Honda's Green Purchasing Approach

TULLAMARINE, AUSTRALIA - August 5, 2009: In keeping with its focus on sustainability, Honda Motor Co. has introduced Green Purchasing Guidelines across its Japanese operations to minimise the environmental impact of its procurement processes.

Honda's Green Purchasing Guidelines cover actions and target outcomes across its products, production and policies and are implemented as part of a cooperative effort with the company’s supplier network.

This renewed focus on environmentally responsible purchasing achieved significant results in 2008, with levels of carbon emissions from suppliers reduced by 13.5 percent per unit and landfill waste reduced to zero.

Significantly, more than 400 suppliers, or 99 percent of Honda Japan’s total network demonstrated compliance with environmental laws and regulations through the achievement of ISO 14001 certification.

Honda Japan’s green purchasing focus has also encouraged more proactive recycling efforts through the introduction of shared supplier guidelines and standardised recycling procedures.

In 2008, more than 10,000 used metal moulds – equating to 1,410 tonnes of metal – were recycled as a result of this initiative.