Mahwah, NJ — Sharp Electronics Corporation has been named a winner of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) “SmartWay Excellence Award” for the third consecutive year, in recognition of its leadership in conserving energy and lowering greenhouse gas emissions from its transportation and freight activities. Sharp is named a winner in the “Shipper” category for its commitment to environmental friendly practices and business operations. Sharp is the only organization in this category to win the award three years in a row.
Sharp Electronics was one of 27 companies, from among the SmartWay Transport Partnership’s more than 1,000 members, to receive this distinction in 2008. The awards were announced yesterday at the Annual Conference of Supply Chain Management Professionals in Denver, Colorado, by Margo Oge, office director for EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality.
“Sharp is dedicated to fostering a sustainable society through environmentally conscious policies and manufacturing processes,” said Mark Servidio, vice president, Logistics & Environmental Supply Chain, Sharp Electronics Corporation. “Through ongoing participation in the SmartWay Transport Partnership, we have contributed to this goal by improving the environmental efficiency of our shipping and transportation activities.”
Through initiatives such as shipping 97 percent of its goods with SmartWay carriers, adopting no-idling policies and increasing intra-modal shipping, Sharp has reduced its transportation environmental footprint. As of 2008, 90% of the carriers that Sharp works with are members of the SmartWay Transportation Partnership.
Sharp is an active program participant, working closely with SmartWay to help establish a border program with Mexico and promoting the benefits of SmartWay through an aggressive publicity campaign. Launched in 2007, the campaign includes a SmartWay section on Sharp’s corporate website and use of the SmartWay logo on some of the company’s business cards, letterhead and in email correspondence. Sharp also features SmartWay on its intranet site and trains its employees on how to adopt SmartWay practices.
Sharp was one of the early members of the SmartWay Transport Partnership, which was introduced by the EPA and a select group of fifteen shipping and business leaders in 2004 as an innovative, market-based partnership to reduce fuel use, greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants from the freight sector. Together, through the SmartWay Partnership, member companies including Sharp are conserving almost 600 million gallons of diesel fuel per year, saving the trucking industry at least $2.5 billion in annual fuel and maintenance costs, and eliminating an estimated 6.8 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions that contribute to global warming. By 2012, the SmartWay program, with full industry participation, estimates nationwide that it will achieve annual fuel savings of 3.3 to 6.6 billion gallons of diesel fuel, eliminating 33 to 66 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions and up to 200,000 tons of nitrogen oxide emissions.
“EPA is pleased to recognize these SmartWay Partners with a 2008 Excellence Award. I commend Sharp for its leadership in promoting sustainable transportation practices through the SmartWay Transport Partnership”, Oge said. “Their commitment is helping lead us toward a cleaner environment and more secure energy supply.”
