Greenalia becomes carbon neutral on year-one of its 2019-2023 sustainability plan

Greenalia reinforces its public commitment with sustainability and publishes its first Sustainability Report (2019), a document that becomes a new milestone for year-one in Greenalia’s Sustainability Plan 2019-2023. A plan that has become a real roadmap and annualized action plan for Greenalia’s sustainability outreach.

The Plan is divided in three main areas: Our Business, Our Planet and Our Community, these are also subdivided into 9 key areas that reflect areas of maximum potential impact (materiality analysis). These topics were defined collaboratively with stakeholders through a series of consultations always following the Global Reporting Initiative. Under the theme: Change is in the air, the Report shows the actions undertaken by the company in 2019 in pursue of its Sustainability targets. The company pushed forward the energetic transition, corporate ethical and transparency principles and policies, the care of its people, the protection of biodiversity, the fight against climate change, circular economy, local impact, CSR and the protection of cultural heritage.

2019 Milestones

Carbon neutrality is one of the main milestones for the company achieved in 2019. In addition to this with the kick-off of operations of the Biomass Plant in Curtis-Teixeiro, and Wind Farms Miñón and Ourol Greenalia will prevent 190.000tCO2 emissions yearly. This is the equivalent to 128.000 cars circulating a year.
Another quite relevant fact is the deep local economic impact in local companies where the projects are located, summing up to 50 M€, contributing to job creation in the construction of the wind and biomass projects where 1.600 people from 200 local companies where employed.

The Report also highlights a strong commitment Greenalia has with the different needs of stakeholders part of the communities where the company operates. Here, Greenalia has undertaken corporate volunteering actions partnering with the Rías Altas Food Bank, where the company duplicated the donation of 500KG of first necessity products gathered in the initiative.

This CSR strategy will be reinforced in 2020 with the kick-off of Greenalia’s Foundation for the energetic transition and equality, through which the company will channel social projects and revert back to society part of the benefits it acquires from its operations. Creating shared value is part of the core principles of Greenalia’s sustainability initiative.

In circular economy, the company has achieved its objective of only local biomass supply for the Curtis-Teixeiro Biomass Plant (sourced from a 60KM radius around the Plant), contributing to reduce the carbon footprint of transportation. Apart from this, the clearing of the residue from forestry activities also helps prevent wildfires, plagues and forestry sicknesses. Finally, in biodiversity protection, Greenalia has achieved 800 hours of environmental supervision in the areas where it has the Wind Farms.