Suppliers Partnership for the Environment Announces 2026 Environmental Leadership Award Winners

INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 28, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- Suppliers Partnership for the Environment (SP) has announced the winners of its 2026 environmental leadership awards, recognizing companies and individuals for their significant contributions to advancing environmental sustainability in the automotive industry.

Visscher-Caravelle was honored with the Demonstrating Environmental Innovation Award for its innovative approach to redesigning automotive floor mats. The company collaborated with Eastman and Volkswagen Group of America to create a single polymer family mat using mechanically and chemically recycled PET. This design eliminates incompatible materials, making the floor mats easier to recycle. The project serves as a model for designing for recyclability and enhancing the potential for closed-loop recovery of automotive interior components.

Hankook Tire received the Creativity in Implementing Sustainable Practices Award for its work with ITOCHU's Project TREE. The initiative aims to establish natural rubber traceability from farm to factory while supporting smallholder farmers. The program combines GPS mapping, on-site verification, satellite checks, and transaction records to trace rubber through collectors and dealers to processing factories. This approach provides a practical solution for verifying sourcing origins and monitoring deforestation risks, while keeping smallholders engaged in the supply chain.

The Community Impact Award was given to The Pasha Group for its comprehensive efforts in ecosystem restoration, employee education, and volunteering. The company's Green Team and Volunteer Time Off programs enable employees to participate in environmental restoration, education, and community service. Additionally, The Pasha Group uses its commercial vessels as research platforms to support oceanographic, atmospheric, and climate monitoring across the Pacific, leveraging its marine operations to collect data in challenging areas.

Chad Pregracke, founder of Living Lands & Waters, was awarded the inaugural Steve Hellem Lighthouse Award. This recognition honors his longstanding commitment to restoring waterways and engaging people in environmental action. Through initiatives such as river cleanups, watershed conservation, student workshops, and tree planting, Pregracke has built an enduring organization with a significant impact on the environment, communities, and people across the country.

Alyssa Barbuto, Environmental Sustainability Lead for Honda's Supplier Sustainability Unit, was honored with the Shining Star Award. Barbuto has been instrumental in helping suppliers build the knowledge and capabilities needed to support environmental goals. Her work has expanded supplier emissions reporting and engagement in target setting, renewable energy, and decarbonization initiatives. Both internally through Honda's Green Excellence Academy and externally through her leadership in SP initiatives such as Transform: Auto, Barbuto has played a crucial role in advancing sustainability.

These awards underscore the commitment of SP and its members to driving environmental sustainability in the automotive industry. The recipients' innovative approaches and community impact serve as inspiring examples for others to follow.