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One Individual and 20 Organizations Receive Inaugural Climate Leadership Awards

Release Date: 02/29/2012
Contact Information: Molly Hooven, [email protected], 202-564-2313, 202-564-4355

WASHINGTON: Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Association of Climate Change Officers (ACCO), the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES) (formerly the Pew Center on Global Climate Change), and The Climate Registry (TCR) named the winners of the inaugural Climate Leadership Awards. The awards recognize corporate, organizational, and individual leadership in addressing climate change and reducing carbon pollution. From setting and exceeding aggressive emissions reduction goals to reducing the emissions associated with shipping goods, these organizations are improving efficiency, identifying energy and cost saving opportunities, and reducing pollution.

“The Climate Leadership Award winners are breaking new ground in cutting carbon pollution that harms our climate and threatens our health,” said Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation. “We applaud our winners for their inspiring leadership, and hope they will serve as examples to catalyze the efforts of other organizations.”

“The inaugural winners of the Climate Leadership Award have demonstrated aggressive greenhouse gas (GHG) management actions and climate-related strategies," said Daniel Kreeger, ACCO's Executive Director. "The exemplary climate response exhibited by these organizations is a testament to the visionary leadership and innovation within their executive suite and workforce. The thought and action leadership of these award winners is a model for all companies, government entities, academic institutions and individuals for which to strive to achieve.”

“Corporate leadership is essential to meeting our climate and energy challenges,” said C2ES President Eileen Claussen. “We join EPA in applauding the first winners of the Climate Leadership Award. These companies demonstrate every day that it’s possible to shrink your carbon footprint without compromising your bottom line. Their accomplishments will inspire other companies to act, and will contribute to strong, sensible policies benefiting both our economy and our climate.”

“The Climate Registry congratulates the inaugural Climate Leadership Award winners on their impressive achievements,” said David Rosenheim, the executive director of TCR. “As we transition in the next few years to a low carbon economy, these organizations will undoubtedly reap the benefits of taking aggressive action to reduce their carbon risk.”

Organizational Leadership: Recognizes organizations for exemplary leadership both in their internal response to climate change and through engagement of their peers, competitors, partners, and value chain:

• IBM
• San Diego Gas & Electric

Individual Leadership: Recognizes an individual for outstanding efforts in leading an organization’s response to climate change:

• Gene Rodrigues, Director of Customer Energy Efficiency and Solar at Southern California Edison

Supply Chain Leadership: Recognizes organizations for actively addressing emissions outside their operations:

• Port of Los Angeles
• SAP
• UPS

Excellence in GHG Management (Goal Achievement): Recognizes organizations for aggressively managing and reducing their GHG emissions:

• Campbell Soup Company
• Casella Waste Systems
• Conservation Services Group
• Cummins Inc.
• Fairchild Semiconductor
• Genzyme
• Hasbro
• Intel Corporation
• International Paper
• SC Johnson

Excellence in GHG Management (Goal Setting): Recognizes organizations for establishing aggressive GHG reduction goals:

• Avaya
• Bentley Prince Street
• Campbell Soup Company
• Ford Motor Company
• Gap Inc.
• Ingersoll Rand

The awards will be presented tonight at the inaugural Climate Leadership Conference in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The conference will bring together leaders from business, government and academic institutions who are interested in exchanging best practices on how to address climate change while simultaneously running more competitive and sustainable operations.

More information about the Climate Leadership Awards and award winners: http://epa.gov/climateleadership/awards/2012winners.html