The Clark Group has joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's SmartWay Transport Partnership.


Clark Group has been recognized by the U.S. EPA for its commitment to improving the environmental performance of its freight operations. Clark Group qualified as a SmartWay Transport partner following an examination of one year of shipments which determined that the company had moved a large enough percentage of those shipments via SmartWay partnered carriers.

Clark Group has committed to increasing the percentage of freight shipped through SmartWay carriers by at least 10 percent per year and agreed to measure fleet environmental performance using the EPA's Freight Logistics Environmental and Energy Tracking (FLEET) Performance Model. In addition, Clark Group will develop a three-year Action Plan to improve its environmental metrics and submit an annual report to the EPA updating the implementation and progress of its plan.

"Joining the SmartWay partnership underscores Clark Group's ongoing commitment to sustainability, for our customers and our planet," said Skip Fischer, president and COO of Domestic Operations for Clark Group. "Through our own GREEN initiative we have dedicated the company to operating in an environmentally responsible manner by reducing our carbon footprint and fuel consumption. The SmartWay program sets a framework for attaining these objectives while also assisting our customers with their own environmental initiatives, including identifying greener supply chain solutions."

Clark Group's GREEN initiative expands upon the environmental benefits the company provides through its consolidated delivery model by implementing and maintaining environmentally responsible practices across all sectors of its operations. By internally mandating eco-friendly polices and engaging with environmentally focused agencies and like-minded trading partners, Clark Group is making a positive contribution to the health and well being of the communities it serves, the country and the planet.

Clark Group plans to increase its SmartWay Transport miles by 10 percent in 2009 and is actively encouraging its transport suppliers to join the SmartWay Partnership. In addition, Clark Group's trucking subsidiary, Evergreen Express Lines, is actively pursuing its individual SmartWay Partnership certification.