Audi spends €5 million on new environmental foundation
Those four rings aren't just good for clever ads. Audi AG recently announced it was using its corporate power to start a new environmental foundation that aims to bring together all of the company's "worldwide environmental measures." Audi endowed the new foundation with €5 million, which should be enough to put at least a little bit of green sheen on the cars like the 525 hp 2010 Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 V10. The Audi Environmental Foundation "will focus exclusively on environmentally minded pursuits for the common good," the company said in a statement. This means that the AEF will "strive to protect the natural livelihood of people, animals, and plants. Financial assistance will be allocated to measures and research activities which encourage the development of environmentally compatible non-automotive technologies. These measures will also promote environmental awareness and sustainable human/environment harmony." On the vehicle side of things, Audi is aiming for a reduction in overall fleet CO2 emissions of around 20 percent by 2012.
[Source: Audi]
PRESS RELEASE:
AUDI AG creates environmental foundation and unifies its worldwide environmental measures
- Important impetus regarding worldwide commitment to sustainable environmental policy
- Rupert Stadler, Chairman of AUDI AG: "Key milestone in the Audi environmental program and in our integral efficiency strategy"
- Frank Dreves, Board Member for Production of AUDI AG, will chair the foundation's board of trustees
Ingolstadt – AUDI AG is bolstering its commitment to environmental protection. The Ingolstadt-based carmaker has established the Audi Environmental Foundation, which has an endowment of € 5 million. This foundation will focus exclusively on environmentally minded pursuits for the common good. Frank Dreves, Member of the Board of Management for Production of AUDI AG, will chair the board of trustees.
"This foundation will unify our worldwide environmental-protection measures and its future projects will make a substantial contribution to sustainable corporate operations," emphasizes Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG. "This foundation is a key milestone in the Audi environmental program and in our integral efficiency strategy."
The foundation will strive to protect the natural livelihood of people, animals, and plants. Financial assistance will be allocated to measures and research activities which encourage the development of environmentally compatible non-automotive technologies. These measures will also promote environmental awareness and sustainable human/environment harmony. "Environmental protection doesn't occur in a vacuum. Our corporate operations can be truly sustainable only if we collectively see the big picture via pioneering projects which we will initiate through our environmental foundation," explains Frank Dreves, Member of the Board of Management for Production of AUDI AG, and chairman of the board of trustees.
The preamble of the Audi environmental policy already commits the company to continuously enhance the environmental compatibility of products and production sites and to ensure eco-friendly use of natural resources. And Audi is following a resolute strategy to continue improving fuel efficiency and reducing emissions: the company will reduce the CO2 emissions of its vehicle fleet by around 20 percent by the year 2012. Furthermore specific corporate and factory CO2 emissions at Audi are also targeted for ongoing decreases.
Audi has taken one big step toward its efficiency goal by signing a district-heating contract for its Ingolstadt site. The tapping of 120,000 MWh of previously unused waste heat allows the plant to double its waste heat utilization and benefits the environment by reducing annual CO2 emissions by 26,000 metric tons in Ingolstadt alone.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mark Kiernan 9:17AM (10/12/2009)
The elephant in Audi's room is EV. They are spending millions on developing more efficient and more powerful diesels but they won't touch EVs (don't buy the concept stuff they had the the recent German motorshow). Audi will remain sucking on the diesel nozzle for many years to come.
I imagine Audi engineers are foaming at the teeth when the executives meet, there are great people in Audi who are being held back by political feet-dragging.
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Tohe 10:13AM (10/12/2009)
"€5 million, which should be enough to put at least a little bit of green sheen on the cars like the 525 hp 2010 Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 V10"
Oh snap!
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meme 2:11PM (10/12/2009)
Sounds like a foundation for idiots.
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