental justice initiative is an illustration of the company's focus on the interconnectedness of environmental and social sustainability and in creating multi-stakeholder value.
The Positive Impact of Parks
Nearly 100 million people in the US, including 28 million children, don't have park access within a 10-minute walk of home, and in Oakland alone, residents in low-income neighborhoods have access to 78% less park space compared to high-income neighborhoods(1). Research suggests that urban built environments, including parks and other green spaces, might shape opportunities for physical activity, affecting development of obesity and other health outcomes, and that parks were more likely to encourage physical activity if they were perceived as aesthetically pleasing(2). Through the Healthy Parks Project, Clorox is committed to improving park spaces so that people can feel safe and thrive in the local parks accessible to them.
"We applaud Clorox's commitment to advancing environmental justice through the Healthy Parks Project and welcome this meaningful investment in West Oakland's parks and people," said Oakland Parks and Recreation Foundation Executive Director Terra Cole Brown. "This new partnership shows how corporate, community and government stakeholders can work together toward improving park access and utilization citywide."
Supporting Thriving Communities
Clorox and its portfolio of brands have a long-standing legacy of giving back through nonprofit partnerships and community involvement, including supporting Oakland, where it is headquartered and all of the communities where it has teammates. On a national and international level, the company has partnerships with the American Red Cross, Direct Relief, Americares and other organizations with an emphasis on underresourced communities. Additionally, The Healthy Parks Project is an extension of The Clorox Company Foundation's focus on health security, racial justice and the belief that health and wellness is a basic human right.
About The Clorox Company
The Clorox Company (NYSE: CLX) is a leading multinational manufacturer and marketer of consumer and professional products with about 9,000 employees worldwide and fiscal year 2021 sales of $7.3 billion. Clorox markets some of the most trusted and recognized consumer brand names, including its namesake bleach and cleaning products; Pine-Sol® cleaners; Liquid-Plumr® clog removers; Poett® home care products; Fresh Step® cat litter; Glad® bags and wraps; Kingsford® grilling products; Hidden Valley® dressings and sauces; Brita® water-filtration products; Burt's Bees® natural personal care products; and RenewLife®, Rainbow Light®, Natural Vitality CALM™, and NeoCell® vitamins, minerals and supplements. The company also markets industry-leading products and technologies for professional customers, including those sold under the CloroxPro™ and Clorox Healthcare® brand names. More than 80% of the company's sales are generated from brands that hold the No. 1 or No. 2 market share positions in their categories.
Clorox is a signatory of the United Nations Global Compact and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's New Plastics Economy Global Commitment. The company has been broadly recognized for its corporate responsibility efforts, included on the Barron's 2021 100 Most Sustainable Companies list, 2021 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index, the Human Rights Campaign's 2021 Corporate Equality Index and the 2021 Parity.org Best Places for Women to Advance list, among others. In support of its communities, The Clorox Company brands and its foundation contributed about $20 million in combined cash grants, product donations and cause marketing in fiscal year 2021. For more information, visit TheCloroxCompany.com and follow the company on Twitter at @CloroxCo.
About the Clorox Company Foundation
Founded in 1980, The Clorox Company Foundation has a mission to foster healthy and inclusive communities so people can be well and thrive. Since its inception, the foundation has awarded cash grants totaling nearly $130 million to nonprofit organizations.
About the Oakland Parks and Recreation Foundation
The Oakland Parks and Recreation Foundation (OPRF) is a trusted facilitator and convening partner that enables parks policy development, investment and community ownership. Led by a skilled staff and board, OPRF draws on 40 years of experience creating public-private partnerships with local government, community organizations and financial sponsors to increase equitable access to parks and recreational opportunities for Oakland residents. For more information, visit oaklandparks.org.
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2 NIH National Library of Medicine
SOURCE The Clorox Company
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