Controlar Portugal and Controlar North America teams got involved in actions to celebrate the planet on World Arbor Day and International Day of Forests.
On Arbor Day, we paused our regular activities to honor nature and contribute to the planet’s well-being. Celebrated on March 21st, this year’s World Arbor Day and International Day of Forests motto is: “Forests and innovation: new solutions for a better world”.
The Controlar team in Portugal visited Lipor, a sorting center dedicated to sustainable waste treatment and recovery in Porto, to gain insights into the recycling process and collectively plant 180 trees.
For the total number of trees planted, a reduction of ~3 tons/year of CO2 is estimated. Through tree planting, we enhance air quality, provide shade, and create habitats for wildlife.
This was our way of giving back to the planet on Arbor Day, contributing to the group’s goal of carbon neutrality. To make this moment more memorable, each tree was identified with each coworkers’ name, giving it a more personal touch.
The visit was preceded by a brief training session to raise awareness of the 5 R’s: Rethink, Reuse, Reduce, Recycle, and Recover. These principles are designed to promote a more sustainable lifestyle by minimizing waste and environmental impact.
Meanwhile, in Mexico, the Controlar team united to collect eggshells and clean the Lerma River, showcasing the impactful strength of collaborative efforts in environmental conservation.
Despite facing significant pollution challenges, the Lerma River, Mexico’s longest internal river, is benefiting from the dedicated work of the H2O Lerma with Charm Organization since 2017. Their innovative filtration project, utilizing a blend of crushed eggshells, lime, and magnesium oxide to produce biocalcium, effectively neutralizes water and soil acidity, capturing heavy metals and contaminants. The H2O Lerma filter ensures the successful containment of pollutants, marking a crucial step towards environmental restoration.
Controlar's Sustainable Practices and Commitment to Environmental Performance
Controlar aligns its Sustainability Strategy with the three pillars defined by the UN to evaluate the sustainability performance and ethical impact of a company: Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG).
In 2022, the Group prepared a Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory according to the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG) methodology, which allowed for the calculation of the Carbon Footprint (PdC) and obtaining the verification seal from an external entity – APCER.
In 2023, we once again disclosed the Controlar Group’s carbon footprint on the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), an internationally recognized platform. We obtained a B rating, surpassing the average for our industry sector and the global average for all registered companies. This result reflects Controlar Group’s ongoing efforts to reduce emissions.
Controlar is also committed to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) to set ambitious emission reduction goals aligned with the objective of limiting global warming to 1.5°C, as adopted by the Paris Agreement.
The Group is currently implementing an Energy Consumption Reduction Plan, which includes the expansion of photovoltaic panels for self-consumption and installation of batteries, as well as other energy efficiency measures. The main goal is to enable the reduction of energy consumption and consequently decrease greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
