Organization formed to expand environmental practices in the U.S. automotive industry
A group of automotive industry leaders in the U.S. have joined forces to form one of the first nonprofit environmental organizations targeting the industry. The new organization, dubbed Green Shield Partners, advocates for furthering environmental and recycling practices in the automotive service industry while providing a mechanism to advance its mission.
The formation of Green Shield Partners was initiated by Thermo Fluids Inc., a Scottsdale-based environmental automotive services company, and industry leaders from Brake Masters, an automotive repair chain, and The Van Tuyl Group, the largest group of privately held automotive dealerships in the United States.
“Green Shield Partners will bring additional awareness, recognition and education to support environmental practices throughout the automotive industry,” said Greg Guard, executive director of Green Shield Partners. “The industry has historically had environmental practices in place to recycle used oil, but our goal is to increase recycling practices throughout the country, for items like antifreeze and used oil filters.”
Green Shield Partners acknowledges and certifies automotive service companies that incorporate sustainable practices into their business. By adopting multiple services that adhere to environmental standards, including recycling used motor oil, recycling oil filters, and collecting and recycling spent antifreeze, companies can apply to receive Green Shield Partners certification. Once approved, companies will receive training, posters, an official certification and communication strategies to help educate their customers and employees.
“Brake Masters already practices a ‘total recycling’ approach, but we feel it’s important to go further by taking steps to educate our customers. Our customers should know that by working with us, they are actively participating in eco-friendly practices,” said Artzi.
For their participation, Green Shield Partners are recognized for their environmental commitment and leadership, and for providing customers with eco-conscious choices. This commitment meets the demands of consumers, as 81 percent of Americans believe it’s important for the automotive and transportation industries to support social or environmental causes, according to the 2010 Cone Cause Evolution Study.
Companies that are certified Green Shield Partners gain credibility for their eco initiatives and receive tools to help educate customers on their environmentally-friendly services. The organization hopes that as consumer awareness and support heightens about recycling petroleum products, more companies will begin adopting additional recycling programs.
Green Shield Partners is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the automotive service industry as it pertains to recycling petroleum and petroleum-based products. Founded in Scottsdale, Ariz., Green Shield Partners was established in November 2011 and certifies automotive service companies for adhering to environmentally-conscious guidelines and implementing sustainable practices within their business. As it grows, it will advocate for changes in the industry. The Green Shield Partners board of advisors includes representatives from the founding entities, namely Thermo Fluids, Brake Masters and The Van Tuyl Group. With the launch of the organization, Green Shield Partners aims to certify 1,000 automotive service companies by the end of 2012. For more information, visit www.greenshieldpartners.org.