BRIDGESTONE AMERICAS, INC.
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BRIDGESTONE AMERICAS, INC.
535 Marriott Drive GREEN PROGRAM CONTACT
Nashville, TN 37214
Tim Bent
Phone: (615) 937-1000
Environmental Affairs, Director
Email: bsapr@bfusa.com
LOCATIONS
Nashville, TN (HQ)
Bridgestone Americas consists of an
international family of enterprises with 55
production facilities and more than
53,000 teammates throughout the
Americas.
What types of green programs has your company implemented?
• ISO certification
• Company carpools
• Energy conservation
• Green facilities
• Eco-friendly packaging
• Solar energy
• Waste reduction programs
• Discussing eco-friendly products and facilities at career centers, workshops, etc.
• Emphasizing eco-friendly business practices on company website
• Educational seminars during company hours
• Supporting endangered species
• Reducing our carbon footprint: Bridgestone Americas (BSA) is a company
dedicated to environmental conservation. BSA strives to be not only an
environmentally conscious company, but also a leader in environmental initiatives.
Our global company utilizes an overarching theme that is intended to focus all
Bridgestone group teammates worldwide on creating a positive environmental
impact: One Team, One Planet. We’re working to increase our positive impact on
our environment and our communities by leading and engaging in a variety of
efforts, some of which are described below. Bridgestone Americas is determined
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Bridgestone Americas, Inc.
to become one of the most respected companies in the Americas. One way of
achieving this goal is by continuing to hold a leadership position in environmental
performance.
• Other:
• All Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC (BATO) tire plants and four
Firestone Diversified Products, LLC (FSDP) plants qualified for the United
States Environmental Protection Agency’s former National Environmental
Performance Track (Performance Track) initiative, a voluntary federal
environmental excellence program recognizing those companies with the
best environmental management practices. BATO is the first tire
company as well as the first insulation company to be accepted into the
USEPA Performance Track program.
• Bridgestone Americas was the first U.S. tire and rubber company to
implement ISO 14001, the international standard for Environmental
Management Systems. Today, all Bridgestone Americas’ facilities are ISO
14001 certified or will be within two years of start-up or acquisition.
• Firestone Building Products Company, LLC (FSBP) recently announced
an alliance to provide sustainable commercial roofing solutions,
LiveRoof®, LLC. The LiveRoof “pre-vegetated” invisible-modular green
roof system offered by FSBP offers many long-term benefits including
improved energy efficiency, reduced thermal and UV degradation,
decreased heat-island effect in surrounding areas, and purified and
reduced storm-water run-off.
• Firestone Liberia recently opened the first phase of its operation to
process rubber wood, a value-added, ecologically sustainable product of
its natural rubber operations in Liberia. Rubber trees will be processed
after they reach the end of their lifecycle for producing latex, which is
typically around 30 years. The air-dried product is a durable hardwood
that is often used in furniture and flooring throughout the world. In
addition, Firestone Natural Rubber recently announced a venture to
provide renewable electricity to Liberian citizens, using waste wood as
fuel. This renewable energy source will provide the opportunity for
hundreds of jobs and other economic development opportunities for the
struggling Liberian economy.
• BATO’s Warren County, Tenn., and Aiken County, S.C., plants now use
hydrogen fuel cells to power their automated material handling vehicles.
Using this environmentally friendly technology enables efficiency
improvements, reduces down-time for the vehicles and ultimately saves
money. Bottom line: good environmental performance is also good
business.
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• BATO's Warren Co, TN and Aiken Co., SC plants are the world's first
LEED certified tire manufacturing plants. Our commitment to the
environment goes beyond operational excellence. Bridgestone Americas
is actively engaged in a variety of partnerships to promote conservation
initiatives aimed at preserving nature and helping children connect with
their natural surroundings.
• Our Warren County, Tenn., Wilson, N.C., and Aiken County, S.C., tire
plants all have wildlife habitat areas certified by the Wildlife Habitat
Council. These lands are community resources used by the Boy Scouts
and other groups as nature learning and activity centers. Our Wellford,
S.C., roofing plant is also working with the Wildlife Habitat Council to set
up a project on its land.
• Bridgestone Americas and its retail subsidiary Bridgestone Retail
Operations, LLC (BSRO) have been national sponsors of the Keep
America Beautiful (KAB) program for seven years, and have participated
continually in cleanup activities across the country. In 2007 alone, the
KAB campaign collected and disposed more than 2 million scrap tires.
• Bridgestone Americas has been the title sponsor for Team Green in
Nashville since 1996. Team Green, Middle Tennessee’s only outdoor
adventure club, organizes environmental community service projects and
adventure activities for members. By connecting the community to the
great outdoors and instilling respect for the environment, the organization
engages in numerous cleanup activities throughout each year in addition
to helping develop fitness and a love of nature in the Nashville
community. In May 2008, Team Green and Bridgestone Americas
helped organize Nashville’s largest volunteer cleanup project: over 350
volunteers removed over 10 tons of trash from the islands of Percy Priest
Lake, a Nashville area water supply, power generation and recreational
lake.
• Bridgestone Americas donated 10,000 acres of pristine wilderness to the
State of Tennessee’s Wildlife Resources Agency for preservation as a
wildlife habitat, including public use for hiking, camping and wildlife
viewing. The Bridgestone Firestone Centennial Wilderness is a treasure
that will be enjoyed by the people of Tennessee for generations to come.
• When Bridgestone Americas opened its newest tire manufacturing plant
in Monterrey, Nuevo León, México, in November 2007, the company
distributed a new bilingual book that was developed by the company’s
environmental team, the local bird watching club and local natural
resource officials. The 200-plus page book, La Guia Para La Observación
De Aves En Nuevo León (Guide for Bird Watching in Nuevo Leon),
introduces the birds of the region and provides neighbors, families and
visitors a way to connect with the local environment. At the plant’s grand
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opening, the book was presented as a gift to symbolize partnership
between the company and community. The book has since been
distributed to new teammates, the natural resource regulatory agency,
Department of Tourism and local schools.
• Bridgestone Americas has sponsored two simultaneous doctoral fellows
in multidisciplinary environmental management (science, engineering
and legal) at the Vanderbilt University Center for Environmental
Management Studies (VCEMS) since the late 1990s. Bridgestone
Firestone Fellows have held such influential positions as environmental
law professors and sustainability consultants.
• Our environmental managers and other teammates are engaged with our
communities at all levels. From working on Keep America Beautiful
projects to working with Scouts to improve wildlife habitats to serving on
local environmental quality boards (Tennessee and North Carolina) to
serving on boards of directors for wildlife habitat improvement NGOs (the
Wildlife Habitat Council (international) and Tennessee Wildlife Habitat
Trust), our teammates understand the importance of environmental
excellence.
• Beginning in early 2008, BSRO began making steel wheel weights
available to customers. Wheel weights can fall off and may get thrown
onto the edges of roadways, but BSRO’s program will replace millions of
lead wheel weights each year with more ecologically sensitive steel wheel
weights.
• Going green just got easier in the greater Portland, Ore., area where
motorists can buy the nation’s first environmentally friendly oil change
service, now offered at 17 Firestone Complete Auto Care store locations.
• BSRO stores throughout the country recycle tires, car batteries, oil and oil
filters, antifreeze, Freon and many other automotive products.
Community members also have the opportunity to drop off used oil and
automotive batteries from do-it-yourself projects for proper reprocessing.
• Firestone Liberia is constructing a two-stage water treatment facility at our
operation in Liberia, consisting of tank filtration and constructed
wetlands. Water treatment is a serious issue facing Liberia, a country
with no sanitary sewage system and limited access to potable water.
Scheduled for completion in the first half of this year, our new system will
clean the water so it can be recycled for use again in rubber processing
as well as other uses.
• Team Joliette, at Bridgestone Americas’ Quebec manufacturing plant,
initiated a project to transform a dry materials landfill site owned by the
City of Joliette into a multifunction public park equipped with various
installations to benefit citizens of all ages. Each year the team
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coordinates activities for the young and old and new equipment and
attractions are added to the park. The park is now equipped with the
following: ice skating ring, slides, hockey rink, pedestrian footpath, roller
blade trail, playground, skate park, washrooms, cycle track, pavilion for
teenagers and a municipal drinking water storage tank.
• Bridgestone Americas cross-LLC Human Resources team implemented
“Payroll Goes Green” initiative to reduce current processes that use
20,000 pounds of paper, 21,000 gallons of gasoline, and create 630,000
gallons of wastewater. This “go paperless” action will save money and
reduce our carbon footprint. The list goes on and on. Bridgestone
Americas’ ongoing commitment to “One Team, One Planet” continues to
help the company earn the trust and pride of the communities
Bridgestone Americas calls home. The consistent improvement in
environmental management is the result of a lot of hard work by
teammates across all business units.
Who is accountable for helping your company meet its green-related goals?
Bridgestone Americas’ environmental accountability starts at the very top and is the
responsibility of each one of our teammates. Upon becoming Bridgestone Americas’
CEO in 2003, Mark A. Emkes immediately developed and implemented a CEO Policy
that was communicated across the company’s 53,000 teammates in the Americas.
One of his guiding principles is to enhance environmental initiatives, and his guiding
principles are the heart of all that the company does. Mr. Emkes has an Executive
Environmental Committee to ensure that environmental issues are considered at the
highest levels of the company.
Bridgestone Americas’ Environmental Affairs Department works with Emkes and the
Environmental Executive Committee to implement the company’s Global
Environmental Policy by working with all LLCs, divisions and facilities to maintain legal
compliance, reduce our environmental footprint, and improve customer and
community relations through positive environmental activities. The Environmental
Affairs Department supports the work of numerous facility level environmental
managers, and a volunteer employee environmental group—Team Environment—
meets regularly to engage in environmental activities to improve environmental
performance in the office.
How have you responded to growing consumer demand for green/eco-friendly
products and services?
• Active distribution of information on green products on public website
• Eco-friendly policies in place at factories
• Eco-friendly policies in place at warehouses
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• Eco-friendly policies in place in the manufacturing process
• Certifications:
• 37 Bridgestone Americas facilities, including all of our manufacturing
plants, are ISO 14001 certified.
• Two of our manufacturing plants are currently in the process of
certification for LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design).
• Three Bridgestone Americas plants were charter members of the EPA’s
National Environmental Performance Track (Performance Track)
program, and today, all of the company’s U.S. tire plants and four
diversified products plants have qualified for Performance Track.
• Following the 2001 Wildlife Habitat Council certification of our first facility
habitat, we’ve certified five more for a total of six WHC-certified sites
covering over 1,300 acres of land, in addition to the more than 10,000
acres donated by BSA. Still more certified wildlife areas are planned.
• At Bridgestone Americas manufacturing plants, we’ve improved our
operations by reducing emissions and increasing efficiency. Our
accomplishments include eliminating hazardous ingredients from the
marking inks we use to make tires, and connecting local landfills to
capture methane gas for energy and making numerous other
improvements in energy efficiency.
• Donations: Donated (completed in 2000) 10,000 acres of Tennessee wilderness.
• Other:
• In 1931, Bridgestone Corporation was founded on the mission of “serving
society with superior quality.” Bridgestone Firestone tires keep getting
better. Longer tire life means fewer scrap tires. Today’s high-tech tires
also help improve fuel efficiency.
• We also make great building products. Our energy conserving roofing
systems keep water out while our new permeable recycled rubber paving
allows rainwater to replenish the groundwater instead of running into
sewers.
• Additionally, we make pond and irrigation liners that help conserve water
and control erosion. Bridgestone Americas customers get longer tire life
and lower utility bills—now, that’s working together for a good
environmental payoff
• At Firestone Complete Auto Care store locations, our car and tire
maintenance service enables better fuel efficiency, also reducing air
pollution per mile. Additionally, we recycle tires, oil, used batteries and
antifreeze from our car care customers, and we welcome do-it-
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yourselfers to drop off used oil for recycling as well. We continue to find
new uses for old tires, and now more than 85 percent of America’s scrap
tires are beneficially used.
How does the company communicate its environmental goals to its employees
and its stakeholders?
• Company-wide newsletter
• Email memos
• Workshops
• Seminars
• Company intranet
What mechanisms does the company have to allow employees to innovate or
provide feedback about ways in which the company can meet its goals?
• Open-door policy with executives
• HR solicitation for feedback
• Annual competitions/prizes for best green practices ideas
• Other: Through our Team Environment program, employees can provide feedback
to the company by contacting the Team Environment coordinator. Teammates
provide suggestions that will positively impact our bottom line as well as improve
our green footprint through a link on the TeamBSA homepage titled Economic
Response Suggestion Program.
How does your business model promote sustainable practices?
The Executive Environmental Committee and Environmental Affairs Department
oversee all green initiatives. Together they implement the company’s Global
Environmental Policy by working with all business units and facilities to maintain legal
compliance, reduce the environmental footprint, and improve customer and
community relations through positive environmental activities. At each plant we
employ an environmental professional. In each of our corporate headquarters we
employ a team of environmental specialists that oversee regulatory compliance, plant
operations, environmental legal issues and green business initiatives.
Please share any measurable results detailing the effectiveness of your green
initiatives.
Our environmental policy sets high standards for continuous improvement in
minimizing our footprint on the natural world. We focus on minimizing waste,
emissions, and energy use, while also seeking opportunities to improve the
environment in our communities. Key indicators of our environmental footprint are:
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Total waste (amounts recycled and discharged) water usage energy usage and CO2
emissions: We are proud to say that since we began systematically recording
company-wide data in 2003, we have significantly reduced these footprint measures
for each unit of production, as the numbers below illustrate.
• Total waste, producing less waste, recycling more: Bridgestone Americas family of
companies is focused on reducing waste from all sources. Reduction of waste can
be accomplished by increasing the amount of waste that is recycled, i.e., using it
again for another purpose, and by decreasing the amount of waste in all forms.
Between 2003 and end of 2008, Bridgestone Americas has reduced the amount
of waste discharged per ton of product by 43 percent, while increasing the amount
of waste recycled by 28 percent.
• Conserving water: Bridgestone Americas facilities also strive to reduce the amount
of water used in manufacturing processes as well as the amount of waste water
discharged. Between 2003 and end of 2008, Bridgestone Americas has reduced
the amount of water used per ton of product by over 14 percent. An example of
creativity in water conservation is the floor scrubbing water recycling system at the
Warren County, Tenn., tire plant, which reuses water up to three times. This
system has cut soap usage in half and allows for the recycling of 2000-4000
gallons of water per month. Continuous improvement projects like this help drive
year-to-year savings of thousands of dollars in resource costs, while reducing the
burden on publicly-owned wastewater treatment plants and streams.
• Energy: Less energy used means les emissions: Bridgestone Americas has long
recognized that every bit of energy saved benefits the bottom line for both our
company and our communities by saving money, reducing emissions and reducing
the burden on power infrastructure and scarce natural resources.
• CO2 emissions: Our goal is improving carbon efficiency: Bridgestone Americas
teammates focus on energy efficiency by tracking all forms of energy use in
manufacturing, warehousing, retail stores, owned distribution fleets, and office
buildings. With improved energy efficiency, Bridgestone Americas has reduced
the amount of energy used per ton of product by over 4.5 percent between 2003
and end of 2008. The search for improvements in energy efficiency is never-
ending for Bridgestone Americas—it’s just the right thing to do. Examples of
individual Bridgestone Americas plants’ efforts to reduce net carbon footprint are
too numerous to mention here. However, one example is the Laverne, Tenn., tire
plant’s change from using steam to transfer heat for curing tires to using nitrogen,
which transfers heat much more efficiently.
What initiatives has the company encouraged its employees to participate in
that help to limit carbon emissions on an operating basis?
• Recycling electronics
• Green cleaning products
Visit Vault at www.vault.com for insider company profiles, expert advice,
career message boards, expert resume reviews, the Vault Job Board and more. 69Vault Guide to Green Programs, 2010 Edition Bridgestone Americas, Inc. • Recycling paper • Using alternative energy sources • Donating surplus supplies • Other: Our company’s Team Environment encourages employees to recycle at work and at home, carpool, engage in community improvement activities, practice energy conservation at their desk (computer turn off program), utilize material conservation (double sided printing), encourage water conservation (some waterless urinals installed), and by bringing in outside lecturers to discuss environmental oriented topics. Do you have any goals with a short-term timetable in place to ensure measurable progress? As part of our new One Team One Planet program, we will set specific goals on water conservation, carbon/energy conservation, land conservation and waste elimination. We have not publicly released these goals. Please list any awards or recognition your environmental program(s) have received. In 2008, Bridgestone Americas received 24 awards for environmental improvement activities, as listed below: • Tire Manufacturing at Aiken, S.C. received South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) Spare the Air Recognition for promoting and practicing air quality improvements. • Tire Manufacturing at Aiken, S.C. received US EPA Performance Track Wildlife Habitat Council Special Commendation. • Tire Manufacturing at Des Moines, Ia. received US EPA Region 7 Performance Track Awards for achieving hazardous materials use and air emissions reduction goals. • Tire Manufacturing at Monterrey, Mexico received Tennessee Wildlife Federation (TWF) Industrial Conservationist of the Year for developing the Monterrey, Mexico area bird identification and bird-watching book for all Bridgestone Teammates and local community members, in partnership with Monterrey Institute. • Tire Manufacturing at Warren Co., Tenn. received TN Chamber of Commerce and Industry Air Quality Award. • Tire Manufacturing at Warren Co., Tenn. received Tennessee Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Award for Pollution Prevention for use of hydrogen fuel cells, also included other environmental activities (energy efficient lighting, high volume low speed fans, green restrooms). 70 © 2009 Vault.com, Inc.
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Bridgestone Americas, Inc.
• Tire Manufacturing at Warren Co., TN received US Green Building Counsel
Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification (first tire
plant in the world and second US existing industrial building to be LEED certified)
• Tire Manufacturing at Wilson, N.C. received HONDA Corporate Citizenship
Recognition for corporate citizenship including: ethics and compliance, health and
safety, community involvement, government relations, diversity and environment.
• Tire Manufacturing at Wilson, N.C. received City of Wilson Bronze Compliance
Award for POTW compliance.
• Tire Manufacturing at Wilson, N.C. received EPA Performance Track Outreach
Award for promotion of the Performance Track program through public outreach
(including letter US Representative)
• Tire Manufacturing at Wilson, N.C. received Environmental Stewardship Initiative–
Rising Environmental Steward recognition for voluntary environmental leadership
program.
• Tire Logistics received US EPA Smartway Certification for Greatec Drive Radials
being at least 3 percent better fuel economy than average new tire.
• Corporate Environmental Management received Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC)
Signature of Sustainability Award for its outstanding commitment to biodiversity
and conservation education at the Woodlawn New Beginnings site.
• Tire Manufacturing in Mexico received 2008 Business for Social Responsibility
Award from Mexican Center for Philanthropy (CEMEFI) and Alliance for Social
Responsibility (AliaRSE).
• Tire Manufacturing in Buenos Aires, Argentina received Environmental Aptitude
Certification From the Organismo Provincial Desarrollo Sostenible (OPDS)
• Retail Operations received National Partnership for Environmental Priorities
(NPEP) Award for lead wheel weight recycling, switching to steel wheel weights.
• Retail Operations received Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Green Star Status
given to six Minnesota retail stores for participation in voluntary environmental
audit program.
• Retail operations received Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ)
Green Shops certification.
• Arizona Complete Auto CareTM locations receive the green shops certification for
participation in the ASA’s Voluntary Green Business Automotive program
administered in conjunction with ADEQ)
• Building Products in DeForest, Wis. accepted into US EPA Performance Track
• Building Products in Youngwood, Pa. accepted into U.S. EPA Performance Track
Visit Vault at www.vault.com for insider company profiles, expert advice,
career message boards, expert resume reviews, the Vault Job Board and more. 71Vault Guide to Green Programs, 2010 Edition Bridgestone Americas, Inc. • Tire Manufacturing in Buenos Aires, Argentina received recognition from the pediatric hospital foundation of Dr. Juan P. Garrahan for paper recycling program (donating/recycling 350,000 lbs of paper) • Tire Manufacturing in Valencia, Venezuela received recognition for Constancy of Regulatory Fulfillment to the Environmental Norm in the matter of Dangerous Remainders by the Ministry of the Popular Power for the Atmosphere • Tire Manufacturing in Valencia, Venezuela received recognition for participation in celebration of the World-wide Day of Beaches by the National Institute of Parks • Tire Manufacturing in Valencia, Venezuela received recognition for invaluable work carried out in Shared Environmental Management (cleaning of the National Park San Esteban) by the National Institute of Parks. Bridgestone Americas has also won numerous environmental awards over the last decade, including: • Green Partner Award from Honda of America Manufacturing • Industrial Conservationist of the Year Award from the Tennessee Conservation League • Kodak American Greenway Award from the National Geographic Society & Eastman Kodak • National Heritage Conservation Award from the Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation • National Stewardship Award from The Conservation Fund • Outstanding Environmental Performance & Wildlife Enhancement Certificate from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Wildlife Habitat Council • Two plants certified as Corporate Lands for Learning by the Wildlife Habitat Council • Recognition for participation in the US EPA’s SmartWay Transportation program • Tennessee Trails Awards from the Tennessee Trails Association • Recognition of Achievement Award for Environmental Leadership from the Ford Motor Company • National Performance Review (Hammer Award 33/50 Program) from the US EPA • Named Industrial Conservationist of the Year by the Tennessee Wildlife Federation (TWF) • Annual Recognition Award from Keep America Beautiful, Inc. 72 © 2009 Vault.com, Inc.
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Bridgestone Americas, Inc.
Please provide your sustainability mission statement if you have one.
To help ensure a healthy environment for current and future generations … We, the
Bridgestone group, are committed to achieving ever higher levels of society’s trust
and employee pride. We consider the environment and health and safety matters to
be integral and important parts of all our business activities, as we work towards a
sustainable society.
Please provide any additional relevant information on your firm's
environmental goals and programs.
Environmental management is commonly viewed as reducing the negative impact on
our natural surroundings. For Bridgestone Americas, that’s simply not good enough.
We’re working to increase our positive impact on our environment and our
communities by developing, improving and protecting wildlife habitats on land we
own or manage. The company’s donation of 10,000 acres of pristine wilderness to
Tennessee—completed in 2000—set the stage for a world-class wildlife habitat
program that continues to spread throughout the company.
Bridgestone Americas teammates are partnering with the Wildlife Habitat Council
(WHC) in cooperation with local, state and federal agencies to create wildlife
management areas on lands surrounding our manufacturing facilities. These wildlife
areas have become a resource for hiking, learning and environmental conservation
for community organizations, school groups and local Boy Scout and Girl Scout
troops.
Bridgestone Americas sponsors the areas and leads teams that plant beneficial native
species and eradicate invasive species while promoting the value of wildlife through
environmental education. Beyond helping these species flourish, the teams also find
innovative ways to achieve other community environmental benefits. They transform
landfills from a community problem into a highly valued wildlife preserve; they provide
green space to offset development; and they provide a place for children of all ages
to learn about wildlife and help it thrive. Unique among tire manufacturers in the
United States, only Bridgestone Americas maintains wildlife habitat areas certified by
the WHC.
On a very practical level, the wildlife habitat areas use land for a worthwhile purpose
that benefits the environment and the community. Local interest and ecological
settings determine the type of projects undertaken. They range from outdoor
classrooms and nature trails, to small butterfly gardens or bluebird boxes, to 500
acres of dedicated space and native tree species’ reintroduction.
Here are just a few examples of the projects taking place at Bridgestone Americas’
WHC-certified habitats:
• In Warren County, Tenn., our team planted 300 Chestnut trees to help re-establish
the rare American Chestnut. Once the heart of Eastern forests, the trees were
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nearly wiped out by a lethal fungus blight. Our habitat volunteers include a local
“Kids of the Community” at-risk youth program who help us work with the
Tennessee American Chestnut Foundation to monitor the progress of the trees on
our site.
• Our Aiken County, S.C., facility teamed up with dozens of local school children to
plant 5,000 Longleaf pine trees (another declining species) at our plant location.
This was the first step in a program that earned certification by WHC as a
“Corporate Lands for Learning” site.
• Our Wilson, N.C., team restored a picnic shelter and is building a hiking trail, while
working with local schools to plan for a wildlife education center that includes an
aquatic habitat study area. The Wilson team has reintroduced Bobwhite Quail in
the enhanced habitat to help re-establish this waning native bird.
• In Oklahoma City, Okla., the focus was on education and projects with local Boy
Scouts, as well as long-range city planning to tie the plant’s wildlife area to the
Oklahoma City River Trails. Part of the habitat at Oklahoma City was farmland that
teammates maintained as a vegetable garden. They donated tons of turnips and
peas to the Greater Oklahoma City Food Bank to feed local families in need. Since
ceasing plant operations in Oklahoma City in 2006, Bridgestone Americas donated
the wildlife area to the local school district and a land conservancy for the site of
the district’s next elementary school under the condition that 40-plus acres will
remain in use perpetually for wildlife habitat and public education.
Our wildlife habitat management activities have had a significant and measurable
impact on the community. Published articles convey our high level of commitment to the
environment by capturing the company’s initiative to create and improve wildlife habitat
areas. We have also received recognition from organizations applauding these wildlife
initiatives. Since 2000 we’ve been honored by groups that include The Conservation
Fund; state departments of environmental quality in Tennessee, Oklahoma and South
Carolina; the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; and the Tennessee Chamber of
Commerce and Industry. Further, and more importantly, the wildlife habitats have done
exactly what they were designed to do. They provide a place for plants and animals to
thrive. Bluebirds, Tree Swallows and Screech Owls are flourishing on these lands. Native
grasses provide food and cover for grassland birds. Butterfly bushes and other pollinator
plants are increasing pollinator populations. And, what makes us the most proud, is that
children from all walks of life work side-by-side with our teammates to learn about nature
and everyone’s role and responsibility to protect, preserve and enhance our natural
world.
For Bridgestone Americas, what started as one donation to honor the Firestone brand’s
centennial has become a way of life. Every Bridgestone Americas facility has the
opportunity — and is encouraged—to create a wildlife habitat area for the benefit of its
community and teammates. At each location, the WHC is invited to visit the habitat area
to evaluate opportunities for habitat improvement. Bridgestone Americas teammates,
fully supported by the company, are invited to be involved and many spend their personal
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Bridgestone Americas, Inc.
time helping to organize and implement selected projects. Further, we have designed
programs for facilities that may not have the acreage for on-site habitats. For example,
the Monterrey, Mexico, team worked with local university and bird watching groups to
publish and distribute the first Spanish-language bird watching guide for the Nuevo Leon
province. The book project earned the company the honor of being named Industrial
Conservationist of the Year by the Tennessee Wildlife Federation. For Bridgestone
Americas, developing, improving and protecting wildlife habitats on our property is an
essential part of running our business and making a positive impact on our communities
and environment. Giving back to the community is the foundation upon which
Bridgestone Americas was built. And it’s the only way we plan on conducting our
business in the future.
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