GM Honored for Sustained Environmental Leadership

GM Honored for Sustained Environmental Leadership

State of Michigan presents eight environmental awards to automaker, facilities

2013-09-19

LANSING, Mich. – General Motors and seven of its facilities are being recognized by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality for longtime support of environment-focused community collaboration. GM remains the leader for most Neighborhood Environmental Partner awards granted since the program began in 2005.

Irene Bashore, environmental engineer at Flint Assembly, talking about GM’s environmental initiatives in Michigan. Representatives from GM’s Orion Assembly Plant, one of seven GM facilities honored, await to be awarded their Neighborhood Environmental Partnership Award at the Michigan State Capitol on Thursday.

GM received the department’s inaugural NEP Longevity Award recognizing companies that have participated in the program for five or more years. It encourages and rewards businesses and their neighbors who work together on environmental projects. This is the seventh straight year GM has received NEP awards.

“GM is committed to reducing our facilities’ environmental impact while also improving the communities in which we operate,” said David Tulauskas, GM director of sustainability. “We share the same ecosystem as our neighbors and enjoy exchanging our knowledge, best practices and hands-on experiences.”

Seven GM facilities received Neighborhood Environmental Partner awards for individual efforts and environmental programs. Those recognized are Lansing Delta Township Assembly, Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly, Orion Assembly, Warren Transmission, Flint Assembly, Romulus Engine and Flint Metal Center.

These sites integrate GM efforts to reduce its worldwide facilities’ environmental impact through energy efficiency, resource preservation and waste reduction throughout their communities. For example:

Representatives of the seven GM Michigan plants that received the Neighborhood Environmental Partnership Award from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.

• All participated in GM GREEN (Global Rivers Environmental Education Network) by monitoring rivers with local students and examining watershed impacts.
• All celebrated Earth and Arbor Day with activities such as tree plantings and butterfly house builds, many of which involved collaboration with area schools.
• Four plants feature natural habitat certified by the Wildlife Habitat Council, which are developed to enhance and protect wildlife and educate communities on conservation.
• Two plants are landfill-free, recycling, reusing or converting to energy all waste from daily operations.

“These awards were created because we believe the best environmental stewardship efforts cannot be mandated or regulated – they are voluntary efforts that go beyond what’s required,” said DEQ Director Dan Wyant. “GM’s longtime leadership in this program speaks loudly of the company’s commitment to protecting Michigan’s air, land and water resources.”

To be eligible for the Neighborhood Environmental Partner award, an organization must be a designated Clean Corporate Citizen and Pollution Prevention Partnership facility. Recipients are compliant with all applicable state environmental regulations and improve their immediate environments and communities.

For more information on GM’s environmental commitment, visit its sustainability report and environmental blog.

www.michigan.gov/deq

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