Business Transformation and the Circular Economy: KIMBERLY-CLARK

Kimberly-Clark’s disposable and hard-to-recycle products were increasingly at odds with the sustainability goals of many of its customers, who expressed a need for products that did not conflict with their zero waste-to-landfill goals. In 2011, the company launched the RightCycle® initiative with the aim of converting hard-to-recycle products—such as nitrile gloves and single-use apparel—into useful new items. Kimberly-Clark works with customers across more than 200 sites around the world and has grown from recycling just under two tons of material in 2011 to 130 tons in 2016.