Nomacorc recently released its first-ever Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Report. Covering the 2011 calendar year, Nomacorc’s CSR outlines our approach to sustainability through three main guiding principles. Highlights from the report include: 

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SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS AND ETHICAL CONDUCT

Nomacorc is continuously implementing improvements in our operations and company culture to minimize our impact on the environment. In 2011, we:

• Reduced raw material use by 13% globally, per closure produced
• Reduced water use, per closure, by 18% globally by implementing process improvements
• Reduced electricity consumption by 0.7% globally despite increased closure production
• Introduced reusable containers for intra-company goods transport, reducing cardboard use by 22%, per closure produced
• Grew consumer closure collection and recycling program for third straight year

An important goal is to calculate and reduce Nomacorc’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on an annual basis. Intensive efforts to reduce product density have significantly decreased the carbon footprint of our corks from approximately 16g CO2-eq in 2007 to an estimated 11g CO2-eq in 2011. The majority of Nomacorc’s product carbon footprint is from raw materials.

PRODUCT QUALITY AND CUSTOMER SERVICE

Nomacorc’s foundation is the provision of consistent, high-quality closures that deliver an enjoyable consumer experience and serve the winemakers’ intentions. In 2011, Nomacorc:

• Expanded our share of closure market
• Grew overall unit sales for tenth consecutive year

MOTIVATED AND SAFE EMPLOYEES

Through our employee programs, Nomacorc endeavors to create a safe,supportive, and inspiring atmosphere in which our employees can thrive. In 2011, our team of approximately 500 employees:

• Completed 16,042 hours of training
• Donated 3,953 hours of community service
• Had a voluntary turnover rate of only 1.9%
• Received the following awards:
  • North Carolina Department of Labor (NCDOL) Gold Award (five consecutive years)
  • American Red Cross Certificate of Appreciation for Tornado Relief

RECYCLING OF PRODUCTS AND MATERIALS

Nearly all of the water used during manufacturing of Nomacorc closures is recycled or reclaimed and 100% of waste material created by the Nomacorc production process is recycled and converted to industrial products.

All Nomacorc closures are 100% recyclable with LDPE materials (US RIC 4). Because 90% of the environmental footprint of Nomacorc closures is due to raw materials used, every closure that is recycled has a corresponding 90% reduction in environmental impact. To facilitate higher rates of recycling of closures by consumers, wineries, and

restaurants, in 2009 Nomacorc joined forces with TerraCycle®, a company which collects post consumer use materials across the United States and “upcycles’ the collected materials into unique products sold at major retailers. Nomacorc has also developed a retail partnership program which encourages major wine retailers to support the recycling effort by providing convenient locations for consumers to deposit their used closures. Almost 400,000 wine corks have been recycled in the first months of the program.