SP’s 1st Quarter Meeting of 2020 Held at Honda of Alabama

The 1st Quarter meeting of Suppliers Partnership for the Environment (SP) was hosted on January 29-30, 2020 by the Alabama Automotive Manufacturers Association (AAMA) at the Honda AIDT Training Center in Lincoln, Alabama. Thanks to SP member Univar Solutions for their sponsorship of the meeting.

SP membership meetings provide an opportunity for members to share environmental sustainability best practices and strategies with their industry peers, learn about emerging issues impacting the environment and their business operations, and to identify opportunities for collaborative action through SP. 

Pre-Meetings and Activities – January 29

Meetings of SP’s Responsible Battery Work Group, Emerging Professionals Work Group, and EHS Forum were held at Honda on January 29. These work group meetings included presentations from Lauren Roman (Everledger), Gary Vegh (ERA Environmental), Lisa Majchrzak (Honda), Dr. Gary Roth (National Occupational Research Agenda), and Jason Brasfield (Airbus), and provided an opportunity to continue to advance each work group’s objectives and initiatives. A networking dinner was also held that evening in Anniston, Alabama.

Q1 Membership Meeting – January 30

The following morning, SP’s Chair Kevin Butt (Toyota Motor NA) opened SP’s 1st Quarter Meeting and introduced Ron Davis (AAMA) to welcome attendees to Alabama. Kevin then discussed the 2020 SP Executive Committee’s vision for SP over the coming years and noted that the Committee would be seeking input from all members over the coming weeks to inform its planning for the future.

Joanna Bambeck (Honda of America) welcomed attendees to the Honda facility and shared information on Honda’s environmental sustainability goals and green factory initiatives across North America. Che George (Honda of Alabama) then highlighted environmental programs at the Honda facility in Lincoln, Alabama, including the site’s zero waste to landfill program.

The meeting included member-led updates on current SP working group initiatives related to biodiversity, chemical process management, EV battery recycling, materials efficiency, and emerging professional engagement. In addition to SP project updates the meeting included presentations from SP members and guests on current and emerging environmental sustainability issues, including Benjamin Landry (Edison Energy), Daniel Tait (Energy Alabama), Kevin Butt (Toyota), Blake Ashbee (US EPA Region 4), Sara Cook (Wildlife Habitat Council), Jodie Jackowiec (Yamaha), and Jay Phillips (Yamaha).

SP members may access presentations and minutes from the meetings on SP’s Members Only site.  Please contact us if you’d like more information, or to learn more about SP membership opportunities.