Sustainability at Worldwide Power Products

Whether you call it ESG, CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility), or sustainability, you want to know that the company that serves your power generation needs does so with care for people and the planet. When you work with Worldwide Power Products, you can rest assured that is the case. 

By supporting innovative ideas, cleaner products, and responsible business practices, we’re helping lead the generator and engine industry toward a greener future and giving you and your customers a company you can be proud to call a partner.   

What is ESG?

ESG is a tool for investors and customers to use to analyze how a company approaches sustainability in three different categories: Environmental, Social, and Governance. 

Environmental

Mountian view with clean air

Environmental concern is a broad category that comprises a company’s efforts at reducing pollution and using natural resources responsibly. It considers a company’s impact on issues such as:

  • climate change
  • energy efficiency
  • biodiversity
  • carbon emissions
  • air and water quality
  • waste management
  • deforestation

…and more. Having robust programs in place to address these concerns is not only an indication that a company operates ethically, but that it is well-positioned to meet stricter governmental guidelines as they continue to be mandated. 

In the world of power generation, reducing carbon dioxide, methane, particulate matter (PM), and nitrous oxide (NOx) has been an ongoing mission for more than 25 years through the implementation of increasingly strict federal emissions standards called tiers:

  • Tier 1: Implemented in 1996 through 2000 for diesel engines and generators to be in compliance by 2005. 
  • Tier 2: Phased in beginning 2001 for compliance by 2008 for more sophisticated engines to limit their NOx, PM, sulfur, and other emissions.  
  • Tier 3: Phased in 2006 for compliance by 2008 for engines of 50-750 horsepower to limit their exhaust emissions.
  • Tier 4: The standard in effect today since 2015, and the strictest tier, all new diesel engines both road and non-road must restrict NOx, PM, and hydrocarbon emissions to near zero.

 

Tiers 1- 4 Relating to Stationary Non-Emergency & Mobile Generator Sets

Horsepower 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
<11
>11 - <25
>25 - <50
>50 - <75
>75 - <100
>100 - <175
>175 - <300
>300 - <600
>600 - <750
>750
i = interim Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3 Tier 3 Flex Tier 4i Tier 4i Flex Tier 4 Final

 

 

   

Applicable Tiers for Stationary Emergency Standby Power (ESP)

Horsepower Apr-06 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
<11
>11 - <25
>25 - <50
>50 - <75
>75 - <100
>100 - <175
>175 - <300
>300 - <600
>600 - <750
>750 - <3000
>3000
Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3 Tier 4
Emergency Standby Power Systems can be run up to 100 hours a year for testing and maintenance - no hour limit for true emergency operation.

 

Social

WPP employees in front of WPP headquarters in Houston

This involves how a company manages and develops its relationships with employees, customers, and the wider community. By putting in place policies to help these three groups thrive, a business illustrates its understanding that it has an important role to play in the mental and physical health, happiness, inclusion, and sense of purpose in the lives of everyone it touches. Issues in this category can include:

  • gender and diversity
  • employee engagement
  • customer satisfaction
  • community relations
  • data protection
  • privacy
  • human rights

Governance

Office buildings and skyscrapers

Governance considers how a company is run. It takes into account various leadership practices and corporate policies and activities to determine whether a company is transparent and ethical in its operations. This includes:

  • board diversity and independence
  • executive pay
  • compliance and dialogue with regulators
  • lobbying efforts and political contributions
  • tax strategy
  • stockholder involvement.

How We’re Doing Our Part

At Worldwide Power Products, we are continually looking for ways to expand how we contribute to the global sustainability movement. These are the primary areas in which we have been and currently are seeking to reduce our carbon footprint and make a positive imprint on the community…

WPP-supplied prime generator powering construction site

Low-Emission Inventory

To reduce carbon emissions, we’ve invested heavily in Tier 4 Final and low-NOx equipment, including natural gas and bi-fuel engines, for both our rental and sales inventories. We’ve also replaced many of our customers’ old gensets with newer models that limit not only air pollution, but noise pollution as well thanks to sound-dampening enclosures. 

Internally, we’ve replaced our older diesel service trucks with new Tier 4 models featuring Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) that uses a catalyst system to break down NOx emissions into harmless byproducts (water and nitrogen).

Green Service Offerings

We use our expertise to help bring customers’ older gensets up to necessary tier levels by installing add-ons such as exhausts and catalysts that reduce their carbon emissions. 

We also provide extensive preventive maintenance and diesel fuel polishing service to ensure customers’ engines run cleanly and efficiently. In the course of this work, we safely dispose of oil and coolants that are toxic to humans and animals when not disposed of responsibly. 

Caterpillar overhaul

Remanufacturing

Remanufacturing is a hybrid of the last two of “the three Rs” of sustainability (reduce, reuse, and recycle). Remanufacturing is taking apart an old piece of equipment, restoring the parts, and rebuilding it. This process saves much of the energy and the material needed to create the item from scratch, and it keeps the old parts out of the landfill.

In our case, as we remanufacture heavy equipment, we not only salvage many of the materials, we often upgrade the engine and/or the fuel supply to be more environmentally friendly, adding even more benefit to the environment. 

Safety

We are unwavering in our commitment to protecting our employees, contractors, and customers. We hold monthly safety meetings per OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) requirements to discuss first aid techniques, seasonal best practices, and other topics. We also hold “tailgate meetings” on the job site to discuss potential job site hazards and mitigation strategies with subcontractors, and to educate customers on equipment safety procedures. 

PPE (personal protective equipment) is required for all technicians, including hard hats, earplugs, eyeglasses, and steel-toed boots. 

Gas monitors are installed throughout our shop and our Safety Team performs daily inspections to ensure all safety protocols are being followed. If there are any safety incidents, we report and track them carefully for both oversight and training purposes. 

Culture

We foster a culture of inclusivity and excellence at Worldwide Power Products by maintaining a team-oriented atmosphere that prizes entrepreneurial attitudes and a willingness to bend over backwards for our customers. We hire with diversity in mind and continually seek input from all levels of our organization. 

Each quarter we produce a newsletter celebrating employee achievements and work anniversaries, highlighting company milestones, and sharing recent positive customer feedback. Off-site team-building activities and employee/family gatherings bring us closer together. We also reward team members for exceptional performance  in a variety of ways, from thank-you notes and gift cards to annual bonuses.

Learn more about WPP’s work culture.

Community

We’re always thankful for the trust the Houston community has placed in us over the years, and we’ve sought to give back by sponsoring local sports teams, fundraisers, and community events; holding company-wide volunteer days at local non-profits; donating emergency preparedness kits and gifts during the holidays; hosting blood drives at our facility; and more. In times of crisis such as hurricanes and floods, we’re proud to help make our friends and neighbors Houston Strong. 

What Our Customers Say