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Product Stewardship/Earthwards ®
Our Approach
At Johnson & Johnson, sustainability and innovation go hand in hand, as seen through Earthwards®, our approach for encouraging the development of more sustainable products. By fully integrating sustainable design solutions into our product innovation processes, the Earthwards® approach helps make our products better for the places we live and the billions of people who call our planet home.
The Earthwards® approach is a four-part process that starts with making sure that every product satisfies regulatory compliance and delivers on Johnson & Johnson’s high standards. To ensure our products meet environmental, health and safety prerequisites, every product team must answer the following questions:
- What materials are we using?
- Where do they come from?
- What happens to the product after it’s used?
Life Cycle Assessments
Next, we look at each stage of a product’s life cycle—from formulation and manufacturing, to product use and end-of-life—to find opportunities to drive improvements throughout a product’s development. By focusing on the life cycle areas with the highest potential impact, we can prioritize improvements for the largest possible effect.
Earthwards® In Action
Earthwards® recognition is an honor reserved for our most broadly improved products. When a product achieves at least three significant improvements across our seven impact areas, a board of external experts determines if it warrants Earthwards® recognition. Watch this video to learn more.
Example Product Recognitions
The Expedium Verse® spinal system’s innovative design led to a reduction of instruments needed per procedure when compared to competitors. It also led to a reduction in energy and water used to sterilize and disinfect instruments by more than 70%, while also helping create time and cost efficiency in the operating room.
Pharmaceutical product etravirine is a prescription HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) medicine that is used with other HIV medicines to treat HIV infection in adults and children 6 years of age and older. This is the first product from the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson that uses direct solvent reuse in the manufacturing process, and it saw a 74.8% reduction in both solvent material and waste from manufacturing.
Clean & Clear® Acne Triple Clear Bubble Foam Cleanser achieved a 31% reduction in primary packaging through use of a non-metal pump. The facial cleanser uses the innovative personal care ingredient Natrasurf®, developed by researchers at Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. using green chemistry techniques.
Our Goals
Earthwards® is an integral part of Johnson & Johnson’s Health for Humanity 2020 goals: New and existing products representing 20% of Johnson & Johnson revenue achieve Earthwards® recognition for sustainable innovation improvements.
Additional Resources
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