October 31, 2005

Port of Corpus Christi receives Conservation & Environmental Stewardship Award

The Coastal Bend Bays Foundation recognizes the Port of Corpus Christi with its 2005 Conservation & Environmental Stewardship Award in the Business & Industry category. The award category is designed to recognize and honor outstanding Coastal Bend governing bodies that have made significant contributions to the protection of the natural resources, habitats and native species of the Coastal Bend.

The Port of Corpus Christi received the award for developing an Environmental Management System (EMS) for its three operating facilities, the Bulk Terminal, Cold Storage and Maintenance Facility. “The goal of an EMS is to integrate environmental considerations into everyday business operations and to ensure that environmental stewardship becomes part of the daily responsibilities for everyone in the organization,” said Sarah Kowalski, Environmental Compliance Specialist with the Port of Corpus Christi. Kowalski nominated the Port of Corpus Christi for the award and has been instrumental in developing the EMS program.

The EMS program has significantly improved environmental awareness among employees throughout the organization, has provided a structure for reducing potential secondary costs and has provided a consistent approach with which to manage the Port’s environmental affairs. Port employees have seen the many benefits of the EMS program, including documented procedures and are extending the consistent approach of the EMS program beyond the EMS fence line. “The team effort of employees has been outstanding and is essential to the success of the program as no program can succeed without the support, enthusiasm and participation of employees,” said John LaRue, Executive Director.

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