Procter & Gamble (P&G) is one of the world’s largest consumer products companies, with a diverse portfolio of 86 brands and manufacturing and distribution facilities across the globe. Founded in 1837 and headquartered in Cincinnati, OH, P&G continues to be a leader in innovation and sustainability. In 2016, the company ranked 34th on the Fortune 500 with revenues exceeding $78 billion.

Project Objectives & Challenges

P&G is committed to corporate sustainability and has set ambitious goals to reduce its environmental footprint while enhancing operational efficiency. Key challenges included:

• Reducing energy consumption in alignment with corporate sustainability goals
• Lowering carbon emissions across global manufacturing facilities
• Mitigating rising energy and maintenance costs
• Ensuring adequate lighting levels in manufacturing and distribution environments
• Replacing outdated lighting technologies
• Implementing energy control measures to optimize efficiency

Sustainability Strategy & Implementation

As part of its five-year sustainability plan, P&G established aggressive targets to decrease:

• CO2 emissions
• Energy consumption
• Water usage
• Disposal waste

Two years into the initiative, P&G recognized significant progress and increased its sustainability goals. Strategy 2, which focuses on reducing environmental impact across operations, aims to achieve a 50% reduction in these key areas over a decade.

To accelerate its progress, P&G partnered with Woodstone Energy, an Energy Services Company (ESCO), to implement comprehensive energy reduction measures across multiple facilities. Stones River Electric was selected as the installation partner for all lighting retrofits, ensuring efficiency and high-quality implementation.

Results & Impact

To date, the initiative has been successfully implemented in 17 manufacturing plants, covering diverse product categories such as:

• Paper Products
• Cleaning & Household Items
• Pharmaceuticals
• Pringles Production

CO2 Emission Reduction

10,000 metric tons (a major step toward the 20% reduction goal)

Total Energy Savings

Over $7.3 million

Average Payback Period

2 years, ensuring a strong financial impact in the short term while delivering long-term energy efficiency benefits

Technology & Equipment

For the lighting retrofits, Accendo Lighting supplied advanced, Made in America fixtures and lighting control systems. This high-efficiency product line provided extended warranties and improved performance across all 17 plants, further enhancing energy savings and operational reliability.

Conclusion

Through a strategic partnership with Woodstone Energy and Stones River Electric, Procter & Gamble has made significant progress in its sustainability commitments. By leveraging innovative energy solutions and advanced lighting technologies, P&G continues to drive cost savings, operational efficiency, and environmental responsibility across its manufacturing footprint.

This project demonstrates how a holistic, well-executed energy strategy can yield substantial financial returns while aligning with corporate sustainability goals.