Saint-Gobain's Greendale manufacturing campus here has attained ISO 14001 certification, which recognizes that the entire 108-acre site complies with international environmental management standards.

The facility met the standards by documenting environmental policies and creating procedures for ongoing review of environmental aspects and impacts of products, activities, and services.

All the Saint-Gobain businesses with facilities on the Worcester campus were involved with the certification process — Saint-Gobain Abrasives (Bonded Abrasives and Superabrasives), Crystar, Saint-Gobain Grains & Powders, Saint-Gobain Refractories, and Research & Development.

The certification process took approximately two years, with an implementation team consisting of 20 people representing each Worcester business. In addition, every Saint-Gobain employee at Greendale has been trained in the Environmental Management System (EMS) process which led to the successful certification.

"We're proud of achieving this honor," says Mark Rayfield, Vice President and General Manager, Saint-Gobain Abrasives-North America and Industrial Superabrasives Worldwide, and Chairman of the Greendale Management Committee. "The certification will help us to continue to reduce the impacts our operations have on the environment, enhance our positive effects and stay ahead of increasing regulatory requirements. Since we have several unique businesses here, with a range of existing systems, it was challenging to develop the Environment Management System for Greendale. In fact, the ISO auditors considered our system the most complex they had ever seen, due to the fact that it encompasses different businesses each with their own organization, different quality systems, different accounting systems, and their own specific environmental impacts."

More than 1,500 employees are based at Saint-Gobain's Greendale complex.

With more than 1,000 subsidiaries in 57 countries, Saint-Gobain is the world's largest manufacturer and distributor of building materials, and a leader in the production of high performance materials and glass containers. Founded in 1665 and headquartered in Paris, Saint-Gobain had worldwide sales of $59 billion in 2007 and employs approximately 212,000 people. In Massachusetts, the company has approximately 2,600 employees, with major production facilities in Milford, Northampton, Norwood and Worcester, as well as an R&D facility in Northboro.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Bill Seiberlich
Communications Manager, Saint-Gobain
610-341-7187
610-341-7777
william.seiberlich@saint-gobain.com
http://www.saint-gobain-northamerica.com