KPMG ACTIVELY PROMOTES THE “GREEN” INITIATIVE
Bucharest, July 16, 2009 - As world development based on non-renewable energy resources has grown at a significant rate in recent years, it has become clear that human activity is having an increasingly negative effect on the environment. Climate change is only one of the ecological imbalances that the world is facing today.
For this reason, in 2008 KPMG launched the Global Green Initiative. This sets out our climate change strategy, including our ambition to reduce our carbon footprint by 25 per cent of 2007 emissions by 2010. KPMG’s strategy is centered on three commitments: firstly to measure, reduce and report our carbon footprint; secondly to support environmental projects to help address the challenges of climate change as part of our wider commitment to our communities, and thirdly to work with our employees, suppliers and clients to help them improve their impact on climate change.
KPMG Romania has launched its own „Green Initiative”, a firm wide commitment to environmental protection. „KPMG Romania management is committed to integrating environmental best practice into its business activities, reducing the amount of waste we generate, recycling where we can, cutting back the amounts of natural resources we consume, and hence reducing our carbon footprint. Our Green Initiative demonstrates our commitment to taking a leadership role in promoting environmental improvements in our communities,” states Serban Toader, Senior Partner of KPMG Romania. An example of an activity which is already in progress is KPMG Romania's „Environmental Program,” which involves some specific steps which will help us achieve our long term goals:
• Reducing the amount of paper we use (e.g. printing two sided);
• Increasing the use of recycled paper;
• Collecting and recycling paper and plastic waste;
• Reducing energy (heating/cooling and electricity) consumption;
• Implementing an environmentally friendly travel policy (e.g. using cars as little as possible or encouraging staff to team up and share the same car for business trips).
In 2008, KPMG Romania made great strides in implementing the Green Initiative. Even though the number of employees of KPMG Romania increased, electricity consumption decreased by 36,640 KWh, and natural gas consumption by approximately 17,000 normal cubic meters. These figures led to a 70 tonne reduction in indirect CO2 emissions (7.7%), compared to the baseline in 2007, the equivalent of planting 210 trees. One tonne of recycled paper saves approximately 17 trees.
In 2008, KPMG Romania collected and sent for recycling 6.5 tonnes of waste paper and cardboard and also collected 7 cubic meters of plastic waste.
„Even though KPMG Romania does not have a significant impact on the environment, as we are a responsible company, we will certainly implement any small step which helps us meet bigger environmental goals,” states Geta Diaconu, Director of Environmental Advisory Services.
An audit and advisory company, with primarily office activity has managed to achieve a reduction of its environmental impact and of indirect CO2 emissions. „Taking into account our performance in 2008, we are keen to pass on to our clients and to all other interested parties, the message that we can act and develop our business in a responsible and sustainable manner, combining our economic goals with environmental protection and commitment to our community,” concludes Serban Toader.
Further information:
Maria Stancu
Marketing Director
Tel: +40 (21) 201 22 22
Mobil: +40 744 631 102
Fax: +40 741 800 700
+40 (21) 201 22 11
e-mail: mstancu@kpmg.com
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About KPMG:
KPMG is a global network of professional firms providing Audit, Tax and Advisory services. We operate in 145 countries and have 123,000 people working in member firms around the world. The independent member firms of the KPMG network are affiliated with KPMG International, a Swiss cooperative. Each KPMG firm is a legally distinct and separate entity and describes itself as such.
In Romania and the Republic of Moldova KPMG operates from six offices located in Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Constanta, Iasi, Timisoara and Chisinau. We currently employ more than 600 partners and staff, both Romanian and expatriates.
© 2009 KPMG Romania S.R.L., a Romanian limited liability company and a member firm of the KPMG network of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International, a Swiss cooperative. All rights reserved.