TECOM Investments Verified As ’Corporate Hero’ By EWS And WWF

Campaign For Greener Business Communities Hits 1 Million Kilo Milestone

Over a million kilogrammes (1,000 metric tonnes) of recyclable waste has been collected by TECOM Investments in a campaign to create cleaner and safer environments for the business communities operating within Dubai Media City, Dubai Internet City and Dubai Knowledge Village.

Since September 2011, TECOM Investments has driven the waste collection and recycling initiative, dubbed ‘Operation R’ (Reduce, Reuse & Recycle), and to date it has amassed an impressive 1,102,176 kilogrammes of recyclable materials. The breakdown of the waste includes:

• 740,748kgs of paper
• 323,945kgs of cardboard
• 17,373kgs of plastic bottles
• 11,144kgs of aluminium cans
• 8,966kgs of glass bottles

‘Operation R’ is one of a number of proactive initiatives TECOM’s 10 interconnected business parks have introduced to help raise awareness and reduce waste for the benefit of the 4,500 companies operating within them.

Last December, ENPARK, Dubai’s only free zone dedicated to the energy and sustainability industries, worked in collaboration with Averda and Air Miles to roll out 15 new ReVa reverse vending machines across TECOM’s business parks, making them the first free zones in the UAE to provide the innovative recycling machines.

TECOM’s achievements in reducing its water and energy waste have also been recognised by the Emirates Wildlife Society (EWS) and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) through their Heroes of the UAE programme. In an awards ceremony held on January 28th and attended by H.E. Dr. Rashid Ahmad Bin Fahad, Minister of Environment & Water, TECOM Investment’s was officially announced as a ‘Verified Corporate Hero’ after delivering on its three environmental pledges, including to develop and implement a measurable strategy to reduce carbon dioxide emissions associated with energy and water consumption by 10% each over 12 continuous months.

TECOM has a consistent track record in reducing waste, and since 2007 has achieved reductions in its electricity-related CO2 emissions of 16 percent and in its water-related CO2 emissions of 39 percent.

Commenting on the success of TECOM’s waste recycling project, and on being recognised as a ‘Verified Corporate Hero’, Badr Al Gergawi, CEO Engineering Management at TECOM Investments, said:
“We are delighted to have reached such a major milestone in our drive to raise awareness, reduce waste, and increase recycling within TECOM’s business parks. This has proven to be a highly effective campaign and the next phase will be keeping up the momentum as well as successfully rolling it out across our other business parks. TECOM’s aim is to help create and maintain the best possible business environments and communities so that our many business partners can continue to grow and thrive.

“We are thrilled to have been recognised as a ‘Verified Corporate Hero’ through the EWS-WWF Heroes of the UAE programme. It’s an important initiative and we would encourage other businesses to take part.

“At TECOM Investments, energy and water conservation is ingrained in our corporate culture. We recognise that reducing waste and emissions is a key component for successful businesses in the future and a fundamental part of both financial and social responsibility. A key success factor in TECOM’s achievements has been the commitment of our entire team; from the vision and support shown by our senior management, right down to the dedication of the technicians on the ground.”

Emirate:  Dubai

Date: Feb 3, 2013

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