We've long told you about our passion for sustainability. Others continue to notice our quest for eco-friendly production, and now we've received historic recognition for our green practices.

Nokian Tyres' North American factory in Dayton, Tennessee is the 2021 recipient of the Tennessee Governor's Environmental Stewardship Award for Sustainable Performance. It is the most prestigious sustainability award in the State of Tennessee, and we are the first company in Rhea County, Tennessee to earn the honor in the 35-year history of the program.

What helped us achieve this historic recognition? Here are a few factors.

• The production building holds LEED v4 Silver certification, the only tire factory in the world to achieve that milestone

• A bank of solar panels anchored in the parking lot provides power to the administration building and generates energy for a portion of the production process

• The three-megawatt panels can generate approximately 4,000 megawatt-hours of solar energy each year, which would be enough to power more than 500 homes

• The administration building achieved LEED v4 Gold certification

• Inspectors highlighted the administration building’s innovation in design, energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality as key drivers of the high certification level

• Design innovations include solar power, low-emitting building materials and a high level of natural lighting throughout the facility

• A 2.5-acre greenspace flanks the entrance of the administration building, complete with trees, a pond and walking paths

The Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Awards are presented annually to recognize outstanding achievements by individuals, local governments, businesses, organizations, educational institutions, and agencies for successful environmental projects and conservation measures.

Nokian Tyres has long striven to be a global leader in sustainability. We have been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for four straight years, ranking us among the most sustainable publicly traded companies in the world. We were also the first tire company to have our emissions reduction targets approved by the Science Based Targets initiative.

We also serve as thought leaders when it comes to helping drivers make sustainable choices, and we're partnering with One Tree Planted to plant 50,000 trees in sensitive areas this year. 

Scroll below to see more pictures of our sustainable North American production facility, where we added nearly 150 jobs in the first half of 2021. We're grateful to the State of Tennessee for recognizing our commitment to eco-friendly production and sustainable driving!