The Auto Care Association has announced the formation of a new advisory committee that focuses on environmental sustainability in the auto care industry. The new Sustainability Committee aims to increase awareness of the importance of sustainability, create a long-term strategy to initiate evolution in our industry’s practices and highlight businesses that implement those practices.

In its initial phase, the Sustainability Committee will focus on four strategic areas: 

• an industry education campaign encouraging sustainable environmental efforts and promotion of the automotive aftermarket as a sustainable industry
• the evaluation and influence of legislative policies that benefit both the environment and the industry
• providing guidance on the advantages and opportunities of recycling
• fostering best practice sharing and enhancement of industry standards to become more environmentally friendly

“The Sustainability Committee emphasizes both the industry and the association’s commitment to sustainability in order to create a more environmentally-friendly future,” said Bill Hanvey, president and CEO, Auto Care Association. “Business and the environment are closely connected in more ways than one. By reducing carbon footprints, pollution and emissions, we protect our environment. Our businesses are all a part of a natural ecosystem that needs to be preserved for generations to come. If nature and natural resources are compromised, we’re compromised as well.” 

The Sustainability Committee is composed of industry-leading association members and sustainability experts who are passionate about the ecological integrity of the auto care industry’s activities. Uniquely, the committee features perspectives from across the entire supply chain, from manufacturers to warehouse distributors to retailers and shops. The founding members are:

• Ben Spitz, Parts Authority (committee chair)
• Stefan Feder, Continental (committee vice chair)
• Malcolm Sissmore, BorgWarner (executive committee member)
• Joe Stephan, Nexus (executive committee member)
• Mike Allen, Federated Auto Parts Distributors, Inc.
• Scott Cannon, O’Reilly Auto Parts
• Michael Cowan, Honest1 Auto Care
• Lee Forman, Dynamic Automotive
• Don Gebhardt, Valvoline Global
• Lisa Gochenour, Highline Warren LLC
• Troy Hitchcock, AutoZone
• Michael Kitching, GB Remanufacturing, Inc.
• Theo Lamperis, BBB Industries, LLC
• Mike Leupold, EnerSys (Odyssey Battery)
• Thomas Pajer, Bridgestone
• Micah Thompson, Advance Auto Parts

The inaugural Sustainability Committee meeting will take place at Spring Leadership Days (part of Auto Care Connect) on Thursday, May 25, 2023. Representatives from interested companies may attend the public portion of the committee meeting by registering at autocare.org/connect.