Left: National Energy’s Sustainable Energy Development (SED) Agrivoltaics Webinar 2024. Courtesy National Energy SED Division.
that supplied the compactor has proposed taking non-recyclable plastics to a manufac- turer who can turn them into items such as park benches.”“A member of our admin- istrative staff recently put forward a case for National Energy to assess the cleaning products we use. She questioned whether we could use more environmentally friendly cleaning products and items that improved overall air quality around the ports. That was something we then evaluated, researched, and implemented. This is an excellent ex- ample of how we’re harnessing our internal community to improve our sustainability.” “Another project that came from a staff member related to the manner in which trucks waited at the entrance to our Galeota port. While at our gates, they sometimes have to wait before they are required at the berth, and in the past, they’d just run their engines during that time. What we did was we re-routed a part of the road network and created a truck stop so they didn’t have to wait at the side of the road. We now have a place where the drivers can wait in comfort and not have to run their engines continu- ously. The truck lay-by area has a dedicat- ed access point that separates them from all other traffic. That traffic re-routing project improved the situation not just for the drivers, but for our other customers while at the same time, reducing the emissions from that site.” “Lastly, I’d also love to highlight our coastal restoration work. We recognized that part of the port had started to erode, and if left unchecked, areas of the port
emissions, while becoming more sustainable at the same time. It’s important that we don’t only focus on our internal activities but invite partners and stakeholders in our communi- ties to share their experiences with us.” “We also take our Corporate Social Re- sponsibility portfolio seriously and support community-driven sustainability initiatives e.g. we recently installed solar hydroponic systems in two secondary schools within our fence line. Community-driven sustainability projects that are in our fence line areas are given key consideration for partnerships.” “National Energy’s community ap- proach is inward-focused as well. There are integrated performance incentives directed towards our employees to encourage more sustainable and innovative practices.”
“Every year members of the Port & Estate Division are encouraged to find a sustainability project to develop,” Ms. Scipio-Hosang says. “Each year we also have performance plans and one of the mandatory objectives is that the employ- ees participate in a minimum number of sustainability sessions. In 2025, we intend to include a mandatory performance objective requiring staff to develop their own sus- tainability project that could be considered for implementation. These projects would support their performance assessment. An outcome of this strategy is that we now have a waste management system that uses a solar waste compactor. This acquisition has resulted in a reduction in the quantity of plastics that go to landfills. The vendor
Above: Ariel view of Port of Galeota Rock Revetment Project upon completion.Courtesy National Energy Corporate Communications.
Ms. Michelle Scipio Hosang, Vice President Vice President of Port and Estate Management. Courtesy National Energy Corporate Communications.
SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE | 7
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