KAB’s National Cigarette Litter Prevention Program (CLPP): A Key Pillar in Altria’s Environmental Stewardship

Overview

Altria is a U.S.-based company with the leading portfolio of tobacco products for U.S. tobacco consumers age 21+.

Altria’s vision is to responsibly lead the transition of adult smokers to a smoke-free future.

Altria’s longstanding partnership with Keep America Beautiful (KAB) highlights its commitment to reducing cigarette litter in communities.

Backstory

Altria has partnered with Keep America Beautiful since 1956 to address the cigarette litter problem.

“Some of our most enduring relationships, the ones we can trace back the farthest, are related to the environment and litter, in particular. We were working this way well before people thought it was expected,” said Charlie Martin, Manager of Community Impact, Altria Client Services. “Long before you ever heard about ESG [Environmental, Social, and Governance] issues, we were investing in areas where we recognized our products and operations had an impact.”

Strategic Approach

Annually, Altria contributes about $4 million to environmental organizations, including KAB.

“Most of our funding supports the national Cigarette Litter Prevention Program (CLPP),” Charlie said. “For nearly seven decades, Keep America Beautiful has worked to end littering, improve recycling, and beautify America’s communities. We respect and admire KAB's leadership in community improvement and trust them to help us select areas and geographies for the greatest impact.”

Altria's funding has underwritten several initiatives, including KAB's Great American Cleanup (GAC) program, waterway community litter mitigation, recycling efforts, and support for national conferences and training.

“Our employees are involved across the U.S. through volunteering with KAB, including in our headquarters community in Virginia, where employees support beautification efforts through the affiliate chapters such as Keep Virginia Beautiful,” Charlie said.

“Altria is committed to reducing our businesses’ environmental impact and promoting the sustainability of natural resources. For example, we have a strategy for achieving water neutrality and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. We also have a plan to reduce cigarette litter in our communities. KAB is our lead partner for making progress against our litter reduction goals, and the results of our partnership have been impressive.”

Charlie Martin, Community Impact Manager, Altria

Results

Altria is committed to reducing its environmental impact, both in its companies' direct operations and in the value chain from supplier to retailer. Additionally, the company completed a 2020 responsibility materiality assessment, where they elevated "Protect the Environment" as a focus area and a goal to reduce the environmental impact of its companies’ products and packaging.

“This is what makes Keep America Beautiful such an important partner,” Charlie said. “They have the issue expertise and national reach to help mitigate litter, including cigarette litter. We couldn’t make progress on our reduction goals without them.”

Since Altria started working with KAB on CLPP, the program has been implemented in 1,800 communities, significantly reducing cigarette litter.

“According to the latest data, within six months, CLPP communities are, on average, seeing a fifty percent reduction in litter,” Charlie said. “Other than KAB, I’m not aware of any other organization with the issue knowledge and reach for beautification, litter reduction, and recycling programs in communities across the U.S.”

Partner Insights

Altria shared its advice for companies considering a nonprofit partnership.

• “At Altria, before entering a philanthropic partnership, we seek to align business, employee, and community interests. KAB connects with all three.”
• Pick a nonprofit with proven-effective programs, and that is well respected. “I grew up knowing about Keep America Beautiful, and so did many of our employees,” Charlie said. “KAB’s nearly 70-year reputation for beautifying communities, facilitating recycling, and reducing litter help instill confidence in the level of issue expertise and partnership.”
• “As in other important issue areas for our company, we have learned from the power of partnerships. We routinely seek stakeholder input and collaborate regularly with partners like KAB to help develop more effective strategies. KAB helps us to stay on track by incorporating what we learn from current investments and evolving our program support where appropriate to be most effective.”