Nissan to monitor environmental footprint of global suppliers
TOKYO -- Nissan Motor Co. wants to ensure that its suppliers are green as well as lean and mean.
Starting this month, the Japanese automaker will require hundreds of Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers worldwide to report their environmental footprint to Tokyo headquarters.
The reports will cover areas including carbon dioxide emissions and the use of oils, paints and chemicals in manufacturing. Suppliers also will be asked to appoint an " environmental representative" to act as a liaison with the automaker on the green mandates.
The campaign is part of the Nissan Green Program 2010. One of the goals is to reduce 2010 carbon dioxide emissions from global manufacturing to 7 percent below 2005 levels.
" We want to be conscientious about our company's carbon dioxide and environmental impact, and that applies to our supply chain too," Nissan spokeswoman Pauline Kee said.
Aside from reducing carbon dioxide emissions, Nissan also wants to cut the use of hazardous materials and boost recycling efforts. Among the substances Nissan is trying to eradicate from manufacturing are mercury, lead, cadmium and hexavalent chromium.
The new drive will affect some 500 Tier 1 suppliers in Japan, another 300 in the United States and 300 in Europe, Nissan says. It could not give a count of the Tier 2 companies.
Nissan says it will issue guidelines for meeting its environmental standards and then " monitor the performance of its auto-parts and materials suppliers to ensure that they are in compliance."
From Automotive News (A Crain publication)
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