Reckitt Benckiser earns Dow Jones recognition for sustainability

Reckitt Benckiser has been recognised for its strong environmental performance with inclusion in the latest Dow Jones Sustainability Index.

The company was named leader of the household products sector, earning industry-best scores on metrics such as innovation management, strategy for emerging markets, supply chain management, product stewardship and corporate citizenship and philanthropy.

It is a testament to the success of the firm's betteRBusiness strategy, which has set out numerous goals for 2020, including 33 percent reductions in water impact and carbon output, as well as having one-third of its net revenue coming from more sustainable products by the end of the decade.

The company is also a leading partner of Save the Children and has allied with the charity group on a project to stop diarrhoea being among the world's top five killers of under-fives.

Rakesh Kapoor, chief executive officer of Reckitt Benckiser, said: "Our betteRBusiness strategy has ambitious sustainability goals for 2020 and we're proud that our performance so far has been recognised in the latest Dow Jones Sustainability Index."

Last month, the firm announced a new digital consumer outreach partnership with social network Facebook, which will help it to communicate with customers over social media more effectively.