SP members meet at CU-ICAR in Greenville, SC
SP member Tetra Tech hosted the 4th Quarter Meeting of Suppliers Partnership for the Environment (SP) at the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) on October 16-17, 2017.
On October 16, the first meeting of SP’s new Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) Forum was held in the CU-ICAR Partnership Office. Chaired by Greg Rose of FCA US LLC and Jack Nunes of Lear Corporation, the new Forum is designed to provide a platform for deeper discussion, networking and exchange of ideas on key EHS challenges and opportunities facing multinational automakers and their suppliers. In this first meeting, members shared their successes and challenges related to topics such as EHS data management, culture (employee engagement/executive engagement) and reward/recognition programs, and identified priority issues for future Forum meetings. Following the meeting, members gathered for an informal dinner at Soby’s in downtown Greenville. The next SP EHS Forum meeting is planned for January 30, 2018 and will include discussion of topics such as Culture and Emerging Technologies.
On October 17, Natalie Pryde of Tetra Tech welcomed SP members to the SP 4th Quarter Meeting and provided an overview of Tetra Tech and its 2020 Sustainability Goals and supporting programs. Rob Krulac of CU-ICAR also provided an overview of the CU-ICAR campus and its industry partnership model. During the meeting, participants were offered a tour of the CU-ICAR campus and saw first-hand several projects developed through collaboration between CU-ICAR students, faculty, and auto industry leaders.
SP’s Chair, Randy Leslie of Johnson Controls, presented an update on SP’s Strategic Direction and new partnerships and projects that SP will be addressing over the coming year, including new / expanded collaborative projects with groups like Manufacture 2030, Responsible Battery Coalition and Wildlife Habitat Council, as well as workgroup efforts related to EHS management, chemical issues, and materials efficiency.
Speakers from the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC), Ford, General Motors, Hytch, Lear, RSR Technologies, Toyota, and Venture6 then shared information on their projects and programs and discussed opportunities related to topics such as supply chain energy management, materials efficiency, battery recycling, EHS management, sustainability, visual CSR storytelling, and incentivizing ride sharing. Presentations are now available on SP’s members-only website.
Special thanks to Natalie Pryde and Tetra Tech for their support in organizing and hosting an excellent meeting for SP members. SP’s 1st Quarter Meeting will be held on January 30-31, 2018 at GM Spring Hill Manufacturing in Spring Hill, TN. Please contact us if you’d like more information.