Expansion at Albuquerque facility joins a growing list of company's LEED-certified buildings
Published 01-04-12
Submitted by General Mills
An expansion at General Mills’ Albuquerque, N.M., facility was today awarded the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED® Gold certification during a celebration attended by New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez. This is the first General Mills’ production facility, and the fourth company building, to earn LEED certification.
“General Mills is a fixture in Albuquerque and an important part of New Mexico’s economy,” said Gov. Martinez. “This expansion strengthens the health and vitality of New Mexico for all who live and work here and creates new local jobs. We commend General Mills for their success and community-conscious efforts and look forward to continued growth and job creation in the Albuquerque area.”
General Mills Plant Manager Keith Bone also spoke at today’s award ceremony, affirming the company’s commitment to minimizing its environmental footprint.
“Albuquerque is proud to be General Mills’ first production facility to earn this internationally recognized distinction for sustainable design and construction,” Bone said. “This milestone underscores our efforts to continuously improve our environmental performance and steward the natural resource base on which our business depends.”
Out of the 8,000 LEED-certified projects in the world, there are fewer than 10 certified food production facilities.
Among the environmental benefits of the new facility are:
Also contributing to the LEED Gold certification was the plant’s commitment to:
Several other General Mills’ facilities have been awarded LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. In October 2011, the Swiss Innovation Center for the company’s global cereal partnership with Nestlé became the first industrial building in Switzerland to receive LEED Platinum certification. In 2010, General Mills’ distribution facility in Social Circle, Ga., became the largest LEED Gold “Industrial” building in the U.S. and the second-largest in the world. In the same year, a building adjacent to the company’s headquarters in Minneapolis became the first General Mills facility to receive LEED certification for an existing structure.
LEED is an internationally recognized building certification system that provides a framework for integrating environmental sustainability into a building’s design, construction, operation and maintenance.
About General Mills
General Mills is one of the world’s leading food companies, operating in more than 100 countries. Its consumer brands include Cheerios, Häagen-Dazs, Nature Valley, Yoplait, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Green Giant, Progresso and Old El Paso. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, General Mills had fiscal 2011 net sales of US$14.9 billion.
Learn more about General Mills’ sustainability efforts by visiting A Taste of General Mills, the company’s corporate blog.
About General Mills
General Mills is one of the world’s leading food companies, operating in more than 100 countries around the world. Its brands include Cheerios, Fiber One, Häagen-Dazs, Nature Valley, Yoplait, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Green Giant, Old El Paso, Wanchai Ferry, Yoki and more. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., USA, General Mills had fiscal 2015 worldwide sales of US $18.8 billion.
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