The Fiat Group in 1999 - Report on Operations - Fiat SpA

20
FIAT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
<strong>Fiat</strong> approaches the environmental challenges with an <strong>in</strong>tegrated
system approach, which goes beyond the mere compliance
with statutory requirements, stimulat<strong>in</strong>g technological <strong>in</strong>novation
and value creation. This enables the <strong>Group</strong> to <strong>in</strong>crease its
competitiveness <strong>in</strong> the global markets and improve its
relationship with its host communities.
<strong>The</strong> Environmental Policy adopted by the Company, which is
based on susta<strong>in</strong>able development models, underscores the
central role that environmental concerns play <strong>in</strong> the development
of corporate strategies, sett<strong>in</strong>g forth pr<strong>in</strong>ciples and guidel<strong>in</strong>es
that are followed by all <strong>Group</strong> companies.
<strong>The</strong> Environmental <strong>Report</strong>, which is published every year
concurrently with the Annual <strong>Report</strong> and should be consulted
for more detailed <strong>in</strong>formation, describes the environmental
programs implemented by the operat<strong>in</strong>g Sectors and their
achievements. Especially noteworthy projects <strong>in</strong>clude:
❚ Consistently with the Framework Agreement executed with
the Italian M<strong>in</strong>istry of the Environment, the <strong>Group</strong> cont<strong>in</strong>ued
to develop programs designed to reduce fuel consumption.
For a recently <strong>in</strong>troduced model (the new Punto), average fuel
consumption for the various eng<strong>in</strong>e configurations available
decreased by over 10% compared with the previous model.
In addition, the range of vehicles with m<strong>in</strong>imum environmental
impact was expanded to <strong>in</strong>clude the Multipla Hybrid
Power, which uses an electric motor for city driv<strong>in</strong>g and an
<strong>in</strong>ternal-combustion eng<strong>in</strong>e for highway travel. <strong>The</strong> Company
also <strong>in</strong>troduced a prototype (Ecobasic), which uses highly
sophisticated technologies to achieve a consumption of less
than three liters per 100 kilometers.
❚ In Naples, <strong>in</strong> the area of mobility, the Company, work<strong>in</strong>g
closely with the Italian M<strong>in</strong>istry of Scientific Research and
the local Municipal Adm<strong>in</strong>istration, started the test<strong>in</strong>g phase
of the Atena Project, which <strong>in</strong>volves the deployment of an
<strong>in</strong>tegrated traffic management system with m<strong>in</strong>imal
environmental impact.
❚ Diesel eng<strong>in</strong>es <strong>in</strong>troduced <strong>in</strong> <strong>1999</strong> <strong>in</strong>clude extremely quiet
heavy-load units with low emissions, which already comply
with future European emission ceil<strong>in</strong>gs, and ecological
power plants for <strong>in</strong>termediate and light commercial vehicles.
❚ Work cont<strong>in</strong>ued on the development of new natural gas
eng<strong>in</strong>es, which are utilized <strong>in</strong> trash collection and urban
freight-haul<strong>in</strong>g vehicles distributed <strong>in</strong> various cities <strong>in</strong> Italy
and other European countries.
❚ Fenice S.p.A., a Comau subsidiary, completed the acquisition
of environmental and energy operations that existed at various
<strong>Group</strong> plants.
It now provides electric power and steam, and processes
<strong>in</strong>dustrial waste at 35 locations <strong>in</strong> Italy and Poland.
❚ CNH Global reaffirmed its commitment to technological
<strong>in</strong>novation by reduc<strong>in</strong>g eng<strong>in</strong>e emissions and noise and
<strong>in</strong>troduc<strong>in</strong>g recyclable components.
❚ Teksid <strong>in</strong>tensified its efforts <strong>in</strong> the field of <strong>in</strong>ternal recycl<strong>in</strong>g
of waste and tested new technologies for the production of
light granulates.
❚ <strong>Fiat</strong>Avio cont<strong>in</strong>ued to implement programs designed to
reduce emissions of nitrogen oxide and carbon dioxide
<strong>in</strong> its turb<strong>in</strong>e heaters.
❚ Ongo<strong>in</strong>g development work with<strong>in</strong> the F.A.Re. system for
the recycl<strong>in</strong>g of motor vehicles at the end of their useful life
<strong>in</strong>cluded the use of Life Cycle Assessment models to identify
design alternatives that facilitate the recovery of materials.
❚ <strong>The</strong> number of facilities that received ISO 14001 environmental
certification <strong>in</strong>creased to 11, compared with 5 <strong>in</strong> 1998.