ROSWELL, Ga., April 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Kimberly-Clark Professional* today announced the company now holds the largest portfolio of Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC) certified towel and tissue products in North America.

Nearly 97 percent of Kimberly-Clark Professional tissue and towel products in North America are Chain-of-Custody certified to standards set by the FSC, which is an independent nonprofit organization. FSC protects forests for future generations through third-party certification and product labeling. This ensures forest products come from sources that are responsibly managed, with consideration for people, wildlife and the environment.

"Kimberly-Clark Professional is leading the towel and tissue industry to a more sustainable future," said Corey Brinkema, President, FSC-US. "With their commitment to FSC-certified products, Kimberly-Clark Professional is demonstrating the importance of including responsible forest management in any comprehensive environmental strategy."

The majority of Kimberly-Clark Professional towel and tissue products in North America are also EcoLogo® and/or Green Seal™ certified and meet EPA standards for minimum post-consumer waste content. These independent certifications help customers identify and select more sustainable products that align with their values and goals. The EcoLogo program is one of North America's most respected environmental leadership certification programs. To earn the EcoLogo mark, tissue products must demonstrate significantly reduced environmental impact among five key life cycle based criteria: resource consumption, energy consumption, wastewater quality, aquatic toxicity and solid waste. Green Seal is widely recognized by a variety of industries throughout the United States and Canada for developing life cycle based sustainability standards that empower consumers, purchasers and companies to create a more sustainable world.

These certifications help support the recently launched Sustainability 2015, Kimberly-Clark Corporation's most ambitious and comprehensive sustainability program to date. For 15 years the company has been setting and working toward environmental improvement goals. One of the goals laid out in the program is that by 2015, 100% of the company's fiber will come from certified suppliers. Other goals include aggressive reduction targets in water use, greenhouse gas emissions and manufacturing waste sent to landfill. For further information visit the sustainability section of www.kimberly-clark.com.

"Celebrating Earth Day 2012 by continuing to support well-managed forests will benefit wildlife and neighboring communities for generations," said Richard Marriott, North American Sustainability Leader, Kimberly-Clark Professional. "Offering the largest portfolio of FSC certified towel and tissue products, along with our other sustainability initiatives adds tremendous value for our customers and supports our commitment to protect our planet."

"Our Reduce Today, Respect Tomorrow approach to sustainability helps our customers and users support a safer and healthier planet for everyone," said Howard Connell, Global Sustainability Leader at Kimberly-Clark Professional. "This is one of the many ways we partner with businesses to create Exceptional Workplaces for their employees and patrons, making them safer, healthier, and more productive."

Kimberly-Clark Professional recently introduced the MOD* Dispensing System, the newest addition to the company's list of sustainable products.  The MOD Dispensing System offers the highest-capacity hard roll towel system on the market with a "power-assist" setting that delivers the longest battery life available today. This unique hand towel system can be modified to meet a facility's specific hand-drying needs, thereby reducing excess waste. The MOD Dispensing System was designed to reduce consumption across the entire product life cycle, further reflecting the Kimberly-Clark Professional Reduce Today, Respect Tomorrow* approach to sustainability.

For more information on the MOD Dispensing System and a complete listing of FSC and EcoLogo certified products, view the Hand Hygiene & Tissue catalog at www.kcprofessional.com.

To learn more about Reduce Today, Respect Tomorrow, visit www.kcpreducetoday.com/us.

About Kimberly-Clark Professional
Kimberly-Clark Professional partners with businesses to create Exceptional Workplaces for their employees and patrons. Kimberly-Clark Professional helps transform workplaces making them safer, healthier, and more productive. Key brands in this segment include: Kleenex, Scott, WypAll, Kimtech, and Jackson Safety. Kimberly-Clark Professional, located in Roswell, Ga., is one of Kimberly-Clark Corporation's four business segments and can be visited on the web at www.kcprofessional.com.

About Kimberly-Clark
Kimberly-Clark and its well-known global brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 175 countries. Every day, nearly a quarter of the world's population trust K-C's brands and the solutions they provide to enhance their health, hygiene and well-being. With brands such as Kleenex, Scott, Huggies, Pull-Ups, Kotex and Depend, Kimberly-Clark holds the No. 1 or No. 2 share position in more than 80 countries. To keep up with the latest K-C news and to learn more about the company's 140-year history of innovation, visit www.kimberly-clark.com.

SOURCE Kimberly-Clark Professional*