WASHINGTON DC — With sustainability top of mind across various industries, including commercial baking, ENERGY STAR certification is one way bakeries can identify and celebrate their efforts at integrating these practices.
At the Bakers Fly-In and Policy Summit, held June 11-13 in Washington DC, attendees learned about the certification and the process to earn the recognition during the “ENERGY STAR Commitment to Baking” policy session.
ENERGY STAR certification, a program developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), recognizes manufacturing plants that are in the top 25% for energy efficiency in their respective sectors. Year after year, this has included bakeries including Bimbo Bakeries USA (BBU), Flowers Foods, Crown Bakeries and Klosterman Baking Co.
Elizabeth Dutrow, manager of ENERGY STAR industrial partnerships at the EPA, and Chris Wolfe, senior director of environmental and sustainability for BBU, presented on the industry’s long-standing voluntary partnership with the EPA, which originated in 2008.