Disney announces 5-year goals to go green

The famed “House of Mouse” has just announced a new set of strategic environmental goals to reduce emissions as part of its 2008 Corporate Responsibility Report, focusing on waste, electricity and fuel use, as well as its impact on water and ecosystems. The report details the company’s approach to critical corporate responsibility issues ranging from charitable giving to nutrition and from online safety for kids to workplace diversity.

“Disney’s enhanced corporate responsibility efforts make our brands and products more attractive, strengthen our bonds with consumers, make the company a more desirable place to work and build goodwill in the communities we operate,” said Disney president and CEO Robert A. Iger. “All of this contributes to shareholder value.”

The 2008 Corporate Responsibility Report represents Disney’s latest efforts toward corporate social responsibility and reflects a company-wide effort to build an integrated, transparent strategy focused on serving the needs of the company’s primary stakeholders: consumers, employees, shareholders, business partners and the communities in which it works.

The publicly-available report (disney.com/crreport) provides a detailed look at the mega-company’s philosophy and activities in five areas:

• Children and Family—guiding principles, kids’ health and nutrition, creative practices, programming philosophies and marketing policies
• Content and Products—standards and practices, content diversity, product safety policies and parks accessibility and safety
• Environment—environmental initiatives, progress and long-term goals
• Community—charitable giving, VoluntEAR and community outreach updates
• Workplaces—employee diversity, benefits and international labor standards

The criteria outlined in the report intend to span across all Disney brands, including Disney Cruise Lines, Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland. The suite of reports highlights issues of importance to local communities at some of the company’s largest sites.

“While Disney has always been a leader in environmental stewardship, we are taking ambitious steps to help preserve our planet for future generations,” said Disney senior executive vice president and CFO Thomas O. Staggs.

Environmental Initiative
Building on 20 years of work by Disney’s environmental affairs department, the new goals and targets were formulated over the last two years by an Environmental Council of senior executives from across the company. Charged with developing and implementing sustainable strategies for Disney’s impact on the environment, as well as ways to use the company’s media reach to encourage positive action, the Council has taken a measured, scientific approach in analyzing company operations and crafting strategic objectives.

“We applaud Disney for its leadership in adopting these goals, especially at such a challenging time in the global economy,” said Peter Seligmann, chairman and CEO of Conservation International. “Disney’s vision underscores the continued interest in the environment among people worldwide and the growing recognition that environmental leadership can help revitalize the economy.” Conservation International provided advice to Disney on its new goals and targets.

The long-term environmental goals outlined in the report are:

• Zero waste
• Zero net direct greenhouse gas emissions from fuels
• Reduce indirect greenhouse gas emissions from electricity consumption
• Net positive impact on ecosystems
• Minimize water use
• Minimize product footprint
• Inform, empower and activate positive action for the environment

For more information, view the full report at www.disney.com/crreport.