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Volkswagen Awarded 2014 WEC Gold Medal for Sustainable Development

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2014 WEC Gold Medal for Sustainable Development

Green vehicles like the 2014 VW Jetta Hybrid helped Volkswagen win the 2014 WEB Gold Medal for Sustainable Development

The Volkswagen Group will be awarded the World Environment Center’s (WEC) 30th Annual Gold Medal for International Corporate Achievement in Sustainable Development for their commitment to environmental sustainability throughout 2013.

One of Volkswagen’s biggest achievements in eco-friendly practices is its Think Blue holistic business model, which focuses on clean diesel vehicles, sustainability contracts with suppliers, LEED-certified factories, and efficiency training across the Volkswagen worldwide workforce. Volkswagen earned the 2014 WEC Gold Medal for Sustainable Development after being evaluated by an independent Gold Medal Jury chaired by Dr. Joel Abrams, Professor Emeritus at the University of Pittsburgh.

The Jury found that Volkswagen was worthy of the honor due to the incorporation of long-term sustainability in their products and operations. “On behalf of the independent Gold Medal Jury, I extend my congratulations to Volkswagen for its longstanding commitment to sustainable business throughout its operations, facilities, workforce and products,” Dr. Abrams said in Volkswagen’s official statement.

Volkswagen will receive the WEC Gold Medal at the Gold Medal Presentation Ceremony in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, May 15. The award was created in 1985 and has been earned by recent recipients such as Unilever (2013), IBM (2012), and Nestle (2011).

“It is a great honor for Volkswagen to receive the Gold Medal Award for Sustainable Development in 2014,” stated Volkswagen Group Head of Sustainability, Gerhard Prätorius. “This award serves to further motivate and encourage Volkswagen to reach our ambitious goals in the forthcoming years.”