August 3, 2016 Comments are off Kellen
Share:

New 3M Petrifilm Plate Launched to Help Food Companies Reduce Spoilage and Minimize Waste

ST. PAUL, Minn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–In food processing, lactic acid bacteria can be friend or foe. Kept in check, these organisms help produce fermented foods ranging from smooth yogurts to crunchy pickles – and can even be leveraged for probiotic purposes. But under low oxygen, low temperature and acidic conditions, the bacteria can cause spoilage, discoloration, bloated packages and textures, odors and flavors that displease customers, trigger recalls and cause food waste.

To help food processing companies streamline complicated labor intensive testing methods, 3M Food Safety introduces the 3M™ Petrifilm™ Lactic Acid Bacteria Count Plate with a more efficient, all-in-one solution for monitoring lactic acid bacteria levels in food products and manufacturing environments. The plate offers all of the time-honored benefits of the award-winning 3M™ Petrifilm™ Plates – simplicity, reliability, productivity, and sustainability – while eliminating the need for the costly anaerobic equipment used with traditional methods.

For the first time ever, the 3M Petrifilm Lactic Acid Bacteria Count Plate combines oxygen-scavenging technology and oxygen-barrier films to create a self-contained anaerobic environment. Now food processors and testing laboratories can get true, accurate anaerobic results using aerobic incubation conditions, providing enhanced recovery of lactic acid bacteria within 48 hours.

“Food manufacturers are becoming more aware of the impact lactic acid bacteria plays on their products’ quality and shelf life,” said John David, 3M Food Safety global marketing manager. “Our hope and belief is that the improved and easier testing process made possible with the 3M Petrifilm Lactic Acid Bacteria Count Plate will enable them to more effectively monitor this group of microorganisms and make confident decisions about their product quality, helping to reduce waste, minimize recalls and protect brand reputation.”

In contrast to traditional methods, 3M’s advanced technology can be used to test a wide range of foods and environmental surfaces. The company expects its plate will be especially valuable for manufacturers of meat, fish and poultry products, processed foods, produce, dairy products, and various dressings and sauces. If the test determines lactic acid bacteria levels are unacceptable, companies may want to adjust their processing conditions or intensify cleaning and sanitation.

3M Food Safety, a leader of innovative solutions that help the food and beverage industries optimize the quality and safety of their products to enable consumer protection and improve their bottom lines, is pursuing third-party scientific validations such as AOAC and ISO for its new technology. To order the 3M Petrifilm Lactic Acid Bacteria Count Plate, or learn more about it and related products, individuals can contact their local sales representative, call (800) 328-6553 or visit http://3M.com/foodsafety/PetrifilmLAB.

About 3M
At 3M, we apply science in collaborative ways to improve lives daily. With $30 billion in sales, our 90,000 employees connect with customers all around the world. Learn more about 3M’s creative solutions to the world’s problems atwww.3M.com on Twitter at @3M or @3MNewsroom.

July 1, 2016 Comments are off Kellen
Share:

3M’s 2016 Sustainability Report

As the global population marches toward 9 billion people, it is creating an even more urgent need to address sustainability challenges –from air pollution and water shortages to food safety and clean energy.

3M sees an opportunity to collectively overcome these challenges through innovation and collaboration.  As a company rooted in scientific exploration 3M partners with customers and communities to make the world cleaner, safer and stronger.  3M’s investments in sustainable technologies result in solutions such as glass bubbles that make cars lighter and more fuel efficient, films that make smartphones and buildings more energy efficient, and low global warming potential immersion fluid that cools data centers.

3M recently published its 2016 Sustainability Report. The Report provides an in-depth overview of the progress made toward applying 3M science to improve lives. Key recent achievements featured include:

  • Between 2002 and 2015, 3M voluntarily achieved a 69% absolute reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
  • 3M’s visionary Pollution Prevention Pays program celebrated its 40th anniversary and has prevented over 2.1 million tons of pollutants and saved nearly $2 billon USD.
  • 3M reduced energy use nearly 30% from 2005 baseline (indexed to net sales.)
  • 3M announced a revised pulp and paper sourcing policy providing leading-edge expectations for suppliers to protect forests, critical habitats and forest communities worldwide; resulting in supplier collaboration with 98% of production paper purchases on sustainable paper sourcing.

Also in 2015, with an eye toward the future, 3M announced its 2025 Sustainability Goals.  These goals range from: investing in sustainable materials and energy efficiency, to water management and helping customers reach their sustainability goals through the use of 3M products, to building a diverse workforce and worker and patient safety in health care and industrial settings.

3M is committed to improving its business, the planet, and every life. Improving every life is an exciting endeavor and an ambitious one. It’s the right thing to do and at the core of who 3M is.

For more information and to join 3M on this journey, please visit www.3m.com/sustainability.

May 31, 2016 Comments are off Kellen
Share:

3M Health Care Again Wins Practice Greenhealth “Champion for Change” Award for Sustainability

ST. PAUL, Minn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Practice Greenhealth, a leader in promoting environmental stewardship, has again presented a “Champion for Change” Award to 3M Health Care for the company’s success in greening its operations and for helping customers improve their environmental footprint.

“We are thrilled to be recognized a second time with this prestigious award for sustainability,” said Ann Meitz, Sustainability Director, 3M Health Care Business Group. “At 3M we work hard to apply science to solve customer needs every day, whether it is to help improve patient outcomes, reduce waste or use less energy.”

3M was recognized for its commitment to sustainability, including:

  • 69% absolute reduction in greenhouse gas emissions since 2002 from company operations and purchased energy (Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions).
  • 30% reduction in energy use from 2005 baseline (indexed to sales).
  • Prevention of more than 4.2 billion pounds of pollutants since launching its unprecedented Pollution Prevention Pays (3P) program in 1975.

3M solutions for improving outcomes and sustainability in health care include:

  • 3M™ Littmann® Stethoscopes with superb acoustic performance and resilient next-generation tubing that retains its shape and flexibility even after folding tightly into a pocket. It provides longer stethoscope life due to improved resistance to skin oils and alcohol, is less likely to pick up stains and is made without natural rubber latex or phthalate plasticizers.
  • 3M™ Skin and Nasal Antiseptic helps reduce the risk of surgical site infections when part of a comprehensive preoperative protocol and also supports antibiotic stewardship efforts.
  • The first 3M Sustainability in Health Care Summit was held in October 2015. The summit was attended by thought leaders from across the country who came together to share innovative best practices and to advance Sustainability in the health care market.
  • In addition to health care products, 3M also makes sun filtering and energy-saving window films; sustainable fire suppression fluids; high-efficiency air filtration systems; and surface-cleaning products designed to help hospitals and other facilities reduce energy, water usage and waste.

“I’m proud to accept this award on behalf of the 3M people around the world who work to make our internal operations more sustainable and who apply 3M science to create sustainable and innovative solutions that improve people’s lives,” Meitz said.

The Practice Greenhealth Environmental Excellence Awards were presented in Dallas, Texas, on May 19, at the CleanMed Conference & Exhibition – the premier national environmental conference for leaders in health care sustainability. To learn more about 3M’s sustainable solutions for health care, visit www.slideshare.net/IPSolutions3M.

About 3M
At 3M, we apply science in collaborative ways to improve lives daily. With $30 billion in sales, our 90,000 employees connect with customers all around the world. Learn more about 3M’s creative solutions to the world’s problems atwww.3M.com or on Twitter @3M or @3MNewsroom.

About Practice Greenhealth:
Practice Greenhealth is the nation’s leading health care community dedicated to transforming health care worldwide so that it reduces its environmental footprint, becomes a community anchor for sustainability and a leader in the global movement for environmental health and justice. To learn more about Practice Greenhealth visitwww.practicegreenhealth.org.

December 21, 2015 Comments are off Kellen
Share:

Case Study: Understanding Stakeholder Perspectives – 3M

In 2013, 3M commissioned an independent research consultancy to advance the company’s understanding of stakeholder perspectives on key social and environmental issues.  This materiality assessment process consisted of three consecutive steps, each providing critical information for the next:

  • examination of relevant literature on sustainability materiality issues.
  • individual interviews with small populations of 3M employees and external stakeholders from academia, civil society, the private sector, 3M suppliers, trade associations, media and 3M customers.
  • quantitative online survey of larger populations of internal and external stakeholders, with samples reflecting 3M’s diverse business and inclusive across geography, stakeholder type and function.

The online survey presented a list of significant sustainability-related issues generated from the prior steps in the materiality assessment process.  Internal stakeholders were asked to rate the ability of 3M to make a positive difference on significant issues, and external stakeholders, divided into 3M customers and other external groups, were asked to rate the importance of 3M addressing each issue.  All stakeholder groups were asked to rate 3M’s performance on actions to address each issue. The estimated impact on 3M’s sustainability reputation was derived through regression analysis to determine the importance of 3M’s perceived performance in each issue area across the three audiences.

The results of the assessment generated an evidence-based sustainability materiality matrix. This matrix plots significant issues related to sustainability along three axes: the degree of importance stakeholders accord to each issue, the ability of 3M to make a positive difference on these issues and the level of impact these issues may have on the company’s reputation.

3M will use the results to define future sustainability initiatives.

[This case study originally appeared in the GEMI Quick Guide on Cultivating Sustainability within an Organization]. 

Source: 3M 2014 Sustainability Report. www.3M.com/Sustainability

Source: 3M 2014 Sustainability Report. www.3M.com/Sustainability