Nokian Tyres joins the Tennessee Green Star Partnership. Picured, from left, are Steve Randolph, vice mayor of Dayton; Jim Vincent, Rhea County executive; Rep. Ron Travis, District 31; Darren Bakkestuen, Dayton Factory EHS manager; David Korda, Dayton Factory operations director; David Salyers, commissioner of TDEC; and Sen. Adam Lowe, District 1.
The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation today announced Nokian Tyres as the newest member of the Tennessee Green Star Partnership, an environmental leadership program recognizing Tennessee manufacturers for their record in sustainability.
State and local officials joined leaders of the company today for a ceremony at the Nokian Tyres Dayton Factory.
“We are thrilled to have Nokian Tyres as our newest Green Star Partnership member,” said TDEC Commissioner David Salyers.
“This designation honors the company for its outstanding performance in sustainability, and we are proud to have such a devoted business in this program.”
“Being a good steward of our environment is important to Nokian Tyres, whether through the tires we put on the road or the practices we use to make those tires,” said Nokian Tyres Dayton Factory Operations Director David Korda. “We’re honored to partner with other Tennessee manufacturers to help keep our state beautiful.”
The tiremaker, based in Finland, produces all-season and all-weather tires at the Dayton facility for the North American market. The company has won awards for its sustainability and workplace culture. The Dayton Factory is the only LEED v4 Silver-certified tire production facility in the world. Its LEED v4 Gold-certified administration building is fully powered by energy generated from onsite solar panels. The company recycles or reuses 100 percent of waste generated from production.
In 2021, Nokian Tyres received the Tennessee Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Award from TDEC in the category of Sustainable Performance. The factory also holds ISO 14001 certification, which validates Nokian Tyres’ strict environmental standards at the facility.
"The Tennessee Green Star Partnership’s objectives promote the health and well-being of all Tennesseans and help stimulate economic development through avoided operational costs," officials said. "This public/private partnership has resulted in many positive environmental outcomes, including significant CO2e emissions reductions through waste diversion and increased energy efficiency."
To become a Tennessee Green Star Partnership member, a manufacturer must be ISO® 14001 certified or operate under an environmental management system conforming to ISO® 14001, a voluntary environmental management standard developed by the International Organization for Standardization. The member also must have a minimum of three years of exceptional environmental compliance with TDEC.