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Colgate-Palmolive Company:

In Practice

1: Make Commitment

Allocating Funds to Achieve Continuous Energy Improvements

Colgate-Palmolive's capital expenditure budget (CEB) has executive support where they regularly communicate the expectation that each site will set aside a certain percentage of their capital expenditure budget for energy reduction projects each year.  Furthermore, the technical directors review and track the facilities' CEB to ensure that energy reduction projects are included and carried out.  The plant directors and managers also ensure that their facilities implement energy reduction projects and that annual energy reduction goals are set and met.  Lastly, the individual facility leadership teams also ensure the CEB money is allocated to energy projects by supporting the implementation of energy reduction projects.

5: Implement Action Plan

Supplier and Contract Manufacturing Outreach

Colgate-Palmolive has developed a communication strategy to engage suppliers and contract manufacturers in energy management.  In doing so, Colgate-Palmolive sends emails to their suppliers highlighting the benefits of its partnership with ENERGY STAR and encourages them to access the ENERGY STAR website to review the tools and resources available.  Additionally, Colgate-Palmolive has developed a presentation that the procurement professionals share with the suppliers and contract manufacturers during frequent informational meetings.  The presentation highlights the results Colgate-Palmolive has experienced from having an active energy program as well as the benefits of being an ENERGY STAR partner.

7: Recognize Achievements

Award Program for Site Achievements

Colgate-Palmolive Company began developing a framework for a global Energy Award program to recognize sites that have successfully achieved energy reductions over time.  During the evaluation they decided to utilize the ENERGY STAR Challenge for Industry goal setting and achievement tool as the company's internal award program globally; the Challenge for Industry recognizes sites that reduce their energy intensity by 10% within 5 years or less.  Utilizing the Challenge for Industry requirements as a basis, Colgate-Palmolive has also added a qualifier which requires a facility to show sustained energy improvements.  This means that a facility's year end source energy intensity must be a least as good as the two years prior.  For new facilities, three years of energy data are required in order to participate in the program.  Colgate-Palmolive provides a banner for the sites that achieve the ENERGY STAR Challenge for Industry.