18 December 2009 - While delegations from 192 countries talk in Copenhagen about a new global treaty on climate change, DHV is one of a small group of Dutch companies that has called on the Dutch government for real and substantial action to cut CO2 emissions by investing in clean energy, cleaner transportation, sustainable buildings and new techniques like carbon capture and storage (CCS).
On December 16, Bertrand van Ee (DHV) and a number of other CEOs from leading Dutch companies presented Prime Minister Balkenende a statement followed by a discussion on the topic.
DHV’s reason for backing the call to action is simple: climate change requires immediate action and new solutions. We have to take responsibility now, so that the world’s future generations can live in a clean and safe world. DHV takes climate change very seriously. Waiting any longer to take action is no option. The earlier we act, the better.
Our mission is to provide multidisciplinary services for the sustainable development of our living environment. Therefore we monitor our climate footprint and the impact of our behavior on the climate. Respect for the environment is key in all our corporate actions and projects.
A few examples: We are concerned about our CO2 footprint and are raising awareness among our staff about CO2 and the impact of our actions. To reduce that impact, we actively encourage our staff to use public transportation or to take part in carpooling programs. Our company cars are as ‘green’ as possible. We also reduce travel between offices by using teleconferencing. Our head office in Amersfoort is currently being renovated to the highest Dutch energy saving standards. When the renovation is completed, our office will upgrade to an energy label A from its former G grade.
Sustainability is in our genes and is an important factor in our work and in all our business groups. Sustainability has been part of our business for many years. In fact, we focus on sustainability both in the public sector (Rijkswaterstaat, ProRail, Dutch provinces, and the cities of Rotterdam, The Hague, and Leiden,) and in the private sector (TNT, KPN, Bavaria).
For ten years now, we have been organizing the National Sustainability Congress, an event devoted to sustainable and responsible enterprise in the Netherlands.
In addition, we help our clients to take small and bigger steps towards integrating sustainability into their businesses. Our Water business group, for example, is constantly looking for smarter solutions for saving and generating energy. Sustainability is also part of our project for urban design, building and transportation.
Our staff are using more sustainable ways of working, by using a special tool (S-DHV) for measuring sustainability in their projects, for instance. We are always looking for innovations and we use new ways of thinking like cradle-to-cradle to create new solutions.
In our client projects, we contribute significantly to the CO2-reduction, too. By making the DSM head office in Shanghai LEED Gold, for example. Another Chinese example is our sustainable design of Caofeidian, the new eco city. Between half a million and one million people will live and work there in the future.
And we certainly are not alone. Our business projects show that other international companies like Unilever, DSM, Akzo, KPN and BAM are supporting us. However, there are many more companies that are not aware yet of the ticking time bomb we’re dealing with, and who don’t realize that climate change generates new business opportunities. We want them to wake up. The only option we have left is to take immediate action.
The call to action we signed asks our leaders to take action because politicians play a crucial role, although they don’t always realize this. The stakes are high for all of us and the politicians have to set out a clear and straight long term course. We, the companies and society, need that course so that we can plan our own actions in the short term.
It’s vital to reward, and not punish, sustainable behavior. Because ‘green’ behavior is more expensive, we need the Dutch government to support companies that are acting green and clean.
In the 90’s, the Netherlands were leading in the implementation of environmental policy in Europe. Right now, we are mere followers. If we want to show our commitment to innovation, development and climate, the government should take action. Sustainable business is a great opportunity for economic growth.