Engineering giants Siemens has launched its inaugural Sustainability Month across the company in the UK, with all energy savings made converted to donations for local community and environmental programmes.
Taking place in May and supporting the Prince's May Day Network and World Environment Day, the month aims to encourage Siemens' employees to be involved in energy saving and environmental programmes and to take small personal actions that, although simple, can make a real difference.
It is estimated that tens of thousands of pounds could be saved across the company during the month - which will be donated to local environmental causes chosen by employees themselves.
Andreas J. Goss, Chief Executive at Siemens plc, said: "Sustainability is a central tenet of our business, both in terms of what we deliver to our customers and how our company operates.
“Through Sustainability Month we will build upon existing practices and policies, encouraging our employees to take actions that will also benefit worthwhile causes across the country.
“Creating a sustainable future means minimising our impact on the environment - we all have a personal stake and a part to play."
Ian Bowman, Head of Corporate Responsibility at Siemens plc, said: "The month is focused on stepping up and further embedding our energy reduction practices and will highlight how all our employees can contribute in small ways to make a big difference. If every Siemens employee makes just one small energy saving this can have a big impact and raise money for local causes at the same time."
The key areas to be focused on during Siemens' Sustainability Month are electricity, waste and travel, with employees being provided with tips on some of the best ways to save power, reduce the impact of travel and cut waste.
Employees will be encouraged to focus on simple things, such as switching off their PC monitor at the socket at night, setting printers to double sided and using desktop conferencing rather than travelling to meetings.
Each week during the month all Siemens sites across the UK will get an ongoing update of their carbon footprint savings.
Globally, Siemens has set itself ambitious internal ecological targets. CO2 emissions are to be reduced by 20 percent in relationship to revenue by the year 2011. In the UK, in 2007, Siemens plc moved into its 'low carbon' headquarters at Frimley, which is a showcase of Siemens' state of the art technology.
The company now uses 30 percent less electricity on this site than at the previous headquarters. Siemens reduced its CO2 footprint in the UK last year by 10 percent.
Earlier this week, Siemens was awarded a major contract to design, manufacture and install a state-of-the-art SST 800 steam turbine for the largest biomass-fired combined heat and power plant ever to be developed in the UK.
The new plant, utilised Siemens innovative technology enables Tullis Russell, the Fife-based paper manufacturer to meet its energy needs efficiently and in a sustainable and environmentally responsible way.
Siemens received the order from Aker Solutions, a global provider of engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning services to the natural resources and energy markets. Aker Solutions is engaged as the EPC contractor to RWE npower renewables on this pioneering project.
When fully operational, Siemens’ turbine will be fired with 400,000 tonnes of harvested wood and waste and have an installed capacity of 50MW. The new plant will replace the existing coal fired facility. This is a major step forward for the industry and Tullis Russell, which will significantly reduce the mill’s carbon footprint.
The project commenced March 2010, with commercial operations in place by the end of 2012.
Post a comment