Rohm and Haas Co. of Philadelphia is the winner of the inaugural Summit Award for Environmental Leadership presented today by the University of Colorado at Boulder's Leeds School of Business.
The chemical company was one of three finalists for the award given by the Leeds School's Center for Business and Society. Albertsons Inc. of Boise, Idaho, and Horizon Organic of Longmont, Colo., also were recognized as finalists.
The companies were acknowledged for initiating programs that have a positive impact on the natural environment while contributing to business performance. The Summit Award program reflects the Leeds School's commitment to develop business leaders with a broader view of how business contributes to society, according to Bob Kolb, assistant dean for business and society.
"The great achievement of Rohm and Haas in reducing their emissions shows the dramatic improvements companies can make in preserving our environment," Kolb said.
One of the largest specialty chemical manufacturers in the world, Rohm and Haas Co. was honored for its pollution prevention program that helped reduce total releases of air, land and water waste from all of its U.S. facilities from 5.966 million pounds in 1999 to 2.010 million pounds in 2001. During that period, production also increased.
Choosing Rohm and Haas Co. was a tough decision because all three companies have excellent programs, said Dale Jamieson, professor of environmental studies and philosophy at New York University and a member of the three-person panel of judges for the Summit Award.
"In the end we chose Rohm and Haas because the truth is we all use chemicals, and we aren't going to create an environmentally sustainable society until we can learn to use these chemicals responsibly," Jamieson said. "Rohm and Haas has been aggressive in addressing this challenge."
The Summit Award recognized the companies for their programs in specific areas including sustainable use of renewable natural resources, reduction of toxic and hazardous wastes, production of environmentally safe products or services and increased productivity of non-renewable natural resources.
"The fact that this award is being presented at, and by, a distinguished business school reflects the importance and challenges of environmental leadership in today's global marketplace," said Desi Chari, senior environmental engineer for Rohm and Haas Co. "The varied approaches to environmental leadership in the three finalists for this year's award demonstrates how each business, no matter the markets they serve, or the type of business they are in, can find creative and meaningful ways to make a difference in environmental stewardship."
The three judges who evaluated all the entries were Meghan Chapple, manager of business education at the World Resources Institute of Washington, D.C.; Jeff Yorzyk, senior analyst with Five Winds International of West Chester, Pa.; and Jamieson.
All profitable U.S.-based companies that have been publicly traded for at least five years were eligible to be nominated for the Summit Award for Environmental Leadership.
The Center for Business and Society's mission is to provide a broad approach to business education and examine the roles and contributions of business to society.