Dr Pepper Snapple Group
Dr Pepper Snapple Group is the third largest U.S. soda company after Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, but lags both companies on taking even partial responsibility for post-consumer packaging.
Both Coke and Pepsi set public bottle and can recycling goals after engagement with As You Sow several years ago. We filed a shareholder proposal in 2012 asking the Dr Pepper to adopt a comprehensive recycling strategy for beverage containers sold by the company and prepare a report on efforts to implement the strategy. It was supported by an impressive 30% of shareholders. However, the company took no substantive actions in response, so the same proposal was filed again in 2014, receiving a similar high vote result of 30% on May 15, 2014.
Sales of beverage bottles and cans grew 22% in the decade from 2000 to 2010 while the container recycling rate for those materials actually declined, according to the Container Recycling Institute (CRI). Dr Pepper Snapple has consistently refused to set specific recycling goals and opposes producer responsibility programs.
Nearly one-third of Dr Pepper Snapple investors have now twice agreed that developing recycling goals is in the best interest of the company and its shareholders. Setting bottle and can recycling goals will bring the company in line with peers, protect its iconic brands, and improve its reputation for transparency and environmental leadership.
Read more about our engagements with Dr Pepper Snapple Group below.
STATUS: 37.7%
BE IT RESOLVED: Shareowners of Dr. Pepper Snapple Group request that the board of directors adopt a comprehensive recycling strategy for beverage containers sold by the company and prepare a report by September 1, 2016 on the company's efforts to implement the strategy. The strategy should include aggressive quantitative recycled content goals, and container recovery goals for plastic, glass and metal containers. The report, to be prepared at reasonable cost, may omit confidential information.
Filing Documents
Press
Related 2016 Engagements
STATUS: 31.1%
BE IT RESOLVED: Shareowners of Dr. Pepper Snapple Group request that the board of directors adopt a comprehensive recycling strategy for beverage containers sold by the company and prepare a report by September 1, 2015 on the company’s efforts to implement the strategy. The strategy should include aggressive quantitative recycled content goals, and container recovery goals for plastic, glass and metal containers. The report, to be prepared at reasonable cost, may omit confidential information.
Filing Documents
Related 2015 Engagements
STATUS: 30.0%
Shareowners of Dr. Pepper Snapple Group request that the board of directors adopt a comprehensive recycling strategy for beverage containers sold by the company and prepare a report by September 1, 2014 on the company’s efforts to implement the strategy. The strategy should include aggressive quantitative recycled content goals, and container recovery goals for plastic, glass and metal containers. The report, to be prepared at reasonable cost, may omit confidential information.
Filing Documents
Related 2014 Engagements
STATUS: 32.2%
Our shareholder proposal gained support from a third of the company's investors at the 2012 annual meeting. Our resolution asked Dr Pepper to develop a comprehensive recycled content or container recovery strategy.
Filing Documents
Press
Related 2012 Engagements
