Mars GCC begin the next phase of the associate-driven project to reduce CO2 emissions which aim to reduce CO2 emissions by more than 100 tons and save $200,000 in energy costs.
When Mars GCC harnessed the power of the sun to help save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions at its Dubai facility, it unleashed a natural resource of another kind—the brainpower of its associates.
Mars GCC launched its new solar energy system a little over two years ago, generating remarkable results and igniting a five-year project to reduce CO2 emissions along with energy and water costs. The new source of energy reduced more than 90 tons of CO2 emissions a year and saved the company $170,000 in energy costs. The Dubai site continues to implement a number of other initiatives aimed at reducing the company’s impact on the environment, all generated from associate input, including:
-waterless urinals that reduce water consumption by 600,000L per year;
-sensor taps on all faucets, saving 200,000L of water per year;
-tissue dispensers in water rooms, reducing consumption of tissue paper by half;
-upgrading the site’s waste-water treatment system, generating 15 square meters of clean and recycled water used for irrigation;
-electric motors and lighting device modifications, reducing the amount of power used by the factory;
-shredding all paper on site and donating it for use in making recycled furniture, saving more than 100 trees in 2008; and
-working with the government to recycle old IT equipment to be used in local schools.
Mars GCC has extended its sustainability focus to the design of its new offices with features such as biodegradable flooring made from recyclable materials, sensor lighting in meeting, filing, and prayer rooms, and wherever natural lighting is used.
“The sustainability mindset is truly embedded here at Mars GCC,” said Christine Greaves, corporate affairs and workplace effectiveness manager at Mars GCC. “Our associates are the driving force behind every initiative we’ve implemented and they continue to look ahead to other innovative ways in which we can reduce our impact on the environment and sustain our planet for years to come.”