DALLAS, Oct. 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Kimberly-Clark earned the SmartWay^® Excellence Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for leadership in environmentally responsible shipping as well as two prestigious Ethical Corporation Responsible Business Awards for its social impact programs, With U She Can and Toilets Change Lives.

The 2019 SmartWay Excellence Award marks the tenth time Kimberly-Clark has been ranked amongst the top 2% of all SmartWay shippers who meet or exceed the emissions and carrier selection standards EPA outlines for clean, efficient transportation. The company announced in July that it had exceeded its global GHG reduction goals four years early and would double its goals by 2022.

SmartWay high performers are also evaluated by their integration of freight into their sustainability outreach, planning and progress. Kimberly-Clark's commitment to enlisting their extensive network of carriers into the EPA program has been a hallmark of the company's efforts and environmental impact.

"We are committed to using our leadership position to bring other carriers into our sustainability journey because these standards have an incredible impact on air quality and our carbon footprint," said Scott DeGroot, vice president of transportation for Kimberly-Clark. "By implementing SmartWay standards over the past decade, Kimberly-Clark has saved more than 100 million gallons of diesel fuel and reduced greenhouse gas emission by an estimated 1 million tons."

The company's social impact programs are also yielding benefits for millions of people in need. The company was selected from more than 90 finalists for the Ethical Corporation Responsible Business awards, which recognize leadership in the movement towards a sustainable future.

With U She Can, the signature program of Kimberly-Clark's U by Kotex® brand designed to provide period products to women in need, received Ethical Corporation's Community Impact Award. U by Kotex® joined forces with the National Diaper Bank Network in May 2018 to form the Alliance for Period Supplies. As the organization's founding sponsor, U by Kotex® reached out to retail partners to conduct buy-donate programs and dramatically increase donations. By May of 2019, U by Kotex® donated products and retailer donations reached 17 million products.

Kimberly-Clark's Toilets Change Lives platform was also recognized by Ethical Corporation for Sustainable Development Goal Impact. The company's flagship multi-national program funds work to improve access to sanitation. Through partnerships between its well-known brands like Andrex, Scott, Baby Soft, Suave, and global NGOs like Water For People and WaterAid, Kimberly-Clark is creating consumer engagement in the global sanitation crisis while supporting sanitation education, advocacy, and programs to build toilets, impacting more than 1.5 million people around the world.

Kimberly-Clark was also shortlisted for two additional awards: Circular Innovation and Clean Energy Transition. Between the four shortlists and two wins, Kimberly-Clark was the most recognized company in 2019 by the Ethical Corporation Responsible Business Awards.

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 No. 1 or No. 2 share positions in 80 countries. We use sustainable practices that support a healthy planet, build strong 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 147-year history of innovation, visit kimberly-clark.com or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

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SOURCE Kimberly-Clark