Corporations Recognized for Conservation Excellence at 2016 WHC Conservation Conference
SILVER SPRING, MD, NOVEMBER 9, 2016 – Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) announced the winners of its 2016 WHC Awards at the 2016 WHC Conservation Conference, held November 2-3 in Baltimore. The WHC Awards honor excellence in corporate conservation; recipients include both national and international companies across a variety of industry sectors. This year’s top awards, signifying leadership in conservation, were won by General Motors and CEMEX.
“Recognizing corporate conservation is at the heart of our organization, and it is exemplified by the work of General Motors, CEMEX and all of our award winners,” said Margaret O’Gorman, President, WHC. “These outstanding projects and programs are prime examples of the positive influence and impact that corporate conservation can have on biodiversity, local communities and employees.”
General Motors received the 2016 Corporate Conservation Leadership Award and the 2016 Employee Engagement Award. The Corporate Conservation Leadership Award honors one company’s overall achievement in conservation efforts, and signifies an exemplary level of corporate commitment to biodiversity and conservation education, and meaningful alignments with global conservation objectives. The Employee Engagement Award recognizes a company’s involvement in conservation through the sheer force of its employee teams who participate in its habitat and conservation education activities.
CEMEX was the year’s most honored company, picking up not only the 2016 Gold Tier Program Award for its conservation efforts at the El Carmen ecological reserve, but also Project Awards in the following categories: Awareness and Community Engagement (CEMEX, Atotonilco); Desert, Forest, Mammals and Species of Concern (CEMEX, El Carmen).
The Gold Program Award honors the overall conservation depth of one exceptional program. Projects are recognized for excellence in each of the WHC Project Guidance themes. This category offers projects of all sizes the ability to compete for recognition. Learn more about the Project Award criteria at here. The following is a complete list of 2016 Project Award winners:
- Avian: Freeport-McMoRan, Safford Operations
- Awareness and Community Engagement: CEMEX, Atotonilco
- Bats: DTE Energy, Muskegon Service Center
- Desert: CEMEX, El Carmen
- Forest: CEMEX, El Carmen
- Formal Learning: General Motors, Vancouver Parts Distribution Centre
- Grasslands: Freeport-McMoRan, Tyrone
- Green Infrastructure: ITC Holdings, Wayland Warehouse
- Integrated Vegetation Management: Pacific Gas & Electric Corporation, El Cerrito
- Invasive Species: Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Farley Nuclear Plant
- Invasive Species Coordinated Approaches: LafargeHolcim, Lafarge Texada Quarry
- Landscaping: California Resources Corporation, THUMS Islands
- Mammals: CEMEX, El Carmen
- Pollinators: Oldcastle Materials, Oldcastle Nature Trail at the Marcus Autism Center
- Reptiles and Amphibians: Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Farley Nuclear Plant
- Species of Concern: CEMEX, El Carmen
- Training: Buzzi Unicem USA, Wildlife Habitat and Outdoor Classroom, Pryor, OK
- Wetlands and Water Bodies: CSX Transportation, Nocatee Site
- Xeric Shrubland: Bridgestone Americas, Bridgestone Neumaticos de Monterrey
Award finalists and winners were chosen from Conservation Certification applications submitted from January 1, 2016 – August 1, 2016 that were granted certification. Applications received after August 1, 2016 and applications what were in the appeals process in 2016 will be considered for the 2017 WHC Awards. Information on award criteria can be found at on our website.
About Wildlife Habitat Council
Wildlife Habitat Council promotes and certifies habitat conservation and management on corporate lands through partnerships and education. WHC Conservation Certification programs take corporate sustainability goals and objectives and translate them into tangible and measurable on-the-ground actions. Through a focus on building collaboration for conservation with corporate employees, other conservation organizations, government agencies and community members, WHC programs focus on healthy ecosystems and connected communities. WHC-assisted wildlife habitat and conservation education programs are found in 48 states and 17 countries. www.wildlifehc.org
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