Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport officials honored a group of local businesses and ATL employees for their sustainability efforts at the second annual GreeningATL Excellence Awards luncheon Thursday, April 21. Stephanie Stuckey Benfield, director of the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, provided the keynote address at the luncheon. “Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is more than capable and more than committed to continue this flight path toward greater sustainability,” she said in lauding ATL’s efforts to become the world’s greenest airport.  “Congratulations to this year’s winners,” said Aviation General Manager Miguel Southwell. “Your proven commitment to sustainable business practices stands as a model for other businesses to follow.”

Following is a list of the awards in both business and individual categories:

Energy Conservation and Efficiency

Delta Air Lines was selected as the 2016 recipient of the Energy Conservation and Efficiency Award.  Delta’s efforts to increase energy efficiency and its work as a founding member of the ATL Eco-District led to its selection.

Materials and Resources

Mack II Inc. was selected as the 2016 recipient of the Materials and Resources Award. Mack II Inc. assumed a leadership role in complying with the ATL Sustainable Food Court Initiative. The firm also engages in responsible procurement practices and continues to work to reduce its consumption of natural resources.

Footprint and Community Impact

Concessions International was honored as the Footprint and Community Impact Award winner.  This award recognizes a company that acknowledges the social side of sustainability. Concessions International has done just that with its efforts to support employees by subsidizing the purchase of their transit cards, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Sustainability Innovation

Georgia Institute of Technology was awarded the Sustainability Innovation Award for its use of technology to find solutions to environmental issues. Georgia Tech installed a piezoelectric carpet selfie station at ATL, generating passenger interest and engagement. Placement of the uniquely powered selfie stations is leading to discussion about how to apply the technology more broadly at the Airport.

Product Innovation

OMG Booth received the Product Innovation Award for its collaboration with Georgia Tech in the installation of the People-Powered Selfie Stations. As described above, the fun selfie stations are leading to more conversations about how to utilize the technology in other areas of ATL.

Sustainable Packaging

Georgia Pacific and the Atlanta Airlines Terminal Corporation received the Sustainable Packaging Award at the 2016 GreeningATL Excellence Awards luncheon. This recognition honors excellence in packaging design, development and implementation in the pursuit of sustainability. The two firms collaborated in what – at first glance – seemed a common-sense approach in toilet paper dispensing.  Removal of the center cardboard roll helped substantially decrease waste at ATL. Additionally, Georgia Pacific shipped these and other products in shrink wrap rather than bulky cardboard boxes, further reducing the waste at ATL.

Corporate Community Leader Award

American Rivers was selected as the recipient of the Corporate Community Leader Award. This recognition honors leaders who deliver projects that enhance the long-term sustainability of ATL’s built or natural environment. The award also honors an organization that forges partnerships among local residents, community groups and businesses resulting in a reduced ecological footprint. American Rivers has prompted ATL to increase the use of green infrastructure to improve water quality and increase water infiltration rates to recharge ground water that feeds into the Flint River.

Individual Community Leader Award

ATL’s Marketing Management Analyst Demetria Wideman was honored with the Individual Community Leader Award.  Wideman’s “Confidence Bag” campaign utilized donations and recycled materials to assist hundreds of battered women throughout the region and led to her designation as the Individual Community Leader Award winner.  Wideman, and her campaign, fulfill – and exceed – ATL’s social sustainability pillar requested of ATL employees.

GreeningATL Eco-Employee Award

Four ATL employees were honored for their efforts in making ATL a more sustainable organization.  Charles Marshall took on the immense task of pursuing ISO 50001 certification for ATL. This specific certification is recognized worldwide as a major component in increasing energy efficiency for an organization. These certification efforts, coordinated by Marshall, led to ATL becoming the first airport in the United States to receive such an award.

Chris Rogers and Kenneth Goggins took the lead in turning ATL’s airfield lighting into all-LED. Retrofitting and installing LED-powered lights across an entire airfield had never been accomplished at any other major airport in the world. The work done by Rogers and Goggins has led to lower utility costs and improved safety measures at the world’s most traveled airport.

Liza Milagro was honored for her work to increase sustainability measures at ATL. The Airport’s senior sustainability planner, Milagro has dedicated her professional career at ATL to making it the most sustainable airport in the world.