February Sustainability Spotlight: Lodge Cast Iron

Our February Sustainability Spotlight and upcoming Green Business of the Month is Lodge Cast Iron. Lodge recently sponsored green|spaces’ World Heavyweight Chili Championship, as well as starting their sustainability journey with green|spaces by becoming a member. 

Lodge has long made sustainability a practice, recycling foundry sand and re-melting scrap castings. In 1991, they replaced their cupola melting system with a more environmentally friendly induction melt system. It has continued over the last three decades as they have accepted an Energy Star partnership and become a member of the Tennessee Green Star Partnership. This is all part of their company value of “Doing the Right Thing.”

Laura Candler, Senior Manager of Brand Engagement for Lodge Cast Iron, sat down with us to talk about Lodge Cast Iron’s commitment to sustainability and their decision to become a green|spaces member.

“Lodge has been around for 127 years. It's a bedrock of the community in South Pittsburg,” said Candler. “Lodge has been a sustainable company for a long time, even before it was a buzzword. One of the biggest historical moves that Lodge made was the move to induction furnaces. That move made Lodge a zero hazardous waste foundry. We were inspired to create a sustainability committee last year to learn what other ways we can be more sustainable.” 

In the search for partners, Lodge located green|spaces and the Green Light  program, which provides a framework to develop and create more sustainable practices.

“Our hope is that in partnership with green|spaces, we can learn more about how to be a more sustainable company and start to take additional action,” Candler shared. “Right now we're currently doing the initial sustainability audit, thanks to some of the tools that you guys have on your website. It’s been a really great process for us to learn more about how we can engage.”

Candler was clearly proud of the community mindedness and environmental awareness that Lodge uses to guide their business decisions. It is clear that their company values are designed to protect the resources they are blessed with. 

Candler concluded, “That community mindedness that Lodge has drives the choices we make. We're right on the Tennessee River, which is a beautiful part of the state. We very much want to keep our community a beautiful place.”

Written by Anna Truss