DALLAS, March 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Kimberly-Clark Corporation today announced it has won a 2018 Climate Leadership Award for Excellence in the Greenhouse Gas Management (Goal Setting) category, the company's second Climate Leadership Award in two years.

The Climate Leadership Award is presented by the Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions and The Climate Registry, and celebrates organizations that set and achieve aggressive greenhouse gas reduction goals.

In a separate event earlier this week, Kimberly-Clark also was honored with a Smart Energy Decisions Innovation Award for its programs focused on creating a culture of energy conservation at its manufacturing sites. The Smart Energy Decisions Innovation Award recognizes the use of innovative technologies and progressive practices among large electric power users.

These two new national awards underscore Kimberly-Clark's progress toward its energy and climate goals. The company's Sustainability 2022 strategy calls for a 20 percent reduction of absolute greenhouse gas emissions by 2022 (from 2005 levels) to be achieved through reduced energy consumption, greater efficiency and the increased use of alternative and renewable energy sources.

The company expects to achieve more than a 25 percent reduction in GHG emissions in 2018, four years ahead of the original 2022 target. This follows the start-up of two significant renewable energy projects announced last year in Texas and Oklahoma.

"We are honored to be recognized with these two prestigious awards, and especially proud to receive our second Climate Leadership Award for our work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions," said Lisa Morden, global head of sustainability at Kimberly-Clark. "These awards represent the hard work of our employees on energy conservation and alternative energy programs."

Major components of the company's ongoing Energy and Climate program include:

• Energy management programs, which engages employees in monitoring and reducing energy consumption at Kimberly-Clark's manufacturing sites globally.
• Agreements to purchase approximately 245 megawatts of electricity from two wind power projects in Texas and Oklahoma, equivalent to about one-third of the electricity needs of Kimberly-Clark's North American manufacturing operations.
• Six large-scale electricity cogeneration facilities with waste heat recovery, including two projects under construction at the company's Mobile, Alabama and Puenta Piedra, Peru manufacturing facilities (both due to start-up in 2019).
• Four biomass thermal energy generating plants that provide steam for the company's tissue operations.
• More than 350 energy initiatives completed by the company across its operations since 2015.

Through these initiatives and others, Kimberly-Clark has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 970,000 metric tons since 2005, equivalent to over 2 billion miles driven by an average passenger vehicle.ⁱ

Learn more about our Sustainability 2022 strategy, and read stories about our programs, at sustainability2022.com.

About Kimberly-Clark
Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB) and its trusted brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 175 countries. Fueled by ingenuity, creativity, and an understanding of people's most essential needs, we create products that help individuals experience more of what's important to them. Our portfolio of brands, including Huggies, Kleenex, Scott, Kotex, Cottonelle, Poise, Depend, Andrex, Pull-Ups, GoodNites, Intimus, Neve, Plenitud, Viva and WypAll, hold the No. 1 or No. 2 share position in 80 countries. We use sustainable practices that support a healthy planet, build stronger communities, and ensure our business thrives for decades to come. To keep up with the latest news and to learn more about the company's 146-year history of innovation, visit kimberly-clark.com or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

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ⁱ According to US EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies calculations.

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SOURCE Kimberly-Clark Corporation