Boeing announced on Feb. 18 that all of its major manufacturing facilities received the internationally recognized ISO 14001 environmental certification by the end of 2008.
"We recognized many areas of excellence at Boeing, from employee involvement programs to recycling efforts, in one of the most aggressive ISO 14001 certification efforts we've seen," said Sidney Vianna, director of Aviation, Space & Defense Services for independent auditors Det Norske Veritas, an accredited certification body of quality, environmental and safety management systems.
The following Boeing sites certified during 2008 were commended for their environmental performance with more than 80 positive noteworthy efforts and no major nonconformances:
- Alabama: Huntsville
- Arizona: Mesa
- Australia: Bankstown, Fishermans Bend
- California: El Segundo, Long Beach, Seal Beach, Sylmar, Taft, Torrance
- Canada: Winnipeg
- Florida: Kennedy Space Center
- Missouri: St. Louis, St. Charles
- Pennsylvania: Philadelphia
- Texas: San Antonio
- Utah: Salt Lake City
- Washington: Auburn, Frederickson, Renton and North Boeing Field, Integrated Defense Systems sites in Puget Sound
"As a responsible corporate citizen and neighbor, we are focused on reducing energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, pollution and waste at our facilities," said Mary Armstrong, Boeing vice president, Environment, Health and Safety.
Facilities in Exmouth, Australia; Everett, Wash.; and Portland, Ore. had previously achieved ISO 14001 certification.
Boeing has reached other milestones when it comes to environmentally progressive products and services and reducing its environmental footprint. Some other highlights of its 2008 work include:
- The establishment of aggressive targets to improve by 25% greenhouse gas emissions intensity, energy efficiency and recycling rates at its major manufacturing facilities by 2012, with a similar goal for hazardous waste reduction.
- The world's first series of test flights powered in part by sustainable biofuels, in collaboration with Air New Zealand, Continental Airlines and Japan Airlines. Boeing is focused on research for advanced generations of sustainable biofuels using biomass that do not compete with food crops or water resources.
- The world's first straight-and-level flight of a manned airplane powered only by a fuel-cell, led by Madrid-based Boeing Research & Technology Europe. The research may benefit secondary aircraft system power use.
- Delivery of world-record holding solar cells by Boeing subsidiary Spectrolab Inc., to an Australian customer to power a 154MW power station.
