BRIEF DESCRIPTION:

• SCA Americas is part of SCA, a global consumer goods and paper company that develops, produces and markets personal care products, tissue, packaging solutions, publication papers and solid-wood products. SCA Americas operates in Canada, USA, Mexico and South America manufacturing a variety of tissue, personal care and specialty packaging products with 11,000 employees and a turnover of $2billion.
• The SCA Americas Headquarters is located in the Cira Centre, 2929 Arch Street, Philadelphia. In January 2006, we relocated 150 employees from our office of 11 years in Eddystone, Delaware County to Center City.
• SCA’s relocation was the driver and catalyst for developing our sustainability activities. It was a great opportunity to make the Greater Philadelphia community aware of SCA, to share our company values of ‘Responsibility, Excellence & Respect’ and demonstrate why sustainability is so important to our business.
• SCA has a history of being environmentally aware and being driven by sustainability matters. We are a Global Top 100 Sustainable Company, our 2005 Corporate Environmental & Social Report won best sustainability report in Sweden and a 2006 World Wildlife Fund survey scored SCA higher in their environmental ratings than other leading tissue manufacturers.

 

Sustainability Narrative & RESULTS:

• SCA Americas made a conscientious effort to relocate to Center City Philadelphia in a sustainable manner, to contribute to the non-profit community of Greater Philadelphia and to educate interested parties about its sustainable business activities.
• Since January 2006, SCA has privately funded an award winning LEED-CI Gold Certified Office project (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design for Commercial Interiors), inviting many interested parties into its office space to view and learn about the green thinking behind the project, giving over 20 tours to over 800 people. SCA has made numerous donations to local community organizations, charities and non-profits as well as actual involvement in a variety of charitable events. SCA has strived to achieve excellence in their environmental performance and goes out of their way to educate, encourage and inform others of how they can achieve similar results.
• The SCA Americas Headquarters is one of the first nationally recognized projects using the LEED C-I Version 2.0 Rating System. The Headquarters is the largest space in Pennsylvania to receive LEED-CI Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council and of the 26 tenants in the Cira Centre, SCA is the first to achieve LEED certification.

 

Aggressive Alternative Transportation Plan

• 95% of employees drove to our previous office. An alternative transportation plan was implemented, firstly providing compensation for mass transit travel for all relocating employees, 95% of employees now use mass transit, removing some 140 cars from the road on a daily basis.
• We recently donated a parking space under 30th Street Station to PhillyCarShare. We are now encouraging Cira Centre tenants to join PCS and Brandywine Realty to provide additional pod spaces.
• We installed a shower room in our office space, which encourages a number of employees to cycle to work, several travel along the Schuylkill River from Valley Forge.

 

Clean Energy/Energy Efficiency

• SCA signed a 2 year contract for 100% wind power supply through Community Energy, with the environmental benefit equivalent to removing 242 cars from the road. This purchase enabled us to become an EPA Green Power Partner. SCA participated at a press event, voicing support for Community Energy, when Governor Rendell committed the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to increasing its use of green power.
• SCA installed office light sensors and a timed lighting control system to minimize waste lighting. We are participating in a national energy efficiency lighting research case study to analyze lighting control systems in office buildings. This 1-year research project began in January 2007 in partnership with Lutron Electronics Inc and EwingCole. A preliminary case study is about to be produced.
• The office uses energy star equipment wherever possible. 125 CRT screens were donated to schools, churches and employees prior to purchasing energy efficient LCD screens for the new office

 

Recycling

• 83% of our office construction waste was recycled. This process educated Turner Construction who continue to recycle on future projects as waste removal was made easier and cheaper. Armstrong Ceiling Tiles (containing 72.7% recycled content) were used throughout SCA’s space and were featured as a case study in November 2006. Constantine Carpets produced an SCA case study in Environmental Design and Construction Magazine in June 2006 called “Sustainable Flooring” based on our recycled carpet.
• Recycled materials were used where possible as well as local materials sourced from within 500 miles to minimize transportation issues. EwingCole architects convinced Armstrong Tiles to start manufacturing recycled tiles within Pennsylvania, as their only location was in previously in Florida.
• We recycle soda bottles for Terracycle , waste bottles are used to grow and sell organic plant food.

 

Employee Health & Wellness Program

• In addition to an Indoor Air Quality Plan, the business has created its own wellness program called ‘SCA. Your Life. Your Health’ to enhance the lives and health of its employees. The SCA program offers free membership to the Cira Centre gym on the basis that individuals use the gym at least 4 times per month and free membership to ‘Weight Watchers at Work’ onsite meetings, participants have collectively lost 330lbs in 3 months. Fresh fruit is delivered to the office on a regular basis. A variety of health and fitness magazines are provided for employees. An office health fair has taken place and employees have set up their own Walking Club.
• The SCA Americas Headquarters has been recognized for its exceptional interior design for its occupants. Contract Magazine, one of the leading national Interior Design Magazines, featured SCA Americas commitment to sustainable design leadership in May 2006.
  

 

Environmental Awareness & Education

Office tours are given to interested parties, including the following organizations:

• Delaware Valley Green Building Council (DVGBC); American Institute of Architects (AIA); Moore College of Art & Design students; Mohawk Paper Sustainability Event; White Dog Cafe, Green Building Tour; Swedish School children; numerous Brandywine, contractors’ and vendor’s clients.
• The ‘Hub Cira’ Conference Center has submitted a LEED-CI Silver Certified Interior Project to USGBC. Bill Decker, President of Hub Cira said “By clearly demonstrating that they prefer to work with sustainable vendors who share their values, SCA Americas gave us the positive encouragement to pursue LEED-CI certification and have helped us achieve the highest level of certification possible, and shown personal commitment and leadership in environmental excellence.”
• SCA is extending its LEED interest by pursuing LEED-EB (Existing Buildings) at the Tissue Customer Service Centre in Neenah, Wisconsin. The SCA Tissue Headquarters is relocating to Philadelphia from Wisconsin which will entail office changes, these changes will meet LEED criteria from the initial fit-out, with the assistance of HOK architects.
• SCA Americas was profiled as a leading new environmental office space nationally at the USGBC Greenbuild International Conference in Denver, CO in November 2006 due to its leadership in attaining LEED Gold Certification.

 

Sustainable Products

• SCA acquired ‘Environmental Choice’ certification at its five US Tissue Mills to allow us to produce a wide selection of environmentally certified tissue products: a variety of paper napkins, bath tissue, facial tissue, roll towels now carry an ecologo. This helps promote green procurement and meets the demand of interested consumers who were themselves seeking green building certifications. SCA plans to widely promote its products in the Philadelphia region in the coming year, making this the home of SCA Tissue. The Natural Resource Defense Council has voiced its support of our products.

 

Community Involvement

• SCA has made great links with some outstanding local organizations, actively working with them as well as making financial donations and taking on Board positions. Each organization benefits the Greater Philadelphia community and through sponsorships like the following, we hope we can improve the quality of life for the region
• SCA has donated $50,000 to the Schuylkill River Development Corporation to fund riverboat tours on the SchuylkillRiver, opening up the appreciation of this natural resource to the Philadelphia residents as well as visitors to the city. SCA’s employees actively cleaned up the River Trail last summer, this year we plan to partner with IKEA and Delaware Valley Earth Force in a similar event on the river trail.
• SCA actively participates on the SRDC Board and recently gave a citation to the City Council Finance Committee in favor of the riverfronts attractiveness as one of our incentives to relocate to the city. We are avid supporters of the SRDC’s activities, and volunteer for them whenever we get the chance, such as handing out medals or manning the volunteers’ tent at the Schuylkill Regatta.
• Our employees promote & organize American Red Cross blood drives for Cira Centre, support WMMR's 'Camp Out for Hunger' food drive to benefit Philabundance by collecting non-perishable food items from Cira employees and participate in ‘Bring your Child to Work Days’.
• The office has hosted numerous networking evenings, events and meetings for affiliated non-profit organizations such as the Swedish American Chamber of Commerce, CARIE and DV Earth Force.
• Since moving to Philadelphia, SCA has made $127,500 of financial donations to non-profit organizations: which includes the following activities: Schuylkill River Development Corporation Riverboat tours; American Red CrossCommunity Energy Wind Power Purchase; Leadership Philadelphia Scholarship Fund and Corporate Sponsor; Philadelphia Museum of Art Corporate Partners Program; Bartram’s Gardens Exhibition Sponsor; Pennsylvania Horticultural Society Growing Greener Cities Sponsor; University City Green Tee shirts for tree planting volunteers; Delaware Valley Green Building Council LEED Award event in Cira Centre; Delaware Valley Earth Force fundraising event; CARIE (Center for Advocacy for the Rights and Interests of the Elderly) fundraising breakfast. Corporate Partner;

 

SCA Americas is very proud to call Philadelphia its home and hopes Philadelphia is proud to have SCA.