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Ford Plants Lead the World in Environmental Performance

8 December 1998

Ford Plants Lead the World in Environmental Performance

    -- Ford will be the only automaker to have its plants certified worldwide
       under the environmental standard ISO 14001 by the end of the year.

    -- ISO 14001 leads to significant improvements in energy use, waste
       disposal, water treatment, recycling and air pollution.

    -- In packaging alone, Ford has kept 163 million pounds of waste out of
       landfills in just two years -- enough to fill 120 football fields
       waist high.

    WAYNE, Mich., Dec. 8 -- Ford Motor Company
celebrated another major environmental milestone today, becoming the first and
only automotive company to certify its plants around the world under ISO 14001
-- 140 plants in 26 countries.  ISO 14001 is an environmental standard under
which  independent auditors evaluate environmental processes and system
performance.
    The environmental milestone was marked at a ceremony at the Michigan Truck
Plant, where a giant certificate representing certification of all 73 North
American manufacturing plants was presented by representatives of Lloyd's and
VCA, the two independent auditing agencies used to certify the facilities.
    "Being ISO 14001 certified means that experts outside of Ford agree that
we are world-class in terms of environmental management," said Bob Transou,
group vice president, Manufacturing.  "Achieving ISO certification also
highlights Ford's philosophy that environmental excellence is an element of
both good business and corporate citizenship."
    The discipline put into place by Ford employees worldwide has already
begun to pay big dividends in terms of the environment and cost savings.
    For example, Ford has reduced the amount of disposable packaging coming
into plants by 163 million pounds in the last two years, a reduction of more
than 25 percent on a per vehicle basis.  Materials such as cardboard and
plywood, which used to go in landfills, have been replaced by containers made
of reusable materials such as plastic or metal.
    In North America, the disposal of paint sludge, which is the over-spray
from paint booths, has been dramatically reduced in 10 plants so far.  A
process that recycles the sludge has kept 17,052 tons of paint waste from
going to landfills since 1995.
    In addition, Ford uses a Total Waste Management system that provides
monetary incentives to suppliers for reducing waste.  Rather than paying by
the barrel or load, Ford now pays waste removal suppliers on a scale that
doesn't reward for sheer quantity -- for instance paying a fixed amount by
month or by the number of cars and trucks produced.
    "We committed to completing the ISO process for our plants just three
years ago," said Transou.  "It was a very challenging stretch, but we feel
it's important to be environmental leaders in the communities where we live
and do business."
    ISO 14001 is an internationally recognized standard and provides a basis
for a consistent, globally recognized environmental management system.  Ford's
own Environmental System is based upon the ISO 14001 standard.
    "Working under the ISO framework, we look at literally every environmental
aspect in every plant," said Transou.  "At Michigan Truck, for example, there
are already huge decreases in the amount of water used -- almost a million
gallons a day -- and the amount of energy saved."  At Michigan Truck there was
even a program that examined the light bulbs used.  Replacing 1,975 florescent
bulbs with metal halide bulbs is saving the plant $66,000 a year in energy
costs.
    At all plants undergoing certification, teams of independent auditors
scour the plant, interview employees and review plant environmental procedures
and practices. Plant employees also are instructed on the plant's
environmental policy, and many employees took part in setting objectives to
continually improve in those areas.  Year-to-year environmental improvement is
a key aspect of ISO 14001.
    Not only is Ford the first automaker to certify its manufacturing
facilities to ISO 14001 on a global basis, it also has more individual
facilities in the world certified under the standard than any other company.
Certification for more than 140 Ford sites -- including Visteon and Jaguar
plants -- will be completed by the end of the year.
    Certification to ISO 14001 is one part of a very broad commitment to
environmental leadership at Ford.  Ford also is a leader in clean vehicle
technology.  All Ford Expeditions and Lincoln Navigators built at Michigan
Truck are sold nationwide as Low Emission Vehicles (LEVs), emitting almost
70 percent fewer smog-forming hydrocarbon emissions than allowed by
California's 1999 standards.  In fact, all Ford and Lincoln-Mercury Sport
Utility Vehicles, along with the Windstar minivan, are classified as LEVs
beginning this year.