Reinforcing a commitment to sustainability, employee development, corporate responsibility, and innovation
Downers Grove, IL – October 16, 2024 – PLZ Corp, North America’s largest independent specialty aerosol and liquid product manufacturer, today announced the release of its annual Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report, outlining the company’s strides in sustainability, product innovation, employee well-being and ethical business practices, as well as laying out goals for next year and beyond.
Over the last year, PLZ made significant advancements across its core business areas, including:
Sustainability Initiatives:
- Reduced scope 1 and scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 7%, equivalent to taking 502 gas-powered cars off the road
- Diverted nearly two million pounds of hazardous waste from landfills to beneficial reuse
- Continued working toward its goal of a 15% reduction in emissions related to energy consumption per unit of product produced by 2025
Product Innovation and Recycling:
- Increased the use of recycled materials in aerosol packaging to 25%, and incorporated 25% post-consumer recycled plastic into glass cleaner bottles
- Introduced bottles for glass cleaner in 2023 that utilize 25% post-consumer recycled plastic, while suppliers also provided corrugated packaging containing about 40% post-consumer recycled materials
- Reformulated 42 products to eliminate perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from products to align with current and upcoming regulations
Employee Health and Safety:
- Lowered Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) by 30% this year, a better than industry average injury rate
- Delivered online health and safety training to 100% of employees
- Invested in an EHS data management system to further enhance visibility into safety performance in the future
Supply Chain Responsibility and Consolidation:
- Implemented the EcoVadis rating, a third-party sustainability rating program, to improve supplier ESG performance, targeting 25% of direct material spend with EcoVadis-participating providers
- Committed 80% of PLZ’s supplier spend “in region,” to minimize shipping costs and reduce carbon footprint
“We are incredibly proud of the ESG progress we made last year, not only in terms of sustainability and operational efficiency, but also in how we support and engage our employees, partners, and communities,” said Brett Finley, CEO at PLZ Corp. “Looking ahead, we remain focused on building on this momentum and setting even more ambitious goals to enhance our environmental and social impact.”
About PLZ Corp
PLZ Corp is the North American leader in specialty aerosol and liquid product manufacturing. The PLZ family of companies specializes in the development, manufacturing, packaging and distribution of a comprehensive line of contract fill, branded and private-label products. PLZ formulates, blends, fills and packages more than 2,500 branded and private-label products including personal care products, cleaners and polishes, industrial solvents, lubricants and degreasers, adhesives, sanitary supply disinfectants, insecticides and air fresheners for home and industrial use. For more information, visit www.plzcorp.com.
About Pritzker Private Capital
Pritzker Private Capital partners with middle-market companies based in North America with leading positions in the manufactured products and services sectors. The firm’s differentiated, long-duration capital base allows for efficient decision-making, broad flexibility with transaction structure and investment horizon, and alignment with all stakeholders. Pritzker Private Capital builds businesses for the long term and is an ideal partner for entrepreneur-and family-owned companies. Pritzker Private Capital is a signatory to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI). For more information, visit www.ppcpartners.com.