An official website of the United States government.

This is not the current EPA website. To navigate to the current EPA website, please go to www.epa.gov. This website is historical material reflecting the EPA website as it existed on January 19, 2021. This website is no longer updated and links to external websites and some internal pages may not work. More information »

EPA Center for Corporate Climate Leadership

2017 Climate Leadership Award Winners

Climate Leadership Awards LogoCongratulations to the 2017 Climate Leadership Award winners! Three Individuals, 10 Organizations, and two Partnerships were publicly recognized for their leadership in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and climate action during the awards dinner, as part of the Climate Leadership Conference, held in Chicago, IL from March 1 - 3, 2017.

Organizational Leadership Award

Individual Leadership Award

Supply Chain Leadership Award

Excellence in Greenhouse Gas Management (Goal Achievement Award)

Excellence in Greenhouse Gas Management (Goal Setting Certificate)

Innovative Partnership Certificate

Special Thanks to the CLA Reviewers

About the Awards

Organizational Leadership Award

Recognizes organizations that not only have their own comprehensive greenhouse gas inventories and aggressive emissions reduction goals, but also exemplify extraordinary leadership in their internal response to climate change, and engagement of their peers, partners, and supply chain.

Dallas Fort Worth International Airport

Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) International Airport is one of the most frequently visited airports in the world, offering nearly 1,850 flights daily and serving more than 65 million passengers a year. Located between Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas, DFW is one of the highest capacity commercial airports worldwide, and is one of the primary economic engines for North Texas. 

DFW is receiving a Climate Leadership Award for Organizational Leadership. Highlights from its recent efforts include:

  • DFW’s Sustainability Management Plan prioritizes energy efficiency and GHG reduction. DFW included GHG emissions per passenger as a Key Performance Indicator in its FY2016-2020 Strategic Plan, with a goal to reduce the kilogram per passenger of carbon from 2.88 to 2.45 between 2015 and 2020 (15 percent reduction/3 percent annual). DFW is dedicated to offsetting its Scope 1 and business travel emissions with certified offsets.
  • DFW increased its contracted renewable energy purchases from 10 percent to 40 percent since 2006 and now purchases enough renewable energy credits (RECs) to account for 100 percent of its energy use. The Airport also generates green power from an on-site solar energy system.
  • The Airport has integrated cleaner vehicles into its fleet. DFW utilizes compressed natural gas in its bus fleet operations, with multiple fueling stations for airport fleets and the surrounding community. DFW also uses hybrid-electric fleet vehicles and has provided electrical charging infrastructure to support ground support equipment operations and passenger vehicles.
  • The Airport engages with tenants and key business partner stakeholders on the principles and benefits of reducing emissions. It partners with regulatory agencies, academia, nongovernmental organizations, business associations, and other stakeholders to develop solutions to air quality challenges.

DFW was previously recognized with a Climate Leadership Award for Excellence in Greenhouse Gas Management (Goal Setting Certificate) in 2016.

The Goldman Sachs Group

Goldman Sachs is a global investment banking, securities, and investment management firm that provides financial services to corporations, financial institutions, governments, and individuals. Founded in 1869, the firm is headquartered in New York and maintains offices in major financial centers worldwide.

Goldman Sachs is receiving a Climate Leadership Award for Organizational Leadership. Highlights from its recent efforts include:

  • Goldman Sachs achieved carbon neutrality across operations and business travel in 2015 and pledges to maintain it thereafter. The company’s commitment to a 10 percent reduction in absolute energy use from 2013 to 2020 and use of 100 percent renewable energy will enable it to achieve carbon neutrality while supporting the expansion of renewable energy markets.
  • Its Environmental Policy Framework includes assisting clients to meet their capital needs in developing clean energy solutions. In 2015, Goldman Sachs financed and invested nearly $12 billion in the clean energy sector, and has deployed more than $65 billion since 2006. The company also participates in green bond transactions to drive growth in the green bond market. One example included Apple’s $1.5 billion green bond in which proceeds funded new and on-going projects to drive Apple’s environmental initiatives (including renewable energy); the issuance marked the first green bond by a U.S. tech. company and the largest senior unsecured U.S. corporate green bond. Goldman Sachs also helps clients manage exposure to climate impacts through capital market mechanisms, including weather-related catastrophe bonds, and identifies opportunities to facilitate investment in infrastructure resiliency.
  • The company engages employees on renewable energy and GHG reduction, operational achievements, and policy updates. As part of its annual staff performance review process, individuals who have a responsibility to manage climate change related assessments, commitments and initiatives are evaluated for their effectiveness against these responsibilities.

IBM

IBM is a global enterprise delivering IT solutions enabled by cognitive and cloud computing. Headquartered in Armonk, New York, IBM offers a broad range of technology products, services and solutions, with approximately 378,000 employees serving clients in 170 countries.

IBM is receiving a Climate Leadership Award for Organizational Leadership. Highlights from its recent efforts include:

  • IBM’s third generation, absolute GHG reduction goal commits to reduce emissions by 35 percent by 2020 against a 2005 baseline, adjusted for acquisitions and divestitures. IBM is achieving this goal through increased energy efficiency across operations and through renewable energy procurement (20 percent of its annual electricity use by 2020). In 2015, IBM contracted 17.5 percent of its global energy purchases through green power, above and beyond renewable electricity IBM receives automatically via grid purchases.
  • IBM’s global Environmental Management System (EMS) serves as the foundation for its efforts to address climate change and drives continual operational improvement. It informs business strategy and development of products and services to assist clients in mitigating their environmental and climate change impacts and improve resiliency. Integral to this global EMS is an enterprise-wide IT system which facilitates the collection and analysis of IBM’s key environmental performance indicators including energy use, GHG emissions, water use, waste generation. Assessments have identified regulatory, operational, and financial risks associated with changing energy infrastructure and costs associated with projects to reduce emissions.
  • IBM, in partnership with global engineering firm AECOM, created a Disaster Resilience Scorecard for the United Nations based on UN's “10 Essentials for Making Cities Resilient.” This tool is publically available, free of charge, and has been deployed by cities worldwide.
  • IBM provides opportunities for its employees to engage in activities that address climate-related risks and opportunities. Four examples: (a) The World Community Grid Initiative that enables anyone with a computer, smartphone, or tablet to donate their unused computing power to research on topics including climate change. (b) A corporate-wide cognitive app building competition in 2016 with 275,000 IBM participants submitting more than 2,700 ideas, many of which involved addressing challenges of climate change. (c) Training programs on environmental management, regulatory requirements, energy processes and activities, supply chain, and more.
  • IBM regularly participates in benchmark discussions to share its energy conservation and climate change programs with clients. The company assists clients in dealing with risks and opportunities they face due to climate change.
  • IBM requires all suppliers with whom IBM holds a commercial contract to have an EMS, inventory their energy use and GHG emissions, establish reduction plans and publically report their results. IBM is also a member of the Electronics Industry Citizenship Coalition and has been involved in the implementation of the environmental reporting requirements for suppliers in the electronics supply chain.

IBM was previously recognized with Climate Leadership Awards in 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2016 in the Organizational Leadership, Supply Chain Leadership, Goal Achievement, and Goal Setting categories, respectively.

Lockheed Martin Corporation

Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 97,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.

Lockheed Martin is receiving a Climate Leadership Award for Organizational Leadership. Highlights from its recent efforts include:

  • Lockheed Martin set an absolute GHG reduction of goal of 35 percent from 2010 through 2020 for global operations.
  • Lockheed Martin’s business strategy related to climate change has been influenced by the U.S. government’s work in building energy conservation, efficiency and management, renewable and alternative energy use, water use efficiency and management, and other sustainability-focused metrics. Lockheed also helps the U.S. government reduce its energy costs and environmental impact through improved utility management decisions at federal sites.
  • Lockheed optimizes energy use through its Go Green 2020 program, which includes energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, with a pledge to quadruple on-site renewable generation to 10 MW by the end of 2020. The company achieved 18 percent energy and 23 percent GHG reductions from 2010 to 2015 towards its Go Green goals. In 2015, Lockheed initiated or completed more than 40 energy efficiency and GHG reduction projects.
  • In 2015, Lockheed Martin combined several commercial energy products and service businesses into a single organization called Lockheed Martin Energy; its product lines and product development include a focus on clean energy and more efficient products. For example, Lockheed internally developed software that provides near-real-time situational analysis of utility use, manages building control system data, and integrates key operational and business systems.
  • One of the company’s goals is to achieve $4 billion in product sales with direct, measurable benefits to energy and advanced infrastructure resiliency by 2020. It has also committed to help customers reduce their GHG emissions by at least twice the GHG impact of business operations by 2020.
  • The company’s supply chain management program includes partnering with its supply base to reduce adverse environmental impacts, to promote human rights, health, safety, and to enable responsible supplier growth and raise standards. In late 2015 and early 2016 the company conducted supplier sustainability assessments to survey 166 suppliers, which represent approximately 56 percent of total 2015 supplier spend.
  • Lockheed Martin encourages employee education and awareness regarding energy conservation and has established more than 200 Green Zones with employees in common areas committing to energy efficiency activities.

Lockheed Martin was previously recognized with a Climate Leadership Award for Excellence in Greenhouse Gas Management (Goal Setting Certificate) in 2013.

Procter & Gamble

Founded in 1837, Procter & Gamble (P&G) is a multinational consumer goods company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio with operations in approximately 70 countries. Its products include more than 60 brands including Tide/Ariel, Pampers, Pantene, Crest, and Always.

P&G is receiving a Climate Leadership Award for Organizational Leadership. Highlights from its recent efforts include:

  • P&G has set several 2020 goals including: an absolute GHG reduction of 30 percent for global operations using 2010 as a baseline; using 30 percent renewable energy; and a 20 percent reduction in truck transportation which was exceeded last year when it reached a 25 percent reduction.
  • The company’s goal is to double its use of recycled resin in plastic packaging by 2020; to date it has increased it by 30 percent and also achieved its goal to have 100 percent of the virgin wood fiber used in tissue/towel and absorbent hygiene products be third-party certified.
  • P&G maintains active engagements with environmental NGOs aimed at reducing its GHG emissions. The company engaged employees on energy reductions, enabling employees to take five simple actions to contribute to local energy savings, resulting in $20 million in new energy savings projects. It also announced in 2015 a partnership to build one of the largest renewable combined heat and power facilities in the U.S., and a windfarm in Texas to power all the electricity needed for its Fabric and Home Care manufacturing sites in the U.S. and Canada.
  • P&G has focused on driving increased use of cold water laundry washing through consumer education and by providing products that work well in both cold water and HE (HE drives energy reduction in use phase). And it has invested in an External Supplier Sustainability Scorecard that that seeks to improve performance of its suppliers in all areas of sustainability including climate change. Since 2010, P&G has tracked performance and improvement on key partner related measures such as GHG emissions and energy intensity; these were recently digitized via its Ecodesk platform to simplify the process and drive additional progress.

Top of Page

Individual Leadership Award

Recognizes individuals demonstrating extraordinary leadership both in addressing climate change and engaging their organization, peers, and partners.

Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia, California State Assembly

Eduardo Garcia represents California's 56th Assembly District, which includes cities and unincorporated communities in eastern Riverside County and Imperial County. This area has some of the highest unemployment rates in the state even with the presence of large agricultural and tourism industries. Assemblymember Garcia is the current chair of Water, Parks and Wildlife and chairs the Joint Select Committee on Climate Change Policies. He serves on the Assembly Committees on Appropriations, Communications and Conveyance, Governmental Organization, and Utilities and Energy. Recently, Assemblymember Garcia was appointed to the California Air Resouces Board.

Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia is receiving a Climate Leadership Award for Individual Leadership. Highlights from his recent efforts include:

  • Assemblymember Garcia created dialogue about how California climate policies can help some of the state's disenfranchised communities. He engaged his district and other low-income and inland California communities (e.g., growing Latino communities) on the challenges and issues associated with addressing climate change. This outreach was significant because addressing climate change has been perceived as more of a concern of coastal communities in California than low-income and inland communities, where health and jobs are key concerns.
  • In order to bridge the gap between stakeholders as well as increase communication and trust, Assemblymember Garcia spent significant time listening to and partnering with disparate organizations and stakeholders, such as the environmental justice, business, faith, labor, and traditional environmental groups. As noted by major California newspapers, this dialogue and engagement was sustained and helped forge what has been called "the partnership for the future."
  • As a result, Assemblymember Garcia’s work has ensured state climate activities will provide more benefits to and investments in low-income communities.

Dr. Jairo Garcia, Director Climate Policies and Renewables, City of Atlanta, Georgia

Dr. Jairo Garcia is the Director of Climate Policies and Renewables for the City of Atlanta where he develops strategies, policies, and educational programs on GHG mitigation and resilience. He develops and oversees municipal and citywide sustainability initiatives to reduce GHG emissions from energy and water consumption, renewables, waste management, and urban agriculture.

Dr. Jairo Garcia is receiving a Climate Leadership Award for Individual Leadership. Highlights from his recent efforts include:

  • Dr. Garcia’s emphasis on GHG inventories led to the city reporting its GHG emissions on a regular basis. He’s helping to drive the city’s 20 percent absolute GHG reduction goal by 2020 against a 2009 baseline.
  • Dr. Garcia led the development of the City of Atlanta’s Climate Action Plan, where he engaged more than 30 multidisciplinary experts to develop a comprehensive and inclusive plan, and educated City Council members who unanimously adopted it in September 2015. He is also working on developing a Resilience Plan for Atlanta and organized the first Community Resilience Workshop in 2015, leading to Atlanta joining the 100 Resilient Cities network.
  • Dr. Garcia educated city officials about the importance of signing the Compact of Mayors to demonstrate Atlanta’s commitment to the city’s emission reduction and adaptation planning. He also recommended the Mayor participate in the Climate Summit for Local Leaders and to be member of the board of the Global Covenant of Mayors.
  • Dr. Garcia was a key developer of the Solar Atlanta project, which includes installing solar PV panels in 24 city-owned facilities, primarily recreation centers and fire stations. He is working on many other solar projects including the installation of 7.5 MW of solar PV capacity in two closed landfills, Sol-Smart designation program, community solar, and the solarize program for the City of Atlanta.

Ms. Sophia Mendelsohn, Director of Sustainability, JetBlue Airways

Ms. Sophia Mendelsohn leads Sustainability at JetBlue, where she shapes policies and practices that reduce environmental impact for the airline and in the aviation sector.

Sophia Mendelsohn is receiving a Climate Leadership Award for Individual Leadership. Highlights from her recent efforts include:

  • Ms. Mendelsohn led JetBlue in advancing its GHG accounting and emissions reporting, resulting in its engagement in materiality-based sustainability reporting.
  • As an industry where 99 percent of emissions come from burning of jet fuel, sourcing sustainable fuels is key to climate change mitigation. Ms. Mendelsohn helped conceive of, negotiate, and execute a ten-year binding agreement for 330 million gallons of renewable jet fuel, that brought multiple business and environmental advantages to the airline. This marks one of the largest biofuel purchase agreements in aviation history. The cost of the biofuel is competitive with Jet-A. The agreement also allowed the biofuel producer to raise capital for new refineries, expanding their scale, and thus ultimately lowering the price of biofuel further for the entire industry.
  • Ms. Mendelsohn has led numerous engagements with JetBlue’s crewmembers to identify opportunities for emissions reductions with the airline’s fleet and operations, including:
    • Transitioning JetBlue ground support equipment to plug-in electric vehicles;
    • Filling potable water tanks to three-quarters across the fleet of Airbus 320s, saving roughly 2,700 metric tons of CO2e emissions and $900,000 in fuel costs annually;
    • Adjusting idling times per flight, thereby reducing fuel use by millions of pounds annually;
    • Relying on electrical ground power to start aircraft engines, power aircraft systems when parked, and pressurize onboard water systems; and,
    • Becoming one of 10 companies to join the NYC Mayor’s Carbon Challenge committed to reducing GHG emissions from JetBlue offices by up to 30 percent in the next decade.
  • Using the airline metric of revenue per seat mile, Ms. Mendelsohn worked with The Ocean Foundation to craft a study that evaluates the correlation between ecosystem health in the Caribbean and leisure-related travel, with a goal to encourage more sustainable tourism.

Top of Page

Supply Chain Leadership Award

Recognizes organizations that not only have their own comprehensive greenhouse gas inventories and aggressive emissions reduction goals, but also exemplify extraordinary leadership in their internal response to climate change, and engagement of their peers, partners, and supply chain.

Clif Bar & Company

Clif Bar & Company is a family- and employee-owned organic food company headquartered in Emeryville, CA. The company operates according to a business model that works to sustain our planet, communities, people, business, and brands.

Clif is receiving a Climate Leadership Award for Supply Chain Leadership. Highlights from its recent efforts include:

  • Clif Bar has an innovative green power program for its own operations and supply chain partners, including companies that make their ingredients, packaging, or provide baking and logistics services. Through this program, called “50/50 by 2020,” Clif Bar asks supply chain partners to source 50 percent or more green power for the electricity they use on Clif Bar’s behalf. The program’s goal is to have 50 supply chain facilities transition to 50 percent or more green power by 2020. This program launched in 2015, and as of September 2016, 12 supply chain facilities had verified purchases of 50 percent or 100 percent green power, which is 24 percent of the 2020 goal.
  • The combination of these efforts has resulted in more than 9 million kWh of green power purchased each year. Twenty additional supplier facilities are being evaluated for achievement of the 50 percent goal, which will likely more than double the program’s impact by the end of this year.
  • To help its supply chain partners achieve the 2020 goal, Clif Bar offers free consulting with an expert in renewable energy procurement and finance, helping the companies find green power solutions that make business sense for them. Clif Bar also provides recognition opportunities at its annual Supplier Summit and encourages supply chain partners to join the EPA Green Power Partnership.
  • Clif Bar sources 100 percent green power for its own facilities, including its headquarters in Emeryville, where 80 percent of its electricity is generated by an onsite solar array.

United States Postal Service

The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) delivers the mail to nearly 155 million business and residential delivery points in the United States of America, including five U.S. territories.

USPS is receiving a Climate Leadership Award for Supply Chain Leadership. Highlights from its recent efforts include:

  • In 2015, USPS set a second generation absolute GHG reduction goal of 25 percent for Scope 1 and 2 and 30 percent for Scope 3 by 2025 against a 2008 baseline in response to Federal Executive Order 13693, Planning for Federal Sustainability in the Next Decade.
  • Through its organization-wide Green Purchasing Program, USPS holds the annual Supplier Sustainability Excellence Awards program which recognizes postal suppliers that have made significant contributions in green business practices. USPS also requires potential suppliers to include a detailed sustainability plan as a part of their proposal, which outlines supplier’s current sustainability initiatives and metrics as well as suggested initiatives on which the supplier is willing to work collaboratively with the Postal Service.
  • USPS employs three collaborative efforts to help its customers reduce Scope 3 emissions:
    • USPS BlueEarth® Product Carbon Accounting Service assists customers with accounting for their Scope 3 emissions. It calculates GHG emissions associated with business customers’ mailing and shipping activities. Customers are provided with an online report they can use to analyze their GHG emissions and better understand the GHG impact of their supply chain.
    • USPS BlueEarth® Secure Destruction Mail Service Program securely shreds and recycles letter-size pieces of undeliverable-as-addressed First-Class Mail with personal protected information that would otherwise be returned to the sender. USPS intercepted and destroyed more than 23 million pieces of mail in FY 2015 and recycled 590 metric tons of paper.
    • USPS BlueEarth® Federal Recycling Program facilitates federal agencies to recycle ink cartridges and unwanted electronic devices free of charge using the postal network. Twenty-three federal agencies currently enrolled receive a recycling activity report to assist them in meeting sustainability requirements.
  • In 2014, USPS added sustainable procurement clauses into its national Supplying Practices and Principals Procurement Guide with the aim to increase water and energy efficiency, increase purchase of bio-based, recycled content and environmentally-preferred products. In addition, USPS personnel are automating sustainability purchasing reporting metrics in order to disseminate information to promote program visibility.
  • USPS conducts outreach to the transportation supplier community and encourages the use of alternative fuels by suppliers and educate its contractors on the benefits of EPA SmartWay membership. Also, by the end of Fiscal Year 2016 USPS had at least 178 tractors and trucks traveling more than 13.5 million miles annually using alternative fuel.

USPS Chief Sustainability Officer, Mr. Thomas Day, was recognized with a Climate Leadership Award for Individual Leadership in 2016.

Top of Page

Excellence in Greenhouse Gas Management (Goal Achievement Award)

Recognizes organizations that publicly report and verify organization-wide greenhouse gas inventories and achieve aggressive greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals.

Bank of America

Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Bank of America is one of the world's largest financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small- and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company serves clients through operations in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and more than 35 countries.

Bank of America is being recognized for Excellence in Greenhouse Gas Management—Goal Achievement—for the following accomplishments:

  • Bank of America exceeded a second generation absolute GHG reduction goal of 15 percent from 2010 through 2015 for global operations by reducing GHG emissions by 37 percent during the goal period.
  • Bank of America achieved its GHG reductions by implementing more than 5,800 energy efficiency projects, including lighting, equipment and controls upgrades, such as installing LED lighting and occupancy sensors, decommissioning unneeded equipment, and optimizing HVAC controls. These projects reduced both Scope 1 and 2 emissions through reductions in electricity and fuel use, and saved more than $140 million since 2010. The company also pursued LEED certification; at the end of 2015, 23 percent of its facility portfolio was LEED certified, which is integrated into project and property management processes. Furthermore, Bank of America has consolidated computing operations into fewer buildings, reducing energy use 11 percent from 2013 to 2015 (data centers account for 20-25 percent of the company’s GHG emissions).

Bank of America exceeded its initial goal of reducing total U.S. GHG emissions 9 percent from 2004 to 2009 by achieving an 18 percent reduction.

Bank of America was previously recognized with a Climate Leadership Award for Organizational Leadership in 2015 and Excellence in Greenhouse Gas Management (Goal Setting Certificate) in 2013.

The Goldman Sachs Group

Goldman Sachs is a global investment banking, securities, and investment management firm that provides financial services to corporations, financial institutions, governments, and individuals. Founded in 1869, the firm is headquartered in New York and maintains offices in major financial centers worldwide.

Goldman Sachs is being recognized for Excellence in Greenhouse Gas Management—Goal Achievement—for the following accomplishments:

  • Goldman Sachs set and achieved a second generation absolute GHG reduction goal of 100 percent in 2015 for global operations and business travel on a net market basis. In 2015 the company achieved carbon neutrality across operations and business travel and pledged to maintain it thereafter.
  • Goldman Sachs achieved its GHG reduction goal by implementing renewable energy and energy efficiency measures, bridging the gap to carbon neutrality by supporting GHG reduction projects. Its energy efficient building system upgrades resulted in significant cost and energy savings for the firm and improved comfort for occupants. The company optimized lighting in office and data center spaces, as well as performance of building HVAC systems across the organization including boiler burner replacements, chiller controls upgrades, installation of variable frequency drives on computer room air conditioner units, and adjusted temperature controls and set points, modifying hours of operation based on occupancy and new temperature set points. Goldman Sachs will continue to migrate application servers to new, efficient data centers.

Previously in 2005, Goldman Sachs set a target for a 7 percent absolute reduction by 2012, which it exceeded with a 10 percent reduction. In 2013 and beyond, it implemented its Carbon Reduction Framework, prioritizing internal reduction measures and maximizing efficiency in facilities.

Top of Page

Excellence in Greenhouse Gas Management (Goal Setting Certificate)

Recognizes organizations that publicly report and verify organization-wide greenhouse gas inventories and publicly set aggressive greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals.

Bank of America

Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Bank of America is one of the world's largest financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small- and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company serves clients through operations in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and more than 35 countries.

Bank of America is being recognized for Excellence in Greenhouse Gas Management—Goal Setting—for the following accomplishments:

  • Bank of America set a 50 percent absolute GHG reduction goal for its global operations between 2010 and 2020. This is a third generation GHG reduction goal.
  • Bank of America plans to achieve its goal through a variety of initiatives, such as its energy efficiency program for building and data center systems and operations, including improved controls and equipment for lighting, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), central utility plants, and compressed air systems; the virtualization of server and storage systems; and installing monitoring and management analytic systems for data center, building, and chiller system efficiency.
  • In addition to its 50 percent GHG reduction goal, the company has set goals to achieve carbon neutrality for Scope 1 and 2 emissions, purchase 100 percent renewable electricity, reduce energy use 40 percent, and maintain at least 20 percent LEED certified space by 2020.

Bank of America previously set and achieved consecutive GHG reduction goals. In 2005, the bank set a 9 percent absolute reduction goal from 2004 through 2009 for U.S. operations, which it exceeded with an 18 percent reduction. This was followed by a goal to reduce global absolute GHG emissions by 15 percent from 2010 to 2015. During that time period, Bank of America exceeded its goal more than twofold, reducing global GHG emissions by 37 percent.

Bank of America was previously recognized with a Climate Leadership Award for Organizational Leadership in 2015 and Excellence in Greenhouse Gas Management (Goal Setting Certificate) in 2013.

Gap Inc.

Founded in San Francisco in 1969, Gap Inc. is one of the world’s largest specialty retailers of apparel and accessories. Brands include Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Athleta, and Intermix.

Gap Inc. is being recognized for Excellence in Greenhouse Gas Management—Goal Setting—for the following accomplishments:

  • Gap Inc. set a 50 percent absolute GHG reduction goal for its global operations by the end of 2020. The baseline for the goal is 2015.
  • Gap Inc. plans to achieve its goal by expanding retail and distribution center Energy Management Systems which remotely monitor energy performance, optimizing HVAC and other appliances, and tracking stores and systems to identify and remedy excess consumption in real time. Additional energy efficiency initiatives include expanding programs such as LED retrofits and HVAC replacements in retail stores, and modernization of distribution centers. Gap Inc. will also continue to explore on-site solar energy for its North American distribution center facilities, as well as large scale renewable energy opportunities.

This is the company’s third generation GHG reduction goal. Its first goal was to reduce emissions 11 percent per square foot between 2003 and 2008 in U.S. operations, which it exceeded by achieving 20 percent reduction. Its second goal was to reduce absolute GHG emissions by 20 percent in U.S. owned and operated facilities between 2008 and 2015, which it exceeded by achieving 37 percent reduction.

Gap Inc. was previously recognized with a Climate Leadership Award for Excellence in GHG Management (Goal Setting Certificate) in 2012.

NRG Energy

NRG Energy is an integrated competitive power company that produces, sells, and delivers energy and energy solutions in major U.S. power markets. NRG owns and operates approximately 50,000 MW of generation from traditional and renewable sources; engages in the trading of wholesale energy, capacity, and related products; and directly sells energy products and services.

NRG Energy is being recognized for Excellence in Greenhouse Gas Management—Goal Setting—for the following accomplishments:

  • NRG set a goal to reduce absolute GHG emissions for U.S. operations by 50 percent between 2014 and 2030, and 90 percent by 2050.
  • NRG plans to achieve its goal through the ongoing optimization of its generation portfolio by enhancing plant performance with equipment and efficiency upgrades; capturing and sequestering GHG emissions for fossil-fired power plants; retrofitting coal-fired power plants to accept natural gas; potentially retiring aging uneconomic plants; and deploying new renewable energy generation.

Top of Page

Innovative Partnership Certificate

Recognizes organizations working collaboratively on leading edge climate initiatives. Partnerships have collectively established objectives to measurably address greenhouse gas reduction goals and/or adaptation and resilience activities.

Atlanta Better Buildings Challenge

The Atlanta Better Buildings Challenge (ABBC) is a large-scale energy efficiency program working with more than 570 local buildings representing over 110 million square feet to reduce their energy and water consumption by 20 percent by 2020, using a 2009 baseline, in alignment with the U.S. DOE Better Buildings Challenge.

The Atlanta Better Buildings Challenge is being recognized for a Climate Leadership Award—Innovative Partnership Certificate—for the following accomplishments:

  • Central Atlanta Progress, Midtown Alliance, and Livable Buckhead represent the three largest commercial districts in the City of Atlanta and provide a direct conduit to owners of commercial properties. Southface, a southeast nonprofit focused on sustainability, serves as the technical consultant on the Challenge, working with program participants to track their energy and water consumption in EPA ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager, performing reporting annually.
  • As of the last reporting period, the Challenge resulted in a portfolio-wide energy consumption reduction of 17 percent and has achieved its 20 percent target for portfolio-wide water consumption reduction. The program has produced an implementation model to guide other cities in their development of similar voluntary programs.
  • Southface engaged with partners to create a modeling system to calculate the economic impact of energy efficiency work in jobs created, total labor income, and economic growth per unit of investment. The resulting study demonstrated the value of the impact the Challenge has on the city and its economic development now and in the future. The Challenge has created or sustained approximately 273 total jobs and added approximately 25.9 million dollars to Atlanta’s gross regional product since the program’s inception.
  • ABBC holds an annual Expo Event to connect participants and service providers and highlights new innovations as examples of success and to keep participants motivated and engage others. Media and stakeholders from the business community, governmental organizations, academic institutions, non-profits, and community organizations, are invited to participate.

Primary partners:

  • City of Atlanta
  • Central Atlanta Progress
  • Livable Buckhead
  • Midtown Alliance
  • Southface

San Mateo County Regionally Integrated Climate Action Planning Suite (RICAPS) Initiative

RICAPS is a collaboration engaging multiple San Mateo County, California local government agencies, including: the City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County (C/CAG), the County of San Mateo, and all 20 incorporated cities and towns, to implement energy efficiency measures, and develop, adopt and implement climate action plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, all in a coordinated countywide approach.

The San Mateo County RICAPS Initiative is being recognized for a Climate Leadership Award—Innovative Partnership Certificate—for the following accomplishments:

  • The City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County (C/CAG) and the County of San Mateo promote an absolute GHG reduction goal of 15 percent by 2020 and 40 percent by 2030 from a 2005 baseline, aligned with state goals.
  • RICAPS two main components are:
    • The San Mateo County Energy Watch, which provides countywide energy efficiency support services and incentives to drive retrofit projects for municipalities, schools, small businesses, farms, and lower income residents, and
    • The RICAPS initiative, which provides climate action planning support, including a set of templates, documents and tools, and technical support for climate action plan development and implementation, GHG inventories (municipal and community), and climate plan performance tracking. In addition, an online dashboard for tracking progress on a countywide greenhouse gas reduction performance measures to engage the public in climate action efforts is being launched.

Through RICAPS, all C/CAG member jurisdictions have either adopted or drafted climate plans for adoption, or are in process of drafting a plan. Key achievements include:

  • Development of a wide range of publically-available tools and templates to assist member agencies in developing climate action plans in a cost-effective manner.
  • Individualized technical assistance for use of the tools and templates for climate planning, implementation, and municipal greenhouse gas emissions inventories. Examples include energy efficiency, Zero Energy Ready building guidance, renewables, moving beyond current building code, and strengthening local neighborhoods and the regional economy.
  • Leadership on countywide metrics and progress tracking for annual community-wide GHG inventory updates for all jurisdictions in the County, as well as regular reporting on energy consumption, energy efficiency program participation and associated energy savings.
  • Facilitation of a monthly peer-to-peer knowledge sharing network on topics related to climate action plan implementation, sustainability policy and best practices, and opportunities for collaboration across county stakeholders including local governments, non-profits, and the private sector.

Furthermore, in order to support climate plan implementation and communication of results, the RICAPS program provides community-scale GHG inventories annually on behalf of each jurisdiction countywide. The collaboration also provides regional coordination for implementation of climate strategies, including: outreach to small businesses, promoting renewables, EV charging stations, sustainable purchasing, water conservation, alternative fuels, and regional funding initiatives.

Since 2009, with technical support from the County of San Mateo, county-wide energy use was reduced by 26.5 million kWh. RICAPS tools and templates are publicly available and the program is a model for other regional agencies to reduce GHG emissions.

Primary Partners:

  • City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County, CA
  • County of San Mateo, CA
  • DNV GL

Top of Page

Climate Leadership Awards Steering Committee

  • Roger Fernandez, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
  • Amy Holm, The Climate Registry
  • Timothy Juliani, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES)
  • Jennifer Kaminski, The Climate Registry
  • Melissa Klein, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
  • Amy Morsch, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES)

Special Thanks

The Climate Leadership Awards Steering Committee would like to thank the following individuals for their dedication to and support of the program:

2017 Application Reviewers

  • Nate Aden, WRI
  • John Andrew, California Department of Water Resources
  • Zach Baumer, City of Austin, TX
  • Justin Brant, The Cadmus Group
  • Eric Christensen, WSP | Parsons Brinkerhoff
  • Betty Cremmins, CDP
  • TJ DiCaprio, Microsoft Corporation
  • Katie Eisenbrown, WSP | Parsons Brinkerhoff
  • Jordan Faires, The Climate Registry
  • Chelsea Hasenauer, The Climate Registry
  • Tim Hopper, Microsoft Corporation
  • Susan Kolodziejczyk, National Geographic Society
  • Richard Love, United Technologies Corporation
  • Michael Macrae, Harvard University
  • Emilie Mazzacurati, Four Twenty Seven Climate Solutions
  • Michael Mondshine, WSP | Parsons Brinkerhoff
  • Margery Moore, Bloomberg BNA
  • Karl Rabago, Pace Energy and Climate Center
  • Kevin Rabinovitch, Mars, Incorporated
  • Verena Radulovic, U.S. EPA
  • Connie Sasala, Edison Energy
  • Susan Wickwire, Seattle 2030 District
  • Kate Swayne Wilson, The Cadmus Group
  • Megan Zanella-Litke, American University

Top of Page

About the Awards

The awards distributed tonight were produced by Rivanna Natural Design using Black Diamond Richlite and 100% postconsumer glass. Richlite is an FSC-certified natural fiber composite. Richlite is also GREENGUARD certified for indoor use in residential, school and institutional environments.

Top of Page