By Danny Gavin, AEM Communications Coordinator —
A large and growing number of manufacturers are realizing that there are significant financial and environmental benefits from sustainable business practices.
Not only do sustainable practices minimize negative environmental impacts while conserving energy, but they also enhance employee, community, and product safety. CNH is one of many great examples of AEM member companies working to advance sustainable practices and support best practices for a more viable world, all while spreading positivity in surrounding communities.
“In both Argentina and Brazil, we invest in conservation areas within our plants and in social projects with the most vulnerable communities,” said Erika Michalick, sustainability manager – Latin America for CNH. “We understand that this is a way of influencing and contributing to the development of the cities where we operate.”
Greenery Where Least Expected
In Ferreyra, Córdoba, CNH’s plant is greener than you may expect thanks to an ongoing afforestation effort, a part of the company’s big-picture sustainability plan. The company and its employees are constantly working to minimize the environmental impact generated by the plant’s production as much as possible.
This afforestation project, which led to more than 350 trees being planted from 2022 to 2023, is only one element of a long-term plan to create a private nature reserve on-site in Córdoba – planting native trees with the goal of attracting native fauna.
The company is working with several different foundations to analyze the feasibility of creating that private nature reserve; the plan is expected to span across 10 years, undergoing several phases until the private nature reserve certification is achieved. CNH is currently in the preliminary stages of this planning process.
Innovative Waste Reduction
The Córdoba plant also features an Ecological Island, where the waste generated during the manufacturing process is recycled – giving a ‘second life’ to that waste, transforming it into products that are created in the plant’s carpentry shop.
According to Bruno Sicilia, environmental health and safety manager at CNH’s Córdoba plant, the company is currently focused on waste reduction and treatment. “We work strongly with the ‘5R’ concept, reject, reduce, reuse, recycle, and reincorporate, to minimize the impact of our operations. With respect to total waste, we co-process 98%. Our goal for 2024 is to reach 100% co-processing of all our waste. This effort would allow us to be a zero-landfill plant,” said Sicilia.
“We have an industrial composting facility to be able to treat organic waste within our plant. We are also in the process of finalizing the machine wash water recirculation project, which will allow us to reuse the water we use to wash our products,” said Daniel Alvarez, CNH’s plant manager, Córdoba, when elaborating on the company’s other sustainability efforts.
CNH has expressed that it is extremely important, and in many cases mandatory, to work toward the care and improvement of the surrounding environment, seeking to generate the least possible impact with their production processes.
“In both Argentina and Brazil, we invest in conservation areas within our plants and in social projects with the most vulnerable communities. We understand that this is a way of influencing and contributing to the development of the cities where we operate.” - CNH Industrial's Erika Michalick
Setting Sustainability Goals and Initiatives into Motion
CNH chooses to be a part of important global initiatives, such as striving to contribute to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. The company’s global footprint enables them to support many local communities through giving and partnership.
CNH is certainly contributing to sustainable development in Latin America, and the company’s efforts align with larger sustainability goals. The United Nations outlines 17 sustainable development goals, a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet; many of CNH’s efforts fall under these goals, working toward a more sustainable future.
Sustainable Development Goal 15 specifically aims to ‘protect, restore, and promote the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forest, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, and halt biodiversity loss.’
Through the company’s afforestation effort and future plans for a private nature preserve, the plant in Córdoba is protecting its local ecosystem and promoting the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems. Through this effort, more native fauna will flourish, protecting the integrity of the surrounding environment. The company’s ‘5R’ concept showcases an ongoing commitment to creating a cyclical waste management framework, and to maintaining the integrity of the environment surrounding the plant.
"This action not only transforms the plant's ecosystem, but also reinforces our commitment to sustainability and care for the environment," continued Sicilia. “The objective of this action is to be able to involve all the people who make CNH in the care of our workplace, the environment, and the communities in which we operate.”
With CNH leading such an innovative sustainability program, it’s only a matter of time before companies across the world adopt similar programs in a more widespread sustainability effort. Innovating for tomorrow means reaching beyond what we know today, and CNH is certainly striving to be a leader and set a good example of sustainable innovation.
Learn More
Want more information on best practices, tools, programs, and resources to help initiate lasting change to protect the environment, align with evolving regulations, and accelerate the ability to remain competitive and sell products globally? Visit AEM's Sustainability Toolkit.
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