ITHACA, N.Y. -- A $5 million gift from Samuel C. Johnson will give global environmental sustainability issues more prominence in MBA studies at Cornell University.

The gift is the latest among many given to Cornell by Johnson, chairman emeritus of S.C. Johnson and Son Inc. of Racine, Wis., and a Cornell alumnus. His $20 million gift to the Johnson School in 1984, made with his family and company, is the foundation of the school's current endowment. Johnson earned his A.B. degree at Cornell in 1950.

The gift will support efforts already under way at the Johnson School, in particular the establishment of the S.C. Johnson Professorship in Sustainable Global Enterprise through an earlier gift from Johnson and the hiring of Stuart Hart last July to fill that chair. The professorship's role, Johnson stipulated, is to enhance students' understanding of global sustainability and prepare them to be leaders of ethical, equitable and economically and environmentally sustainable enterprises.

The newest gift reflects Johnson's longstanding interest in the environment, which led to his being named "corporate America's leading environmentalist" by Fortune magazine in 1993. As chairman and CEO of S.C. Johnson and Son, he made the landmark decision to eliminate chlorofluorocarbon propellants from the company's aerosol products in1975, three years ahead of U.S. law and 12 years before the global Montreal Protocol. Under Johnson's direction, environmental management became a core strategic focus of the business throughout the 1990s, and significant waste prevention and reduction initiatives were launched. By 1995, manufacturing waste had been cut in half, and a third of the company's products incorporated recycled and recyclable packaging.

Johnson was a founding member of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, which advised world leaders at the 1992 Earth Summit. He was one of only five corporate leaders appointed to the U.S. President's Council on Sustainable Development, which pushed for the inclusion of social equity considerations in the nation's sustainability policy. Those and other efforts have earned Johnson and his company, familiarly known as Johnson Wax, much environmental recognition worldwide, including the prestigious World Environment Center Gold Medal for International Corporate Environmental Achievement in 1994 and a Lifetime Atmospheric Achievement Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency last April.

"Sam's generosity to the Johnson School is seconded only by his deep commitment to global environmental sustainability," said Robert Swieringa, the Anne and Elmer Lindseth Dean of the Johnson School. Johnson shared news of the gift privately with members of the school's advisory council during their annual meeting on campus this Oct. 15 (Johnson is chair of the council). "They were overwhelmed," said Swieringa. "The gift will have great impact and significance. When our graduates go on to positions of leadership and influence, they will carry with them a real awareness of how the challenge of global sustainability changes the competitive landscape for enterprises as well as the critical thinking skills and long-range view they'll need to make the best strategic decisions."

"When we set aside the obvious business benefits of being an environmentally responsible company, we are left with the simple human truth that we cannot lead lives of dignity and worth when the natural resources that sustain us are threatened or destroyed," said Johnson. "At the Johnson companies, we strive to leave a light footprint on the environment, but with this gift we hope to have a deep and lasting impact on tomorrow's business leaders and the health of the planet."

This fall, the Johnson School was named one of the top 15 business programs offering students solid training in environmental-management and social-impact issues by the Aspen Institute and the World Resources Institute. Among the initiatives they praised were the establishment of the Johnson Professorship in Sustainable Global Enterprise. Also singled out for recognition was a symposium at the school this September, "The Business Case for Sustainable Enterprise," sponsored by two active student groups -- the Community Impact Club and the Energy Club.

Hart, who was named a Faculty Pioneer by the World Resources Institute in 1999 for his work in integrating environmental and social issues into management education, said: "Sam Johnson's commitment will bring energy and resources that will allow us to build significantly on what we've begun doing and create a program that's world class. The next few years will be exciting times for us."

At Cornell, Johnson is a presidential councillor, the highest honor granted by the university to its alumni, as well as a trustee emeritus.

He is the fourth generation of his family to lead S.C. Johnson and Son Inc. Joining the family business in 1954, he served in many capacities, including more than 30 years as chief executive officer, of the 117-year-old privately held company. Under his leadership, a $171 million wax company grew to a family of four thriving businesses.

Named the 2002 Distinguished Family Business of the Year by IMD, a Switzerland-based business school, the Johnson Family Enterprises have combined estimated annual revenues of $8 billion, employ more than 28,000 people and provide services and products in 110 countries. The enterprises are: SC Johnson, A Family Company, a leading global manufacturer and marketer of household products; Johnson Diversey, a leading global supplier of cleaning, maintenance, disinfectant and sanitizing products and services for commercial and industrial customers; Johnson Outdoors Inc., a leading world supplier of innovative outdoor recreational products; and Johnson Financial Group Inc., a global financial services company with 34 locations in the United States, Switzerland and the Cayman Islands.

SC Johnson Fund, the grant-making arm of Johnson Diversey and SC Johnson, donates an average of 5 percent of U.S. pre-tax profits yearly to increase economic, environmental and social well-being locally and globally.

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