Responsibility

Five steps we take.

Every day, we work to create more value, using fewer resources than the day before. We do it by managing our resources in a way that benefits our customers, employees, partners, community members and society with a philosophy of mutual benefit. With more than 300 manufacturing sites across the United States, we’re one of America’s largest manufacturers. To stay in business for the long term, we must constantly improve and innovate – both in the products we make and how we make them.

Reducing Waste

Ninety-three percent. A total of 556 million pounds. That’s how much of the production-related waste (PRW) our reporting facilities recycled, recovered for energy or treated in 2017. In the last four years, we've reduced our production-related waste footprint by 14%. It’s a commitment reflected in the latest Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) TRI National Analysis Report. And we’re nowhere near done yet.

Energy Capture | Georgia-Pacific

With a recent $388 million upgrade, our Brewton, Alabama, mill can now generate its own energy using natural gas and biofuel residuals captured during the paper-making process.

Saving Energy

We’ve invested more than $600 million, and years of hard work into energy saving initiatives, and we'll continue to do so. In fact, over the last five years we’ve saved enough energy to power 360,000 households for an entire year. As an active partner and leader in the industry, we were recognized as Energy Star Partner of the Year in 2017.

Performance Glass | Guardian Industries

This bivouac on Skuta Mountain in the Slovenian Alps relies on our glass for superior thermal insulation and solar control performance under extreme conditions.

Recycling Resources

Each of our companies promotes effective resource management and recycling throughout their operations. For example, paper recovery and recycling is a big priority for us. In 2017, one of our companies, Georgia-Pacific, used approximately 2.5 million tons of recovered paper and paperboard. GP Harmon Recycling is one of the world’s largest buyers and sellers of wastepaper.

Sustainable Sourcing | Georgia-Pacific

Our fiber sourcing practices are certified to the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI) Fiber Sourcing Standard.

Preventing Pollution

Every year since 2012, Koch has been named the Environmental Protection Agency’s either first- or second-ranked company for pollution prevention initiatives. Since 2012, we implemented more than 1,000 pollution prevention activities – practices that reduce the amount of materials entering the waste stream, including changes in the design, manufacturing process, purchase or use of materials. At just one of our businesses, this has resulted in nearly a 60% reduction in sulfur dioxide emission.

Emissions Control | John Zink Hamworthy Combustion

We test and design flare technologies to combust flammable gasses or liquids, reducing emissions responsibly in emergency conditions. We provide this service to companies worldwide.

Community Partnerships

We’re all about making life, including wildlife, better. Thirteen Koch sites, comprising 311,000 acres, have earned Wildlife Habitat Council Certification for commitment to habitat conservation and environmental education. This is just one of the many ways we’re partnering with our communities for positive change.

Protecting Wetlands | Flint Hills Resources

Over the past three decades, we’ve contributed more than $750,000 to Ducks Unlimited for restoring wildlife habitats across Minnesota.