YKK AP America Earns Honorable Mention in DWM Magazine 2021 Green Awards

As editor Nathan Hobbs of Door and Window Market Magazine put it, “With COVID-19, labor shortages and supply chain issues bearing down, this year could be an easy time to set aside any goal that doesn’t pertain to getting the job done. But the industry has proven that—even amid such challenges—companies aren’t backing away from their goals for preserving the environment. This year, [DWM]’s Annual Green Awards highlight the fact that sustainability can be addressed in many ways, big and small, and from a variety of angles. When it comes to “going green,” it’s the sum of the whole that matters.”

Several industry influencers were recognized. YKK AP America earned an honorable mention in this year’s awards. Here’s an excerpt from the November/December issue, highlighting the company’s most recent accomplishments.

In August of this year, YKK AP America made a bold statement about its focus on the environment by appointing its first-ever chief sustainability officer (CSO): Tomohisa Kato. The move, officials say, is one of many that reflect a recently announced “global statement of purpose,” which calls on all YKK AP operating companies around the world, stating, “We Build a Better Society through Architectural Products.”

As CSO, Kato oversees the company’s sustainability strategy, focusing on advancing and accelerating efforts in North America to promote sustainability in business and corporate practices. “The environmental issues we face are common to all of us, and I am proud to contribute my time and energy toward securing a more sustainable future,” Kato says.

In 2009, officials say the company was the first manufacturer to produce products designed specifically to address energy needs,” and in 2015 it became the first facades manufacturer to voluntarily provide third party-certified Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for all of its products. The company recently was recognized by the Georgia Water Coalition with the Clean 13 Award, recognizing those with initiatives that have “led to a more sustainable future for Georgians.”

Learn more about this year’s winners.