Suppliers Partnership for the Environment (SP) Announces 2021 Environmental Sustainability Award Winners

Representatives from Avangard Innovative, ERA Environmental, General Motors, Honda Development and Manufacturing America, Li-Cycle Corp. and Magna International recognized for environmental leadership.

Washington, DCThe Suppliers Partnership for the Environment (SP) – an association of global automakers and their suppliers working together to advance environmental sustainability through the automotive supply chain – today announced the winners of its 2021 Awards Program in a virtual event.

The SP Awards are designed to recognize and raise awareness of environmental sustainability successes, while promoting knowledge sharing and transfer of proven solutions across the automotive industry.

“As part of SP’s mission to promote sharing of innovative ideas and sustainable solutions across the automotive supply chain, an SP Technology & Innovation Advisory Council supported the renewal of an annual Awards Program in 2021.  This Awards Program gives our members the opportunity to highlight and share their innovative ideas with other leading companies in the automotive industry and helps us all to identify new opportunities to advance best practice through the supply chain,” Vickie Lewis, VMX International and SP Technology and Innovation Advisory Council Co-Chair.

“Our corporate awards this year were specifically designed to recognize the successes of suppliers to the industry, while individual awards were designed to recognize extraordinary contributions of individual volunteers from across the SP membership.  We want to thank all of the members that took the time to submit an application for this year’s awards and to share their projects and technological innovations with our team in SP,” said Bob Crawford, GWT Insight and SP Technology and Innovation Advisory Council Co-Chair.

The 2021 Awards were presented in five categories including: Community Impact; Creativity in Implementing Sustainable Practices; Demonstrating Environmental Innovation in the Manufacturing Process; Shining Star; and the Spirit of SP.

Community Impact

The Community Impact Award recognizes SP member companies who strive to extend the positive impacts of their sustainability efforts to local communities and organizations outside the automotive industry through outreach and education.

The 2021 SP Community Impact Award was presented to Magna International for its Global 6K Water Challenge. Magna was recognized for its support of the World Vision Global 6K Challenge to bring clean water to communities in need. To date, a total of more than 10,000 Magna employees globally have participated in a Global 6K Challenge event and raised more than $1 million USD to help support access to water in communities around the world.

Creativity in Implementing Sustainable Practices

The Creativity in Implementing Sustainable Practices Award recognizes SP member companies that demonstrate remarkable creativity in implementing environmental sustainability programs and practices.

The 2021 SP Creativity in Implementing Sustainable Practices Award was presented to Avangard Innovative for its Circular Economy program. Avangard Innovative was recognized for its creativity and innovation in bringing together stakeholders from across the value chain to design and implement a program to collect used plastic packaging materials and transform them into post-consumer resin for use in new products.

Demonstrating Environmental Innovation in the Manufacturing Process

The Demonstrating Environmental Innovation in the Manufacturing Process Award recognizes SP member companies that demonstrate outstanding innovation in an advanced manufacturing process or technology leading to significant environmental and economic impact within the North American automotive supply chain.

The 2021 SP Demonstrating Environmental Innovation in the Manufacturing Process Award was presented to Li-Cycle Corp. for its Spoke and Hub Technologies.  Li-Cycle was recognized for its development of innovative Spoke & Hub Technologies supporting the recycling of all types of lithium-ion batteries and allowing for a recovery rate of ≥95% of all critical materials found in lithium-ion batteries.

Shining Star

The Shining Star award recognizes and celebrates individual emerging sustainability leaders within SP member companies for their exemplary efforts in developing and improving environmental sustainability programs, as well as their leadership and engagement in SP. This year two members were recognized with an award.

Sophia Borroni-Bird of General Motors was recognized with a 2021 SP Shining Star Award for her vision and leadership in promoting industry collaboration to advance circular and sustainable materials management in automotive products and packaging.

Additionally, Gary Vegh of ERA Environmental Management Solutions was recognized with a 2021 SP Shining Star Award for his leadership, long-term engagement, and active support of advancing environmental sustainability across multiple SP initiatives as well as throughout his own company.

Spirit of SP

The Spirit of SP award recognizes and celebrates individual members who visibly embody SP’s values and have made outstanding contributions to the SP community.

The recipient of the 2021 Spirit of SP Award is Alissa Yakali of Honda Development and Manufacturing America.  Alissa Yakali was recognized as a constant advocate for SP and enthusiastic volunteer of her time and energy in support of the organization’s mission.  She was noted for leading and supporting her company’s engagement across a wide range of SP initiatives, including serving on SP’s Executive Committee as Membership Chair, while also leading collaborative initiatives focused on supply chain carbon reduction as well as chemical process management.

“On behalf of SP, I want to congratulate all our award recipients and thank each company that was nominated for an award this year. I also want to thank Vickie Lewis and Bob Crawford for their leadership of this year’s Award Committee and their good work in giving SP the opportunity to recognize our members’ environmental successes,” said Kevin Butt, Senior Director Environmental Sustainability, Toyota Motor North America and SP Chair.

SP would also like to acknowledge and thank all the member volunteers that contributed to the development and success of this year’s awards program, including Vickie Lewis (VMX International), Bob Crawford (GWT Insight), Al Johnston (Stellantis), Anthony Senatore (Ford Motor Company), Phil Cozad (Honda Development & Manufacturing America), Rae Howard (General Motors), Kevin Butt (Toyota Motor North America), Jack Nunes (Lear Corp.) and David O’Ryan (Ecoclean).

To learn more about the SP Awards Program visit: https://www.supplierspartnership.org/2021-sp-awards-program/

About SP

The Suppliers Partnership for the Environment (SP) is an association of automakers and their suppliers working in collaboration with the US EPA and other governmental entities toward a shared vision of an automotive industry with positive environmental impact. https://www.supplierspartnership.org/

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