Wärtsilä Wins Environmental Award

Det Norske Veritas granted Wärtsilä's Finnish companies, Wärtsilä Finland Oy and Wärtsilä Technology Oy, ISO 14001 environmental certification in recognition of the functionality of Wärtsilä's environmental management system. Wärtsilä's ISO 14001 environmental management system covers all the company's operations: sales, manufacturing, R&D and service. ISO 14001 is an international environmental standard highly respected by the customers. A product range that addresses environmental issues offers a clear competitive advantage in the marine and power plant markets. Wärtsilä's engines meet all current environmental requirements and Wärtsilä's goal is to exploit new technologies to achieve further reductions in emission levels. At the international level environmental impacts are regulated on the marine side by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and, in the power plant market, by the World Bank. The ISO 14001 environmental certificate is the result of systematic work by Wärtsilä's Finnish units in pursuit of better environmental performance. This work involved the participation of all employees. The units also have specific environmental teams that have supported and guided the environmental development work undertaken by the units. The teams have additionally created a system for steering and monitoring environmental matters and for maintaining the pace of improvement. In May 2001 Wärtsilä and its partner Carnival Corporation received an award for the best environmental contribution within the cruise and ferry industry. The award was granted by Lloyd's List during the Cruise & Ferry Exhibition 2001 in London. The award is in recognition of the diesel engine that successfully applies common rail and water injection technology for the good of the environment. The goal of Wärtsilä's R&D work is to manufacture engines that impose the smallest possible impact on the environment. The best means of reducing the environmental impact of engines is to raise their total efficiency and to develop emissions reduction techniques. Raising total efficiency reduces fuel consumption and therefore emission levels. Wärtsilä has achieved good results in both these areas, recognition of which is the award described above.