DP World, a leading shipping terminals operator, is building on the past two years’ successful collaboration with the world’s leading port operators to engage communities and people across its international portfolio in promoting environmental awareness.

The Go Green Week, which started on September 12 and is ending tomorrow (September 19), is a global campaign that addresses three main ecological areas – reuse and recycle, climate change and community – through different activities that are happening across DP World’s global portfolio of 77 operating marine and inland terminals in 40 countries.

Some are being held jointly with other neighbouring ports of Hutchison Port Holdings Limited (HPH), APM Terminals, PSA International and Shanghai International Port Group (SIPG).

Each of DP World’s business units has chosen one or more of 12 activities during Go Green Week. These include reusing waste materials from the port, food waste composting, clean-up of terminal and surrounding areas, energy saving drives, tree planting, volunteering at local wildlife parks and supporting environmental education for local communities.

DP World Group chairman and CEO Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, said: “We are committed to sustainability through our ongoing campaign ‘Our World, Our Future’ and we know we can play a significant role in improving people’s lives, developing their communities and protecting their environment. Our approach is more than corporate responsibility, it seeks to create value for all our stakeholders and is a continuous process embedded into our business model throughout our global portfolio.

“The Go Green initiative is one of the many programmes we run throughout the year to ensure we serve the communities in which we operate, by taking an industry leading position on environmental issues such as preventing pollution, promoting responsible use of natural resources and constantly looking for innovative ways to do more through forging strategic partnerships with organisations on issues of importance to the industry.”

Planned activities at various DP World terminals during Go Green Week: United Arab Emirates
Among the campaigns being undertaken globally, DP World’s flagship Jebel Ali Port conducted several environmental awareness educational sessions that focus on the impacts of waste segregation, climate change, employing energy efficient technologies and the importance of conserving energy. Tree planting and clean-up activities have also been organised throughout the week.

United Kingdom: DP World London Gateway is building a viewing platform at the Stanford Wharf Nature Reserve, managed by the Royal Society of Protection of Birds (RSPB), while fencing off spits to a breach. They have also partnered with local schools, the Hassenbrook Academy and Hathaway Academy, to deliver company educational modules to raise awareness among children on the importance of green initiatives and sustainability. Meanwhile, DP World Southampton is conducting a clean-up of the beach directly opposite the container terminal for the benefit of local residents and sailing clubs that use it.  

Europe: At DP World Constanta in Romania, a bicycle riding competition for employees and families will be held, in addition to various clean-up campaigns and environmental awareness sessions. At the Eurofos terminal located at the Port of Fos, close to Marseille in the South of France, employees will take part in a waste segregation programme to recycle almost all the waste produced at the terminal.

The Americas: In Argentina at Terminales Rio de la Plata (TRP) in Beunos Aires, the week-long programme involved a cellphone recycling drive followed by the planting of more than 300 varieties of trees at the Pibes Port Public Playground.

This initiative saw employees from neighbouring International Trade Logistics (ITL), APM and HPH terminals come together to make a positive impact on the environment and local community. The campaign will end with employees participating in the annual Green Run, organised by the Buenos Aires Government with exhibits to raise awareness on local and global environmental issues.

DP World’s employees in Embraport, Brazil also conducted a beach clean-up, a cycling tour involving more than 500 employees, their families and local community members and a vegetable garden planting initiative at a local school. In Caucedo in the Dominican Republic, employees will be conducting recycling campaigns, educating external drivers who visit the terminal on the benefits of caring for the environment and how to contribute to the cause, and a clean-up drive in the local Boca Chica community, raising awareness on the importance of effective waste management.

Australia: Employees in Australia planned various tree planting initiatives at DP World’s Brisbane, Sydney and Fremantle terminals, while also partnering with the Department of Fishery for a programme to protect their waters from aquatic pests, raising awareness on related diseases and ways to report sightings.

Asia Pacific and Sub-Continent Region: In the Asia Pacific and Indian Subcontinent region, tree planting, clean-up drives, climate change awareness campaigns, designated car pool days and seminars have been organised. Additionally, DP World’s employees in Laem Chabang, Thailand will be participating in mangrove re-foresting and the release of endangered sharks and crabs back into the sea.

Through the ‘Our World, Our Future” global sustainability programme, DP World is bringing sustainability into every aspect of its work from protecting the environment, investing in its people, ensuring the highest safety standards and taking steps towards building a vibrant, secure and resilient society.  - TradeArabia News Service