NEWS
23-04-12 17:56
UAP rolls out Ksh 60 million carbon emissions reduction program
Nairobi April 21st 2012… With the impact of corporate activities on climate change attracting greater focus in Kenya, UAP Insurance has invested in a major program aimed at reducing the carbon emissions from its business activities.
The carbon emission reduction program includes investment in an integrated electronic data management system (EDMS) in the company to stem the use of printed paper. This is coupled with a complementary tree planting process to fully offset the carbon emissions of all cars that the company insures by calculating the carbon dioxide of the customers’ vehicles based on the annual mileage and investing in new tree planting schemes in Kenya that will absorb this carbon dioxide over its lifetime.
UAP Insurance General Manager Michael Oduor made the announcement in Ndakaini Dam where he had led a team of volunteers including the Managing Director of Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company, UAP employees and members of the Ndakaini Environmental Conservation Group (Ndeka) in a tree planting exercise.
He explained that the company was investing a total of close of Ksh 60 million in measures aimed at reducing the carbon emissions arising from its business. This is includes an investment of Ksh 30 million in the EDMS, Ksh 20 million in indigenous tree seedlings around the dam and refurbishment of facilities in the local town.
“We are in the process of planting 250,000 indigenous trees which is our way of doing our bit for the environment to reduce carbon emissions and limit impact on climate change. Planting trees is a good way to restore balance, as trees naturally absorb carbon dioxide plus help clean the air and cool the atmosphere down by trapping dust and pollution particles on their leaves,” said Oduor.
He added that electronic communication is helping to reduce some of the paper used in the office but the insurance industry is still a long way off being a paperless and the step to plant 250,000 trees will help offset UAP’s CO2 emissions. He noted that statistics from a recent survey for UAP showed that we consumed that 22 tonnes of paper per year.
Oduor said that UAP remained concerned about the low forest cover around the Ndakaini area which has led to low rainfall yet the Ndakaini dam serves 70 per cent of Nairobi’s 3 million residents.
“We want to bolster preservation of Ndakaini dam and encourage other like-minded organizations to join us in this major reforestation program especially in light of the changing weather patterns that recently saw the long rains start quite late in the season,” he noted.
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For more information contact Duncan Ondigo @Duncan.Ondigo@ogilvy.co.ke
