Going green in energy crisis pays off

Is ecology in business a fad in the market or a real fight against climate change – wondered the panellists of the Economic Forum in Karpacz. They pointed out that the trend may be associated with the responsibility for future generations or may have appeared as a result of a calculated decision as it is paying off, especially on a large scale.

Czytaj więcej

Biznes

Ekologia w kryzysie energetycznym się opłaca

Dziś OZE to nie tylko działania proekologiczne, ale czysty pragmatyzm. Te źródła są tańsze i dają mniejszy rachunek na końcu – mówili uczestnicy panelu poświęconemu ekologii.

Urszula Pasławska, MP, noted that failure to protect the climate would result in a deterioration of living standards. Today, we should take responsibility for the climate. We do not want our grandchildren to live in 50 °C in a few decades, do we? That would mean a huge regression in civilisation, she said. She noted that Poland has not stepped up to the mark as the issues concerning plastics, the deposit system, and extended producer responsibility are supposed to be introduced by January 2023; yet, really not much progress has been made in this respect. In her opinion, the state’s lack of environmental responsibility can be seen at every turn. It is also a matter of the lack of solutions to support RES. The public sees deforestation and increased logging. We have an inconsistent environmental protection system, as demonstrated by the management disaster during the Odra River calamity, said Pasławska.

The fashion for ecology prevailed 15 years ago or so. Today, it is a requirement for us so that we can be competitive, said Tomasz Kobierski, President of the Poznań International Fair. Every industry finds its own ways to protect the environment. As far as mass events are concerned, major events choose venues that have zero carbon footprint and use fully recyclable booth buildings. He noted that such a business model simply pays off. We are putting up a photovoltaic farm near Poznań to have less impact on the environment. The aim is not just to protect the planet. In fact, there is strong business pragmatism behind it, he said.

Large companies can also make a big difference through their business partners.

Żabka has a huge impact on different social groups. We look at different interest groups. We serve 3 million customers every day, work with more than 7,500 franchisees, and generate 45,000 direct and indirect jobs, pointed out Anna Grabowska, Vice President of Żabka.

The company has already introduced several solutions without waiting for top-down regulations. We have phased out all plastic bags. We have neither tear-off bags for bread or vegetables, nor carrier bags. We only have paper bags. All bottles of private label products come from rPet. We make sure that the packaging we have in our own circulation is recycled, said Vice President of Żabka.

The company also helps franchisees collect plastic and cardboard.

According to Eurobarometer, corporations are the most trusted institutions when it comes to providing scientific information. As much as 60% of people believe them, said Valéry Gaucherand, CEO of L'Oréal Polska and the Baltics. He believes that responsible attitude is reflected in the offer, refillable products, and paper packaging. Responsibility means leading the trends, he said.

As noted by Grzegorz Smereka, Vice President of Impel System, it is necessary to realise the impact of one’s own organisation. As an example, he referred to paper towels, a troublesome municipal waste. Unfortunately, customers and property managers are reluctant to replace paper towels with electric hand dryers. Meanwhile, the paper-making process itself consumes a lot of energy and generates a lot of wastewater, as we could find out in connection with the Odra River disaster, said Smereka.

The energy crisis is accelerating decision-making to find efficient solutions. Żabka is already powering its headquarters and warehouses with RES. It will soon show a lab with solutions to reduce energy consumption. It is opening an autonomous low-carbon warehouse where heat and energy are generated on site. This warehouse is carbon footprint neutral. There is no doubt that these solutions need to be accelerated. It is no longer a conversation about the environment. It is a pragmatic action. These sources are cheaper and more affordable at the end, says Anna Grabowska.