Mercury Marine wins sustainability honor in Wisconsin
Mercury Marine earned “Green Master” designation from the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council for the fourth consecutive year, keeping the Fond du Lac manufacturer in the top 20 percent of the 175 participating companies.
Mercury learned of the achievement Wednesday during the 2015 Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council annual conference in Milwaukee.
The Green Masters Program measures and ranks companies on a range of sustainability issues. Mercury ranked high in energy and water conservation, waste management, community outreach and education.
Mercury Marine scored above the state average in nearly all of the nine sustainability categories and scored 479 total points — 37 higher than in 2013 — out of a possible 592. The program average was 314.
“Applying sustainable manufacturing processes to create the most sustainable products is at the core of our culture at Mercury Marine,” Mercury president John Pfeifer said in a statement. “In every facet of our business — from product design and manufacturing to employee wellness initiatives and community education and support — Mercury is committed to setting and accomplishing significant goals in sustainability.”
Strengthening Mercury Marine’s overall score were employee initiatives such as accelerated college degree and internal education programs; individual health improvement projects, including health coaching and at-work weight-reduction support; and community involvement that raised funds for many organizations, including the United Way, Relay for Life, local food drives and troop support activities.
The business council pointed to Mercury’s recently introduced Enertia ECO propeller as an illustration of the company’s commitment to environment-friendly products. The ECO prop, designed for high-horsepower, outboard-powered vessels, offers boaters a 10 percent increase in fuel economy at cruising speeds while maintaining the performance and reliability standards inherent in all Mercury propellers, the company said.
