24 March 2021. Euskaltel now meets its electricity demand entirely with green energy and managed to slash CO2 emissions from its activities by 96% in 2020 (from 7,690.6 tonnes in 2019 to 307.6 tonnes in 2020). This reduction is the fruit of Euskaltel?s commitment to only buy carbon-free electricity through a long-term power purchase agreement with Iberdrola to obtain electricity generated from renewable sources.
This move builds on the energy efficiency campaign launched in 2018 with the introduction of an ISO 50001-certified energy management system. This involves defining and implementing yearly energy efficiency plans and conducting regular energy consumption audits, ultimately to contribute to decarbonising the economy.
Since it was founded, Euskaltel has been committed to sustainability and managing its local environmental impact. It has an independently certified environmental management system and publishes verified environmental statements in accordance with the European Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) Regulation, highlighting its transparency in this area.
The company?s commitment to responsibly manage the use of resources in its activities includes a firm pledge to the circular economy, focusing on reusing equipment over and above recycling or disposing of it, whenever possible. Where it cannot be reused, equipment is recycled through an authorised recycling company, ultimately resulting in a significant reduction in waste produced and the smallest possible impact on the environment.
Euskaltel drew up a new Sustainability Policy in 2020 formalising the commitment to its stakeholders and sustainable growth. This policy will be implemented in the coming years through the 2020-2025 Strategic Sustainability Plan.
Environmental management and tackling climate change form the backbone of this Strategic Sustainability Plan, serving as a springboard for the transformation to a responsible business model. The goal is to align the business model with the environmental pledges and milestones set, putting carbon neutrality and emissions reductions at the heart of what Euskaltel does to responsibly manage the environmental impacts inherent in its activity.
This strategy is underpinned by the Environmental Management System (which, in turn, is part of the Integrated Management System) including the Environmental Policy and pledge to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The strategy focuses environmental management efforts on consuming cleaner energy and using resources efficiently and responsibly.
Euskaltel intends to achieve these objectives through an environmental strategy split into three main lines of action: fight against climate change and efficient resource use; electronic waste management and the circular economy; and championing environmental initiatives and accreditation.
At the top of the agenda in this five-year plan is respecting the environment and efficiently using resources, for which a roadmap has been drawn up to reduce impacts. Key to this is a raft of measures to achieve two overriding goals: responsibly manage the environmental impacts of the company?s operations; and adapt its business model with a view to achieving carbon neutrality and cutting emissions. Electricity consumption has been identified as one of the key environmental aspects in the company, along with emissions of refrigerant gases and fuel consumption - both having the greatest impact on air pollution.
Euskaltel has therefore calculated its carbon footprint, measuring direct and indirect emissions from its activities to devise annual CO2 emission reduction plans, as well as calculations and reporting on the greenhouse gas emissions the company has control over. It has achieved top marks in this regard with a 96% reduction.
Furthermore, with the aim of offsetting the potential impact of the business on the environment, Euskaltel works with the Lurgaia Fundazioa Foundation to plant trees and shrubs as part of a reforestation project in the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve. It has donated funds to reforest an area of some 10,000 m2.
Another example of the group?s responsible consumption pledge is that its meetings of shareholders and the Euskal Encounter (hosted in partnership with the Euskaltel Foundation) received the "Erronka Garbia" seal of approval for sustainable events thanks to efforts to minimise the use of resources for these events.
Its environmentally-related commitments also extended to it joining the Green Recovery Alliance for a sustainable pathway out of the economic and health crisis in the European Union, as a cornerstone of governments? efforts to implement measures and policies that are aligned with sustainability criteria.
Euskaltel - Communication Department
comunicacion@euskaltel.com