Corporate Business | April 04 2022

The CTC Wildlife at Work Road to Gold

Signs of spring are all around the Stellantis North America Headquarters and Technology Center (CTC) campus. Whether it’s the wildlife reemerging from winter, or the flowers and plants blooming, employees returning to the office can enjoy all the familiar beautiful sights of the season.

The upkeep of those sights certainly hasn’t gone unnoticed, as the Auburn Hills, Michigan, property recently achieved a Certified Gold designation from the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) Conservation Certification program.

CTC Environmental Specialist David Jump said that receiving the Gold certification from the WHC is similar to “getting the Academy Award for conservationists.”

“The certification application is reviewed and scored by at least two trained third-party conservation certification professionals,” Jump said. “It is a great feeling of accomplishment and knowledge that what you are doing is having a direct positive impact on the ecosystem and on our campus.”

This marks the second consecutive time the property has achieved the high honor, signifying the company’s commitment to environmental stewardship and leadership among the over 600 Wildlife Habitat Council Conservation Certification programs, which also include designations of Certified and Silver Certified.

“Stellantis’ Auburn Hills complex is recognized as meeting the strict requirements of WHC Conservation Certification,” said Margaret O’Gorman, president, WHC. “Companies achieving WHC Conservation Certification, like Stellantis – North America, are environmental leaders, voluntarily managing their lands to support sustainable ecosystems and the communities that surround them.”

A submission to the WHC titled, “The CTC Wildlife at Work Road to Gold,” highlighted many of the environmentally friendly projects and educational programs on the property. 

“We have managed seven projects throughout the past three years and have had to overcome many difficulties in completing projects,” Jump said. “The seven projects included Great Blue Heron, Wood Duck Box, Earth Day Celebration, Oakland Audubon Society Species Surveys, Bat Conservation, Monarch Butterfly Waystation and Pollinator Gardens.”

The team that has prepared and maintained the environmental and educational elements on the property have worked very hard to once again earn the Gold certification.

“If enough points aren’t earned, then the site could lose its certification standing,” Jump said. “Who knew that protecting bats, birds, butterflies and bees was so hard — and fun — to do?”

Springtime on the campus certainly has plenty to offer for nature lovers, whether it’s a walk along the nature trail, spying a great blue heron or wood duck flying in and out of the rookery or wetlands, or enjoying the flowers and plants that make up the pollinator garden or monarch butterfly sanctuary, making this an ideal time to welcome back employees.