We take our commitment to the environment, health and safety seriously. Our approach to environmental and safety issues starts with a clear vision from our leaders, supported by strong policies that place the environment and safety at the core of the business and through a substantial investment in state-of-the-art environmental technologies and modern infrastructure.
McWane addresses the unique environmental and safety challenges with a comprehensive Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) Management System based on the principles of the ISO 14001 standard, OSHA 18001 and OSHA Management Guidelines.
McWane’s environmental team has spearheaded company-wide initiatives to examine our manufacturing processes and to look for ways to improve recycling opportunities and reduce environmental impacts.
All McWane facilities have implemented environmental practices that, in many instances, exceed U.S. standards
Protecting the Environment for Generations
McWane is committed to a clean environment, for both today and tomorrow. Since 1999, McWane has invested more than $300 million in capital improvements and operations related to environmental compliance.
These expenditures include projects such as state-of-the-art air pollution control systems, including control technology, to substantially limit mercury emissions from foundry operations (the first such system in a North American foundry), stormwater collection and treatment systems, and other equipment upgrades intended to protect the environment.
Our Environmental Legacy
Safeguarding the health and safety of our team members and protecting the environment in the communities where we operate is job one at McWane. This vision and commitment begin at the top of the organization with Chairman Phillip McWane and President Will McWane. Across all levels of the organization, team members understand and support the vision, which is embodied in McWane’s EHS policy and comprised three principles:
Compliance
We will manage our business activities to meet all governmental laws and regulations, as well as internally established EHS requirements. Our goal is 100 percent compliance, 100 percent of the time.
Protection
We will conduct our activities in a responsible manner to protect our employees, the public and the environment by focusing on injury and illness prevention, pollution prevention and minimizing impacts and risks to the environment from our operations.
Improvement
We will continually improve our EHS performance with the primary focus on setting and achieving goals and objectives.
With these principles in mind, our EHS program includes:
- A centrally coordinated EHS management structure with experienced and qualified professionals at all levels
- A state-of-the-art, digital EHS Management System
- A detailed ethics and compliance policy that instills a commitment to ethical behavior and legal compliance across the company
- An extensive EHS and management skills training and educational program, known as McWane University
- Hundreds of millions of dollars in capital and operational expenditures related to EHS
- Numerous oversight mechanisms, including internal and third-party audits
- A financial incentive program for managers based upon EHS performance and the inclusion of EHS performance in annual evaluations
- An appropriate range of disciplinary actions for non-compliance
- A well-publicized, confidential, 24-hour “access line” for reporting suspected violations of law, regulations or company policy, and other concerns
Investments
The industry-leading EHS programs that McWane has in place today could not exist without the financial resources to support them. Since 1999, McWane has invested more than $300 million in capital improvements and operations related to environmental compliance, workplace health and safety, and human resources.
In addition to the systems and programs described above, these expenditures include projects such as state-of-the-art pollution control systems that enabled us to achieve compliance with the EPA’s Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) requirements years before required by regulation. Examples of other projects include stormwater collection and treatment systems, dust-control technologies, totally enclosed guarding systems and other equipment upgrades that improve safety and environmental protection at our plants.
Environmental Management System
Consistently managing environmental issues for a heavy manufacturing enterprise across more than 25 manufacturing plants worldwide, including 10 iron foundries, is a complex task. Recognizing these challenges, McWane has a well-designed and centrally coordinated Environmental Management System (EMS), which is part of a comprehensive Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS) Management System. Our EMS is based upon the principles of ISO 14001 (an international standard for environmental management systems) and EPA’s Compliance-Focused EMS.
The EMS provides all McWane facilities with an infrastructure for identifying significant environmental issues, setting measurable goals and establishing and coordinating consistent management practices for all environmental activities, including record keeping and reporting.
The foundation of the EMS is the company’s EHS policy. McWane has issued various directives that address the numerous aspects of EHS management, including: compliance; management commitment and leadership; roles, responsibilities and accountability; personnel and training; information systems and documentation; hazard assessment, prevention and control; management of change; significant matters reporting and investigation; goals and objectives; management review; emergency preparedness and response; contractor management; pollution prevention; employee involvement; community outreach; managerial employee performance evaluation; communication; and records and document control.
To make these program elements accessible and functional, McWane has invested in state-of-the-art information technology systems. At the core is the digital EHS Management System. Its dashboard feature allows users to quickly and easily access information company-wide and link to other tools such as Cority, a comprehensive digital system for management, tracking, trending, analysis and reporting of environmental data and information.
ISO & State Certifications
McWane’s EMS is based on the principles of ISO 14001 and EPA’s Compliance-Focused EMS, and all McWane manufacturing facilities are required to implement the EMS.
While it is not a McWane requirement, several McWane facilities have elected to seek ISO 14001 registration and/or equivalent recognition from their state environmental agencies (see below). Obtaining these registrations has been a straightforward process since the McWane EMS meets and, in many cases, exceeds the criteria for ISO 14001 and equivalent state registrations.
ISO 14001 Registered Facilities
- Amerex, Alabama
- Bibby Ste-Croix, Quebec, Canada
- Clow Canada, New Brunswick, Canada
- Kennedy Valve, New York
- Tyler Coupling, Missouri
- Tyler Xianxian, China
Environmental Excellence
Our facilities utilize state-of-the-art environmental technology and infrastructure. In addition to producing environmentally beneficial products, we continue to make our facilities more environmentally friendly.
A few examples of environmental excellence from our facilities are highlighted below. We are proud to highlight these accomplishments, which are the results of time, resources and money invested in reducing our environmental footprint. These are more examples of McWane's pledge to take care of the areas where we live and work – today and beyond the twenty-first century.
Pollution Prevention Challenge
The Art of Preventing Pollution Before it Begins
Annually, the Keep it Clean Challenge (K2C) – formerly known as the Pollution Prevention Challenge (P2C) – brings together grassroots teams from across McWane companies to have their ideas judged for innovation, simplicity, cost savings and environmental benefits. Since the inaugural competition in 2011, these innovative ideas have generated more than $19 million in savings companywide.
The K2C competition has changed the way we think and has served as the hallmark of our efforts toward sustainability and environmental stewardship.