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Moving forward, we will work to enhance customer service, increase value creation, fully leverage ERP capabilities, streamline deployments, and expand the utilization of data and analytics. |
1 One-Third of U.S. Coronavirus Deaths Are Linked to Nursing Homes https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/ us/coronavirus-nursing-homes.html. |
Feature stories Who we are How we work What we create About report 181 3M 2021 Sustainability Report | #improvinglives |
Educating customers for health and safety. |
Proper use of health and safety products is critical for infection prevention, personal safety, and overall health. Building on our existing customer education programs, 3M has created training libraries that are accessible to customers anytime and anywhere, including on-demand education, live webinars, in-person events, and education resources. |
We deliver educational content to health care professionals at hospitals and clinics, professional conferences, and via online webinars and courses — all around the world, through 3M SM Health Care Academy. These resources not only help customers get the most out of our health care products; it is part of our commitment to help professionals improve outcomes for their patients and customers. Continuing education is available in areas including medical, dental, orthodontics, health information systems, food safety, health care sustainability, and consumer health and wellness. Many professionals utilize our training courses to accrue continuing education credits toward their professional certification. |
Our online training platform is a convenient option for busy health care professionals and was especially relevant in 2020. Our customers wanted to hear from a trusted resource, resulting in the highest attendance ever for our Health Care Academy webinars on highly relevant topics like PPE, returning to surgery safely, and advancements in sterilization. We also moved to digital onboarding for customer training. |
Our Personal Safety Division (PSD) is also focused on providing relevant training for our customers. In a rapidly evolving business and occupational health and safety environment, our education and training programs can instruct workers on workplace safety hazards and health risks; personal protective equipment (PPE), as regulated by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA); and the proper use and maintenance of 3M products. Our health and safety training takes place on the road, on the manufacturing floor, and online. |
In 2020, we conducted additional webinars to reach our customers in an online environment and saw a significant increase in attendance over past years. We also pivoted to online training to provide respirator fit test training. 3M Health Care Academy and PSD trainings overlapped for nurse PPE training, so the two businesses partnered to streamline the PPE training for use in health care. |
In several parts of the world, we use mobile vehicles to bring training and education directly to companies and workers at their job sites. This enables us to reach more people and provide more training instances. The 3M Safety Roadshow is a fully equipped mobile training center that showcases 3M’s industrial safety expertise and personal protective equipment. It travels to multiple locations each year and provides in-person safety training, education, and demonstrations. Supported by 3M’s highly credentialed technical service staff, the Safety Roadshow partners with industrial facilities across the United States, India, and China to promote safety and build confidence. 3M paused the roadshow in the U.S. in March due to COVID-19 but was able to continue in China throughout the year. |
Our roadshow can’t reach everyone, so in China, we provide a series of cartoon game-based trainings to help workers increase their understanding of health and safety concepts related to personal protective equipment. Workers scan a QR code to access the training, where they can view content and complete a training quiz from their mobile phones. |
In 2020, the total number of training instances was 418K. |
Training instances are measured as the number of completions per course per year and include webinars, our e-learning platforms, and in-classroom events. |
Feature stories Who we are How we work What we create About report 182 3M 2021 Sustainability Report | #improvinglives |
Looking forward. |
As a large and diverse global science company with customers spanning many industries and countries, we have the opportunity to make an even greater impact on sustainability. As part of our strategic focus on empowering Science for Circular, Science for Climate, and Science for Community, we will work to create a world where nine billion people can thrive by applying boundaryless, collaborative science to provide the products, processes, and systems that improve every life. |
We will continue to employ our diversified technology portfolio to create innovative solutions for our customers and industries. Our Technology Platforms continue to evolve — addressing the changing and anticipated needs of high-growth markets. |
As we continue to collaborate with our customers to help reduce the risk of transmission of the COVID-19 virus, we are excited to collaborate with our stakeholders in other areas, building on our Strategic Sustainability Framework. |
We will work to design a world where nine billion people can thrive by applying boundaryless, collaborative science to reinvent the products, processes and systems that improve every life. |
Feature stories Who we are How we work What we create About report 183 3M 2021 Sustainability Report | #improvinglives |
Innovation management. |
Creating sustainable solutions through science Our commitment. |
At 3M, it’s simple: We are a science-based company, and we use science to improve lives. |
As society’s challenges continue to evolve, so does the focus of our science. From inventing the world’s first water-resistant coated abrasive in 1921 to helping advance automotive electrification today, we are relentlessly innovating and adapting our technologies to help solve the problems of today and tomorrow while driving sustainable growth for our company. |
Innovation is built into 3M’s foundation — founder William L. McKnight’s McKnight Principles set the course for the company’s unique 15% Culture, which allows 15% of employees’ time to be spent on projects of their choosing. This culture encourages innovation to flourish through uncommon connections; our scientists solve problems by making interesting links among our many technologies. |
Our 51 Technology Platforms are shared and combined across businesses and areas to invent unique products for a variety of industries. No single business owns any of these technologies. They are managed by the company and can be used by any of the businesses to serve their respective customers and industries. |
One of our 51 core Technology Platforms is Sustainable Design, which features our capability to incorporate sustainable design into our products, processes, and packaging. One way we demonstrate sustainable design is through our formal goal, expanded on later in this section, that requires 100% of our products entering the new product commercialization process since 2019 to include a Sustainability Value Commitment. By embedding sustainability into our R&D process, we’re able to support 3M’s growth and advance our commitment to improving our business, our planet, and every life. |
All of our businesses are connected by our fundamental strengths — technology, manufacturing, global capabilities, and brand — which allow us to invent, manufacture, and sell products across our vast global network. |
Feature stories Who we are How we work What we create About report 184 3M 2021 Sustainability Report | #improvinglives |
Product safety, quality, and stewardship governance. |
Our customers depend on 3M’s products to advance, enhance, and improve their companies, homes, and lives — and we have a responsibility to live up to those expectations. For this reason, we must strive to produce high-quality products. Every item we sell must meet quality standards and must be safe for its intended use. Our commitment to innovation is governed by policies and standards that allow us to move forward with integrity, confidence, and the common foundation of 3M’s Code of Conduct. |
The Code of Conduct defines our values and the responsibilities that 3M employees and 3M suppliers must meet. Under this broad umbrella of values are principles, policies, standards, and guidelines that more specifically outline what 3M believes is the ethical approach to various work situations, including those that involve innovation management of 3M products. |
Product safety, quality, and stewardship must always be primary considerations during the design, manufacturing, marketing, and sale of 3M products, as outlined by our Product Safety, Quality, and Stewardship Principle. 3M employees must know and follow all applicable laws, regulations, and 3M policies, standards, and procedures for product safety, quality, and stewardship and must report and respond to concerns. |
3M management is responsible for addressing reported concerns and assuring that 3M employees are properly trained in applicable laws and regulations as well as 3M policies, standards, and procedures. |
Our Product Safety, Compliance, and Stewardship Policy underscores our commitment to commercializing and selling products that are safe for their intended uses; compliant with all applicable environmental, health, and safety (EHS) regulations and 3M expectations; and developed with a goal to continuously improve the EHS performance of products and corresponding manufacturing processes. |
Further, we believe it is our responsibility to create products with demonstrated environmental performance across their entire life cycle, including product reuse and repurpose. We work with our suppliers and business partners so that their operations support these same objectives. |
Our Science, Technology & Sustainability Committee of the Board of Directors oversees the twin demands of developing products to meet the ever-changing needs of our customers while assuring that those products cause no harm to people or to our planet. |
See the Suppliers section and Our customers section for more information. |
Chemicals Management Policy 3M is a science-based company committed to applying our scientific expertise to improving lives. Helping people live safe and productive lives is important to 3M — not only for our employees and customers but for everyone living on the planet. Chemicals are essential for producing 3M’s broad range of products. Effective and responsible chemical management is part of 3M’s role in helping people live safely. |
3M’s Chemicals Management Policy reflects the evolving values of 3M and our stakeholders. Under this policy, 3M has identified specific chemicals whose use in products and manufacturing processes is subject to restrictions or specific management actions. |
Advertising and Product Representation Policy 3M’s reputation as a responsible company extends to the products and services we offer and how we represent them. It’s our policy to represent our products truthfully, fairly, and accurately in all sales, advertising, packaging, and promotional efforts. All product claims must be substantiated and technically accurate, as specified by the Advertising and Product Representation Policy. |
As with our other policies, each business must maintain appropriate review processes of any claims or representations about its products. This includes substantiation of claims through testing based on sound statistical and scientific principles. For information, see our Advertising and Product Representation Policy. |
Feature stories Who we are How we work What we create About report 185 3M 2021 Sustainability Report | #improvinglives |
Hazard communication. |
Communicating the potential hazards of 3M materials supports 3M’s core values and is an integral part of keeping stakeholders informed about 3M materials. The vehicles for communicating these hazards and product chemical components include safety data sheets (SDS), product labels, product literature, instructions for use, transportation classification documentation, and other communications tools, including our Ingredient Communication website on 3M.com. |
Our Ingredient Communications website provides customers and consumers with enhanced ingredient information for over 400 products. |
The website provides transparency into 3M formulations by identifying intentionally added ingredients and select contaminants. The function of each ingredient in the product is defined, thereby allowing customers to know exactly why a chemical is present in a specified product. The website also provides direct links to each product’s SDS. The website pages are designed to be easily printable, allowing channel partners to quickly access the information and meet their workplace requirements. |
Each business must use corporate processes that evaluate the potential hazards of 3M materials and transmit, in local country language(s), information about the hazards to employees, contractors, and customers; it must meet all applicable regulatory requirements and 3M standards and guidelines; and it must promote informed decisions about the materials’ proper and safe handling, use, and disposal. |
Alternatives to animal testing 3M is a major advocate for the use, wherever practicable, of alternative (non-animal) test methods to help develop safe products. 3M is a strong contributor in this area and is currently utilizing many of these alternative methods, such as computational toxicology and in vitro testing using isolated tissues or cells. We are also investing in the internal and external development of new methodologies that replace animal testing, and we actively engage with governments, lobbying groups, and industry partners to help further the science for the appropriate use of non-animal methods. Where animal testing is required, we follow our Animal Welfare in Testing and Research Policy. |
Human Subject Research Policy. |
Our Human Subject Research Policy addresses the protection of the rights, safety, and welfare of human subjects who participate in 3M-supported research. All supported research involving human subjects must be conducted in accordance with all applicable national, regional, and local ethical and legal rules and regulations and must be conducted in accordance with three principles, as described in the Belmont Report: respect for person, justice, and beneficence. |
Internal standards for global compliance. |
We have established internal standards for uniform compliance globally in the manufacturing, sale, testing, and promotion of medical devices, food or drink, food or drink supplements, food or drink additives, drugs, and cosmetics for use in or with humans or animals. |
Science for Circular goal. |
Every 3M product entering the new product commercialization process will include a Sustainability Value Commitment (SVC) that demonstrates how it drives impact for the greater good. |
Achieving goal of 100% |
We require that 100% of our products entering the new product commercialization process (from 2019 forward) include an SVC. Many companies view the topic of sustainability in product development as a challenge, but at 3M, we welcome it and have taken an aggressive approach — working to identify and understand future sustainability needs and expanding our portfolio of products with sustainability advantages where possible. |
2025 goal 2019. |
Feature stories Who we are How we work What we create About report 186 3M 2021 Sustainability Report | #improvinglives |
Our actions. |
The challenges we must tackle for a sustainable future are daunting, but we see them clearly. They are broad. They are interrelated. They are solvable — with the help of science. We at 3M have the unique opportunity to apply our passion for science and collaborate enterprise-wide to find solutions. |
R&D is the heartbeat of 3M. We continue to invest in scientific research and product development in collaboration with our customers. R&D fosters a constant stream of unique and innovative products that drive organic growth. |
In fact, in 2020, we invested $1.88B or nearly 5.84% of our sales into R&D. |
3M has earned more than 125,000 patents over the years, a testament to the strength of our innovation engine. Over the past five years, 3M has earned an average of 4,000 patents per year. |
Our 15% Culture, going strong for over six decades, inspires creativity, risk-taking, and collaboration. It gives employees the freedom to take risks and learn from mistakes. That freedom is essential to scientific discovery. Employees can spend 15% of their time on projects that interest them. These projects and ideas might eventually become successful 3M products such as the 3M™ Emphaze™ AEX Hybrid Purifier, which is helping researchers who are developing COVID-19 therapies. The clarifying filter helps remove impurities and DNA from the cell culture as scientists develop new protein-based therapies and drugs. |
The COVID-19 pandemic impacted our employees in many ways. We focused on maximizing the production of personal protective equipment and other solutions used in response to COVID-19. We did this while implementing safety protocols that limited access to laboratories and transitioned a substantial number of employees to work from home. The resiliency of our employees as they adapted to new circumstances and new ways of working is what helped 3M move forward during a difficult time. Read how 3M is helping the world respond to COVID-19. |
Using 3M innovation to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. |
Early in the COVID-19 outbreak, 3M leaders realized that helping with the fight against COVID-19 was going to include finding new ways to work with other companies and organizations to create innovative solutions. Learn about some of the actions we’ve taken to approach the challenge from different angles in How we’re helping fight the pandemic, COVID-19: A catalyst for unprecedented collaboration, and the Our customers section. |
3M launched several new products to help fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, including: • The 3M™ Daily Face Mask, a non-medical, reusable, cloth face mask that helps support the general public’s efforts to limit transmission of COVID-19 when shopping, at social gatherings, or in any setting where a face covering is needed • 3M™ Disinfectant Cleaner RCT Concentrate, an EPA-registered (in the U.S.) disinfectant that meets the EPA’s Emerging Pathogen Policy specific to COVID-19, which disinfects high-touch areas in the home • 3M™ TB Quat Disinfectant Ready to Use Cleaner which kills SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19, on hard nonporous surfaces in just 60 seconds • 3M™ Hand Sanitizer, which kills 99.99% of germs and includes moisturizers to leave hands feeling smooth. |
Availability of these products may be limited to specific geographical areas. Read more in our feature story, COVID-19 Innovations. |
We employed the same innovative spirit in our manufacturing processes, introducing physical distancing and other enhanced safety protocols in our sites and laboratories, using mixed reality devices to troubleshoot issues in manufacturing due to travel restrictions and producing hand sanitizer in response to global shortages. |
See the Communities section for information on innovation in manufacturing and grants 3M provided to universities around the world that are advancing COVID-19 research — all as a part of our commitment to Science for Community. |
Feature stories Who we are How we work What we create About report 187 3M 2021 Sustainability Report | #improvinglives |
3M’s Sustainability Value Commitment (SVC) |
In 2020, 100% of new products entering the new product commercialization process included descriptions of their sustainability impact and how they drove impact for the greater good. |
A Sustainability Value Commitment (SVC) is a demonstration of how the product incorporates environmental or social factors to contribute to our aspirations laid out in our Strategic Sustainability Framework. Examples of considerations include reusability; recyclability; waste reduction; energy and water savings; and responsible sourcing or use of renewable materials appropriate to the specific product throughout its life cycle. |
An SVC can also stem from a core purpose the product addresses, such as an environmental or social challenge like improving air quality, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, or improving patient and worker safety in health care and industrial settings. |
Switzerland. |
Finland. |
Kenya South Africa. |
Nigeria Israel. |
Saudi Arabia 3M Gulf* |
India. |
Hong Kong. |
Japan South Korea. |
China. |
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