23/01/2006 - Copenhagen, Denmark – Signing a climate saving
agreement with WWF-Denmark, pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk
has pledged significant reductions in its global emissions.
So far, ten corporations have become part of WWF's Climate
Savers programme, with the Danish-based world leader in
diabetes care becoming the second Climate Savers company
in Europe.
Novo Nordisk has committed itself to reduce its CO2 emissions
from the use of fossil fuels and from the purchase of electricity,
heat and steam by 10 per cent compared to its CO2 emissions
in 2004. Without this agreement, Novo Nordisk’s CO2 emission
would increase by 67 per cent in the same period. The agreement
includes Novo Nordisk’s global CO2 emissions. The CO2 reductions
will primarily be achieved by energy efficiency measures
in Novo Nordisk’s manufaturing and by renewable energy projects
at several of the company's sites in Brazil, China, Denmark,
France, Japan and the US.
“While national governments must move faster to lay the
ground for action, some companies have the vision to act
right away to help prevent serious climate change,"
says Kim Carstensen, CEO of WWF- Denmark. "We are very
pleased that Novo Nordisk takes responsibility on climate
change. We would like to urge other businesses to do the
same.”
WWF set up the Climate Savers programme to promote ambitious
greenhouse gas reductions in business and industries. Besides
Novo Nordisk, WWF has Climate Savers agreements with Lafarge
(France), Sagawa (Japan), Catalyst (Canada), Johnson &
Johnson, IBM, Nike, Polaroid, The Collins Companies and
Xanterra (all in the US).
“We have entered into this agreement with WWF because we
want to adress the serious challenges facing the world caused
by climate change," says Novo Nordisk Executive Vice
President Lise Kingo.
"We also believe that reducing emissions will make
our business more sustainable in the long-term. We are ready
for the challenges that lie ahead, using less energy and
switching to renewable energy sources like wind and biomass.
We believe that a long term effort to reduce CO2 will strengthen
our business in a world where the use of fossil fuels is
limited.
At least 50 per cent of the total amount of CO2 reductions
will be realised in Annex I countries listed in the United
Nation’s Framework Convention on Climate Change (i.e. OECD
countries). Novo Nordisk’s performance on the agreement
will be audited annually by an independent verifier. |
