Bridgestone Americas Receives Wildlife Habitat Council’s Highest Honor
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Nov. 16, 2011) - Bridgestone Americas, Inc. (BSAM) has been named the recipient of the 2011 William W. Howard C.E.O. (Conservation, Education, and Outreach) Award from the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) for its work in creating wildlife habitat areas at its facilities and its ongoing commitment to environmental education and outreach.
Different than other recognition levels through the WHC, this award honors not a single program, but rather an entire organization, for its combined efforts in providing educational experiences, access to quality educational opportunities, and the opportunity for personal contact with the natural world to its employees and the surrounding community.
“Bridgestone Americas has been an exemplary partner to the Council for the past 15 years, creating a roadmap for how a major corporation can make an substantial difference in the natural world around us, while teaching others how to be involved in the values of nature” said Robert Johnson, President of the WHC. “This award, named in honor of our late president, is meant to recognize utmost excellence in Conservation, Education and Outreach demonstrated by a company and it is well deserved by Bridgestone Americas.”
This is not the first time the WHC has honored BSAM for its work in environmental education and outreach through its wildlife habitats. In 2009, the Bridgestone Environmental Education Classroom and Habitat (BEECH) at the company’s Warren County, Tenn., truck and bus tire manufacturing facility was named the Corporate Habitat of the Year. That award recognizes one certified Wildlife at Work program each year for outstanding environmental stewardship and voluntary employee efforts.
“Our wildlife habitats are the embodiment of our environmental mission – ‘to help ensure a healthy environment for current and future generations’,” said Tim Bent, Director of Environmental Affairs for BSAM. “We firmly believe that what we make, and how we make it can help improve our environment and our future. Our habitat projects teach the importance of biodiversity and environmental conservation and help us carry that important message to the communities in which we operate and to industry as a whole.”
BSAM maintains 10 wildlife habitats certified by the WHC throughout the U.S. Each provides a preserve for native flora and fauna, while many also offer a tailored environmental learning experience for their local communities.
Learn more about BSAM’s environmental activities at www.OneTeamOnePlanet.com/Americas.
About Bridgestone Americas, Inc.:
Nashville, Tenn.-based Bridgestone Americas, Inc. (BSAM) is the U.S. subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation, the world’s largest tire and rubber company. BSAM and its subsidiaries develop,manufacture and market a wide range of Bridgestone, Firestone and associate brand tires to address the needs of a broad range of customers, including consumers, automotive and commercial vehicle original equipment manufacturers, and those in the agricultural, forestry and mining industries. The companies are also engaged in retreading operations throughout the Western Hemisphere and produce air springs, roofing materials, and industrial fibers and textiles. The BSAM family of companies also operates the world’s largest chain of automotive tire and service centers. Guided by its One Team, One Planet message, the company is dedicated to achieving a positive environmental impact in all of the communities it calls home.