Suppliers Partnership for the Environment Announces 2026 Environmental Leadership Award Winners

Visscher-Caravelle, Hankook Tire, The Pasha Group, Chad Pregracke and Alyssa Barbuto recognized for advancing environmental sustainability

INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Suppliers Partnership for the Environment (SP), an association bringing together global vehicle manufacturers and suppliers to advance environmental sustainability across the automotive value chain, today announced the recipients of its 2026 environmental leadership awards.

The SP Awards recognize sustainability achievements and encourage the sharing of successful approaches across the automotive industry. This year's recipients were selected from a competitive pool of nominations based on a comprehensive evaluation of criteria such as positive impact, innovation, reach and transferability.

Demonstrating Environmental Innovation: Visscher-Caravelle
The Demonstrating Environmental Innovation Award recognizes companies developing manufacturing processes or technologies that deliver environmental and economic benefits.

Visscher-Caravelle was recognized for its collaboration with Eastman and Volkswagen Group of America to redesign a conventional multi-material automotive floor mat around a single polymer family. The design combines mechanically and chemically recycled PET, removing incompatible materials that can make conventional floor mats difficult to recycle. The project offers a model for designing for recyclability and improving the potential for closed-loop recovery of automotive interior components.

Creativity in Implementing Sustainable Practices: Hankook Tire
The Creativity in Implementing Sustainable Practices Award recognizes companies taking creative approaches to implementing environmental sustainability programs and practices.

Hankook Tire was recognized for its work with ITOCHU's Project TREE to establish farm-to-factory natural rubber traceability while supporting smallholder farmers. The program combines farmer-led GPS mapping, on-site verification, satellite checks and transaction records to trace rubber through collectors and dealers to processing factories. The initiative provides a practical approach to verifying sourcing origins and monitoring deforestation risks while keeping smallholders engaged in the supply chain.

Community Impact: The Pasha Group
The Community Impact Award recognizes companies extending the benefits of their sustainability efforts to communities and organizations beyond the automotive industry.

The Pasha Group was recognized for combining ecosystem restoration, employee education and volunteering with support for ocean and climate research. Its work includes funding native-tree planting in Hawaii and enabling employees to participate in environmental restoration, education and community service through its Green Team and Volunteer Time Off programs. Pasha also uses its commercial vessels as research platforms to support oceanographic, atmospheric and climate monitoring across the Pacific, using the company's marine operations to help researchers collect data in areas that can be difficult to access.

Steve Hellem Lighthouse Award: Chad Pregracke, Living Lands & Waters
Named in memory of SP's founding executive director, the Steve Hellem Lighthouse Award recognizes established leaders who inspire others and help guide the next generation of sustainability leadership forward.

The inaugural award was presented to Chad Pregracke, founder of Living Lands & Waters, for his longstanding commitment to restoring waterways and bringing people together through environmental action. Through initiatives such as river cleanups, watershed conservation, student workshops and tree planting, Chad was recognized for building an enduring organization with meaningful impact on the environment, communities, and people across the country.

Shining Star Award: Alyssa Barbuto, Honda
The Shining Star Award recognizes emerging leaders advancing environmental sustainability through their work and industry engagement.

Alyssa Barbuto, Environmental Sustainability Lead for Honda's Supplier Sustainability Unit, was recognized for her leadership in helping suppliers build the knowledge and capabilities needed to act in support of environmental goals. Her work has expanded supplier emissions reporting and engagement in target setting, renewable energy and decarbonization initiatives, both internally through Honda's Green Excellence Academy, and externally through her leadership in SP initiatives such as Transform: Auto.

"This year's recipients show how sustainability leadership can translate ideas into practical results, from redesigning automotive materials to strengthening supplier capabilities and restoring our waterways," said Kellen Mahoney, executive director of Suppliers Partnership for the Environment. "We are pleased to recognize their achievements and highlight approaches that others across the industry can learn from and build on."

For more information about the SP Awards, visit supplierspartnership.org/sp-awards-program.

About SP
Suppliers Partnership for the Environment (SP) provides a forum for global vehicle manufacturers and suppliers to work together toward a shared vision of a thriving automotive industry with positive environmental impact. Learn more at: www.supplierspartnership.org  

Contact: Kellen Mahoney, [email protected]

SOURCE Suppliers Partnership for the Environment (SP)