LAFAYETTE – Subaru of America-Lafayette’s sustainability efforts have been highlighted at the launch of Rio+20: Sustainia 100 Thursday.

Sustainability legend Gro Harlem Brundtland, media guru and philanthropist Ted Turner, EU Commissioner for Climate Action Connie Hedegaard, and 150 VIP guests celebrated the first concrete outcome of the project.

SIA was selected for inclusion in Sustania100 as the model for zero landfill manufacturing. By reducing, reusing and recycling 99.9 percent of its waste generated, SIA avoids sending any waste to a landfill.

SIA is the first U.S. car manufacturer to achieve both ISO 14001 (Environmental Management) and ISO 50001 (Energy Management) certifications, while being the only automaker in America to have its entire sight designated as a Backyard Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation.

SIA’s solution is a culture of continuous improvement whereby every SIA associate is encouraged and rewarded for developing ideas to help eliminate any environmental impact from the manufacturing process.

“It is an honor to be selected for the Sustania100,” said Tom Easterday, SIA’s executive vice president. “Making an environmentally sound automobile purchase goes beyond fuel economy. It is equally as important to look at the environmental practices of the manufacturing plant that builds the vehicle. The culture and processes that foster a genuine climate of environmental stewardship at SIA can easily be translated into other industries and businesses as well as schools and homes.”

Gathered from 56 countries spread over six continents, Sustainia100 is a complete guide to innovative and scalable solutions instrumental in creating sustainable societies. Building on ready and available solutions only, Sustainia100 is as a tangible tool for sustainability professionals -- from politicians to CEOs ‐- dedicated to create desirable and sustainable societies.

“I am very excited and inspired by this as it makes it absolutely clear that our mission is possible. That we do have the ammunition we need to tackle this challenge. That we have what it takes to create fun and attractive societies without destroying our planet,” said Arnold Schwarzenegger, honorary chair of Sustainia.

Individually, the solutions represent sustainable innovation in areas such as city planning, energy, fashion, water and waste management, high ‐ tech and transportation. Collectively, they provide a guide of the building blocks available for transforming our societies.

Sustainia100 is a cornerstone in Sustainia. A construction site for the desirable society we could live in if we implemented ready and available solutions. Developed by world ‐ leading companies, organizations and experts in close collaboration with UN Global Compact and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s initiative Regions20, Sustainia is the first holistic introduction to the attractive sustainable future.

Sustainia100 solutions are nominees for the Sustainia Award, which honors outstanding performance within sustainability. The winner will be announced at a ceremony later this year in Copenhagen.