Umicore : Climate Action Program

Umicore Climate Action Program

14 January 2021

Umicore.com

Have you got any resolutions for the New Year? For us at Umicore, we are pursuing efforts to reduce our carbon footprint. Through the Umicore Climate Action Program, we invite our employees to submit innovative ideas to reduce our ecological footprint in all areas, from quick wins in the office to global responsible business travel. Several initiatives have already been put in place in many sites worldwide and will continue in 2021. We aim to make fast progress and continue our recognition as an industry leader in sustainability.

One of our most significant initiatives was redefining our travel policy with a substantial reduction in air travel and change in our car leasing policy. As of 2020, Umicore only offers electrified vehicles to its Belgian company car fleet, the largest, and other countries are following. The migration to electric cars will depend on charging points, and Umicore has chosen to build extensive charging facilities at its Belgian sites powered by solar panels. Brussels, Hoboken and Bruges, our three locations, will now produce 1.491 MWh per year from solar energy.

In Hanau, Germany, we focus on using green roofs to improve the indoor environment of the buildings. Other projects include improved waste disposal and paper recycling.

To compensate for the CO2 emitted through air travel, Houston, USA colleagues, register all their flight miles and offset the same amount by funding tree planting to reputable organizations.

In our sites in Asia, many employee-driven initiatives are emerging as is in the case in Jiangmen, China. It goes from installing sound sensor lamps, charging stations for electric cars, and LED lights in the production area, to water reuse.

As a committed company in providing clean mobility materials and recycling services, Umicore wants to set an example by reducing our carbon footprint. We believe that through our internal initiatives, we can contribute daily to protect our planet.