WICHITA, Kan., March 27, 2009 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] today announced that its Global Services & Support facility in Wichita has earned International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14001 certification, a global benchmark of an organization's commitment to understand and continuously improve its environmental performance.
The Wichita site, which provides maintenance, modifications and upgrade support to the United States' executive aircraft fleet, as well as B-52H sustainment services and 767 International Tanker modification support, received the certificate March 23 after an extensive audit. Boeing last year successfully expanded ISO 14001 certification to all of its major manufacturing facilities around the world, including sites in the United States, Australia and Canada.
Independent auditors from Det Norske Veritas (DNV), an accredited certification body of quality, environmental and safety management systems, audited the Wichita site Feb. 17-19 to ensure an established environmental management system exists and that employees understand their roles in protecting the environment.
"Achieving ISO 14001 certification reinforces Boeing's commitment to environmental excellence and the community where we do business," said Wichita Site Leader Scott Strode. "This global standard bolsters our initiatives for reducing pollution and waste, increasing recycling rates and improving energy efficiency, which benefits Boeing and our entire community."
The site was recently recognized for its energy-conservation efforts with a Clean Air Award from the city of Wichita.
The Boeing Company is committed to pioneering environmentally progressive technology and relentlessly reducing its environmental footprint. Since the introduction of the first Boeing jetliner, airplane emissions of carbon dioxide have been reduced by around 70 percent and noise footprints have been reduced by approximately 90 percent. Boeing targets improving fuel efficiency and reducing carbon dioxide emissions of each new generation of commercial airplane by at least 15 percent compared with the airplanes they replace. Boeing has set aggressive targets to increase solid-waste-recycling rates and energy efficiency by 25 percent and to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions intensity by 25 percent at its major manufacturing facilities by 2012, with a comparable goal for hazardous-waste reduction. For more information, visit the company's Environment Report at www.boeing.com/environment.