Culligan CEO outlines sustainable water future in podcast
In a recent podcast, Culligan International CEO Scott Clawson highlighted the company's efforts to provide clean water alternatives amid global contamination issues. He discussed initiatives to reduce plastic waste and achieve net positive water impact. Clawson emphasized consumer choices in driving sustainability.
Culligan International, a nearly 90-year-old global leader in water services, serves 170 million people worldwide with delivery and filtering solutions under Chairman and CEO Scott Clawson. With 37% of the world's population drinking contaminated water, including issues with PFAS chemicals and lead, Clawson addressed the paradox in the U.S., where tap water generally meets federal standards yet Americans purchase 50 billion single-use plastic bottles annually—enough to circle the Earth 200 times. These bottles take 450 years to decompose and can release up to 240,000 microplastic pieces per liter of bottled water.
Culligan's filtration systems have helped avoid the use of 45 billion plastic bottles each year. The company has set ambitious sustainability targets, including net positive water impact by 2050 and a 40% reduction in scope one and two emissions intensity by 2035. Following WAVE water stewardship verification, Culligan developed dry-testing methods for equipment to eliminate water waste. It has also electrified 25% of its fleet and donated 9 million liters of water to communities in need in 2024.
Clawson's commitment stems from a personal experience a decade ago during a vacation in the Bahamas, where he saw a beach covered in plastic waste. “That’s when my inner balance was sparked to make sure we do more than just use our planet to make money, but let’s use our planet to help it be a better place to live,” he said. He urged consumers to act: “Every time you pick something up off the shelf, you are voting. You’re sending a signal to a company.” Clawson recommends testing home water, understanding its contents, and opting for point-of-use filtration to combat the plastic crisis.