ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Responsible stewardship in both word and deed

At Knipper Health, we understand the importance of protecting the environment, whether that is recycling, conserving water, or reducing our dependence on fossil fuels through alternative energy sources.

Environmental protection is the third pillar of sustainability and to Knipper Health, an important facet of our corporate culture. We empower our employees to have a positive impact on the environment and we leverage new technologies to drive a greener future for our business and our communities.

In 2008, Knipper Health launched its “Environmental Sustainability Committee (ESC)” to further develop and implement a corporate environmental strategy, innovate, and create value. The success of that committee is marked by the following achievements:

• A company-wide recycling program resulting in an 80% reduction of landfill waste.
• Eliminating annual use of 120,000 disposable Styrofoam cups and lids by replacing them with reusable coffee mugs and water bottles.
• The switching of packaging void fill to a recyclable product containing 20-50 percent less resin, 10% recycled content and a special bio additive that promotes microbial biodegradation in landfills.
• The installation of a water monitoring system saving an estimated 1 million gallons of water.
• Cultivating an environmental culture in our company through employee education and involvement.

Perhaps our most aggressive green initiative has been a massive solar energy project to help power our 3 east coast facilities. In February of 2011, Knipper Health went live with solar panels installed on the roof of its corporate headquarters and in June 2011, with solar panels located on the roof of its product distribution center in Lakewood. Overall, this project reduces Knipper Health’s annual CO₂ emissions output by more than 400 tons.