A recent article on the Take Part website takes an in-depth look at Subaru’s zero-waste factory in Indiana. Subaru has revolutionized the way car manufacturing impacts the environment, going zero-waste over the past decade. That means that nothing from this factory has gone to the dump in ten years.
Instead, all potential waste is recycled, repurposed, or reused. And in all that time, as the American auto industry as a whole has lost hundreds of thousands of jobs, this plant has has no layoffs.
Subaru is an example of a profitable business that goes above and beyond environmental regulations to improve manufacturing processes and build a better product. Subaru’s plant in Indiana doesn’t produce cars that are at the highest peak of environmentally friendly design and function. The truth is, most consumers don't want and can't afford such a car. Instead of building cars that wouldn’t sell, Subaru decided to fix every other part of the process of building cars to make their cars green. Denise Coogan, Subaru’s head honcho behind the environmental practices at the Indiana plant, told Take Part, “The quality of the car and what customers want is always first.” Production is where Subaru can do better than other car manufactures.
Subaru found that improving the manufacturing practices also improves the quality of the vehicles. So Subaru kept innovating and looking for ways to improve their manufacturing process. Subaru also looked to the workers to drive innovation, creating a hugely loyal workforce that leads the company towards even better practices. Subaru’s workers receive fantastic benefits and see positive effects in their own lives from working for Subaru—more than if they’d worked at a similar plant for another company.
When you buy a Subaru that was made in Indiana, you’re supporting business practices that are centered on being as environmentally friendly as possible and doing right by workers. Subaru in Indiana produces the Outback, Legacy, and Tribeca.
