As a Company, we have an opportunity and a responsibility to help protect and preserve our planet—and to improve the lives of those who call it home. We’re deeply committed to our Purpose of touching and improving lives—both as a business model, and as the guide for our sustainability efforts around the world.

Today marks the 13^th consecutive year we have released an annual Sustainability Report. Under this year’s theme of Commitment to Everyday Life, the report’s content is largely two-fold: It outlines our progress toward reducing the environmental footprint of our operations and the products we bring to market; and it shows how we’re fulfilling our commitments to touch and improve lives through our social responsibility programs over the past year.

In his opening letter, our CEO (and Sustainability Executive Sponsor) Bob McDonald says it best: “We’re committed to delivering products and services that make everyday life better for people around the world. Our sustainability program ensures we meet this commitment in a way that not only helps preserve the planet, but touches and improves the communities in which we live and work.”

The report charts our progress against five-year goals we set in 2007 for our products, operations and social responsibility. Now in year four, we’re continuing our efforts to work toward each of these goals, and have already achieved three of them. In addition to these five-year goals, the report also shares our long-term environmental vision and goals for 2020.

Throughout this year’s report, you’ll find first-hand stories from P&G employees who have worked at the forefront of our environmental and social responsibility efforts in the past year. Employees like Vincent Struzka, who championed the installation of a wind turbine at our pet care plant in the Netherlands. And Heather Jarrett, who traveled to Malawi on one of our global service trips to provide safe drinking water to dozens of villages and thousands of people.

The passion of our people for environmental and social responsibility is palpable. As Len Sauers (VP of Global Sustainability) says in his opening letter, “Whether they are working directly against our strategies and goals, initiating grassroots efforts to undertake important sustainability projects, or passionately serving in their communities outside of work, their stories are inspiring.”

We hope you find this year’s report both informational and inspirational.

Download the 2011 Sustainability Overview