Volkswagen is already a world leader in clean diesels, and now the German automaker is making a move to become a world leader in clean factories. VW has announced a new initiative to reduce the overall environmental impact of its plants by 25 percent by 2018.
Dubbed the “Think Blue. Factory.” Initiative, the plan calls for all of the automaker’s plants to become 25 percent more “environmentally compatible” by the year 2018. VW says it will achieve that goal by focusing on several key areas, including energy consumption, waste volumes, air-borne emissions, water consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.
“Sustainable, efficient production is a clear competitive advantage,” said Prof. Werner Neubauer, Member of the Board of Management of the Volkswagen brand with responsibility for Components. “With its “Think Blue. Factory.” Initiative, the Volkswagen brand is pursuing a clear strategy which pools all environmental activities at our plants throughout the world. Our ambitious targets for sustainable vehicle production have now been defined in a way which is clear and comprehensible for our customers.”
VW’s “Think Blue. Factory” Initiative comes just weeks after the company’s newest Chattanooga, Tennessee production facility was awarded the platinum LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification. The Chattanooga plant is the first and only auto plant in the world to be given the platinum certification.
