Environmental Success | Environmental Protection | Corning

In line with Corning's sustainability initiatives, plastic and foam to-go containers in cafés were replaced with environmentally friendly paper and cardboard options.

"Our employees are a critical component of Corning's success as a sustainable company," said Holly Segur, division vice president, Workplace Services. “Each of us can make a difference by making smarter, environmentally conscious choices.”

Transitioning to environmentally friendly containers in cafés is one of many ways Corning strives to make a difference in the communities where we live and work. 

Thousands of improvements to the recycling program at the Corning Optical Communications’ Hickory Cable Facility have been developed and implemented by employees who now collect, segregate and ship out more than 80 different types of materials - diverting more than 6.5 million pounds of waste from the local landfill.

The Houghton Park complex’s cogeneration (CoGen) plant in Corning, N.Y. uses a remarkable system of capturing and recovering heat that eliminates energy waste. It has significantly reduced dependence on public utilities since it began steam operations and electrical generation in 2008. 

We partner with Steuben County, N.Y., to host recycling events for community residents and company employees. Aimed at raising awareness around the proper disposal of electronic devices, the events encourage participants to drop off unwanted electronics at no charge for recycling. In the first year, fall and spring events collected over 143,000 pounds of materials — nearly nine times the amount collected the previous year.

• Carbon: We joined the ranks of sustainability leaders by achieving The Climate Registry’s Climate Registered™ status. Measuring our carbon footprint provides meaningful data about our environmental performance.
• LEED certification: Our Decker Building was the first in the company to earn Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. Renovations incorporated energy management principles such as improved lighting and insulation, high efficiency equipment, and environmentally friendly carpet and cleaning products.
• Green building: Our Children’s Center achieved LEED Silver Certification. The new building was recognized by the United States Green Building Council for meeting rigorous standards in construction materials, energy conservation, recycling, and air quality.

• Sustainability: Corning Display Technologies Taiwan (CDTT) won the National Sustainable Development Award for demonstrating sustainability in safety, environment, corporate social responsibility, and community support. CDTT also won the Enterprise Environmental Protection Award for its manufacturing process and plant waste recycling at its Taichung plant.

• Conservation: The Erwin Manufacturing Complex was honored with the first New York State Environmental Excellence Award for its development and implementation of innovative environmental projects that resulted in waste reduction and energy and water conservation.

• Impact: The Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection awarded Corning Life Sciences’ Reynosa Plant with Clean Industry Certification for its commitment to reduce its environmental impact.

• Performance: The North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources named Corning Optical Communications' Hickory cable facility and Corning Optical Fiber's Wilmington, N.C. manufacturing facility as Environmental Stewards in recognition of superior environmental performance.