BROOMFIELD, Colo., April 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Ball Corporation (NYSE: BLL) today announced the recipients of the 2011 R. David Hoover Sustainability Award. In the award program's inaugural year, five Ball plants out of 61 around the globe earned the Hoover sustainability award for making significant improvements in economic, social and environmental performance.

Earning the award are Ball's plants in:

• Findlay, Ohio (Metal Beverage Packaging Division, Americas)
• Springdale, Ark. (Metal Food & Household Products Packaging Division, Americas)
• Oss, Netherlands (Ball Packaging Europe)
• Braunschweig, Germany (Metal Beverage Packaging, Ends)
• Beijing, China (Ball Asia Pacific Ltd.)

The plants were scored on their achievements during 2011 toward reducing electricity, natural gas and water usage; reducing waste and volatile organic compounds (VOCs); improving their safety records; commitment to recycling; and promoting Ball's packaging products within their communities. Additional points were awarded for commitment to sharing best practices and innovative ideas with other plants. The five recipients represent the highest scores in each of Ball's divisions.

"Sustainability is a key part of our Drive for 10 vision, which we also introduced in 2011," says John A. Hayes, president and CEO. "By embracing our triple bottom line approach – balancing the economic, environmental and social impacts of our products and operations in our decision-making process – our plants create long-term value for all of our stakeholders. Every sustainable action we take brings us closer to achieving our Drive for 10 vision."

Ball's annual R. David Hoover Sustainability Award was established in 2011 in honor of the company's former president and CEO. Hoover, currently chairman of Ball's board of directors, was instrumental in initiating Ball's formal sustainability program. Ball Corporation is planning to release its third sustainability report later this spring.

Ball Corporation (NYSE:BLL) is a supplier of high quality packaging for beverage, food and household products customers, and of aerospace and other technologies and services, primarily for the U.S. government. Ball Corporation and its subsidiaries employ more than 14,500 people worldwide and reported 2011 sales of more than $8.6 billion. For the latest Ball news and for other company information, please visit http://www.ball.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains "forward-looking" statements concerning future events and financial performance. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "estimates" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Key risks and uncertainties are summarized in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Exhibit 99.2 in our Form 10-K, which are available on our website and at www.sec.gov. Factors that might affect our packaging segments include fluctuation in product demand and preferences; availability and cost of raw materials; competitive packaging availability, pricing and substitution; changes in climate and weather; crop yields; competitive activity; failure to achieve anticipated productivity improvements or production cost reductions; mandatory deposit or other restrictive packaging laws; changes in major customer or supplier contracts or loss of a major customer or supplier; political instability and sanctions; and changes in foreign exchange rates or tax rates. Factors that might affect our aerospace segment include: funding, authorization, availability and returns of government and commercial contracts; and delays, extensions and technical uncertainties affecting segment contracts. Factors that might affect the company as a whole include those listed plus: accounting changes; changes in senior management; the recent global recession and its effects on liquidity, credit risk, asset values and the economy; successful or unsuccessful acquisitions; regulatory action or laws including tax, environmental, health and workplace safety, including U.S. FDA and other actions affecting products filled in our containers, or chemicals or substances used in raw materials or in the manufacturing process; governmental investigations; technological developments and innovations; goodwill impairment; antitrust, patent and other litigation; strikes; labor cost changes; rates of return projected and earned on assets of the company's defined benefit retirement plans; pension changes; uncertainties surrounding the U.S. government budget and debt limit; reduced cash flow; interest rates affecting our debt; and changes to unaudited results due to statutory audits or other effects.

SOURCE Ball Corporation