Environment

How We Minimize our Impact by Saving Energy

In our operations, American Licorice has reduced direct emissions from gas by 25% and indirect emissions from electricity by 37% over the past 5 years, the equivalent of taking 692 cars off the road.  In fact, we’ve taken more than one car off the road for every associate we employ.

• Each year we take another 45 cars off the road through energy efficiency and support of alternative energy sources.
• We reduce our footprint by reducing commuting.  We provide rewards for employees who use alternative means of transportation.  We saved 184K miles over the past 12 months or approximately 9,200 gallons of gas, avoiding the release of 184K pounds of carbon (equivalent to taking 15.3 cars off the road).  Read more about our Commuting Incentive Program here.
• We offset our energy use by supporting renewable energy.  In 2010, American Licorice’s Bend Oregon office supported 223,200 kw hours of renewable energy through the Blue Sky Program, avoiding the release of 271K pounds of carbon dioxide (equivalent to taking 27 cars off the road).
• We’re saving more energy by investing in server virtualization technology – we’re eliminating another 3 cars from the road each year (Source:  CDW, 2010).
• We’ve saved energy by using rail instead of trucking to transport products between our manufacturing facilities.  The HubGroup estimates that we saved 65-68% of our emissions from interplant transport by using rail.
• We also reduced emissions on a per pound basis in 2010 vs. 2009, by 3%.  Efficiencies in manufacturing technology and high efficiency lighting in our plants and offices have enabled us to reduce scope one and scope two carbon emissions.
• In 2011, we’re reporting to the Carbon Disclosure Project.

See our summary of scope one and two carbon emissions by clicking here.

Reducing, Reusing, and Recycling Waste:  At our Union City, California plant, we divert most of our waste (405 tons) from the landfill

• American Licorice supports recycling of packaging, scrap metal, paper, glass, plastic, and e-waste in every location. We’ve collected 13,000 pounds of clothing through employee contributions, which in addition helping the community also reduces waste by recycling!
• American Licorice has reduced candy waste by 57% over 4 years. Most candy waste is reused as animal feed (over 1.7 million pounds in 2010).
• American Licorice has received the Waste Reduction Award in California (the WRAP award) every year since 2002 for our efforts in reducing, reusing, and recycling our waste.
• We’re working on obtaining similar results in our LaPorte, Indiana manufacturing facility as we’ve had in Union City, California.

How We Will Continue to Reduce Our Environmental Impact

• Measure greenhouse gas emissions. Target a 10% reduction in 2010 greenhouse gas emissions (from manufacturing) per pound produced by 2015.
• Greenhouse gas emissions also result from transporting our products to retailers.  We will work on collecting information to track our impact and continue to find opportunities to become more efficient (such as using rail), in our supply chain.
• Measure waste generation.  Work toward zero waste in Union City, California  by 2016.
• Measure how we use water and set water use goals.
• Implement responsible sourcing practices.  American Licorice’s supply sourcing expectations can be found here.

We ‘ve been honored by our communities!

• We were named one of the 100 Best Green Companies to work for in Oregon in 2010:  Recipients of the award are selected based on a Sustainable Business Practices survey completed by over 26,000 employees from 505 companies.
• Our LaPorte manufacturing facility received the Recognition of Service Excellence for our efforts in recycling.
• In addition to receiving the WRAP award for 8 straight years, Union City won the Best Green Business Award for our efforts in waste reduction and energy efficiency.

Ernie D, Rhonda A, Alicia P, Joaquin A, Jennifer F, Ed S, and Mike Y accept the Green Business Award in Union City