2.09.2004 ET

(CSRwire) WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S Environmental Protection Agency (E.P.A.) Administrator Mike Leavitt recognized Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) for its strategic advice and contributions to the newly announced E.P.A. SmartWay Transport Partnership. SmartWay is a voluntary program that brings product shippers together with product carriers to work on methods that promote clean and fuel-efficient technologies, conserve energy, and reduce emissions affecting human health.

The program is a nationwide effort of more than 50 shipping and carrier organizations partnering to reduce energy consumption, pollutants, and greenhouse gas emissions associated with freight. Some of the participating companies include carriers such as UPS, CSX, and Roadway Corporation. Examples of participating shippers include Home Depot, Nike, and IKEA.

At the Washington, D.C. awards ceremony, BSR was recognized by the E.P.A. as a crucial SmartWay contributor. During the program’s development, BSR played an advisory role and helped shape its structure and tools by sharing knowledge obtained through its own Green Freight working group – a group where many SmartWay companies are already participants. Michelle Lapinski, Senior Manager of BSR’s Green Freight and Clean Cargo programs, commented that the SmartWay effort is “another positive step that brings together different, but closely related sectors of the business community with government to work in tandem on one of today’s most pressing environmental issues.”

The SmartWay partnership seeks to reduce between 33-66 million metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and up to 200,000 tons of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions per year by 2012. This represents a savings of 150 million barrels of oil a year and an equivalent of taking 12 million cars off the road.

About BSR

Founded in 1992, Business for Social Responsibility is a global nonprofit organization that helps member companies to achieve success in ways that respect ethical values, people, communities and the environment. BSR provides information, tools, training and advisory services and promotes cross sector collaboration to make corporate social responsibility an integral part of business operations and strategies. BSR member companies have nearly $2 trillion in combined annual revenues and employ more than six million workers around the world. For more information, visit www/bsr.org.

About SmartWay
To learn more visit the E.P.A.’s SmartWay Transport Partnership site at: www.epa.gov/smartway..

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