Click Green
Climate change is widely recognized as the greatest global sustainability challenge. Its implications are far-reaching for the environment, for the people, and for the global economy. Bangladesh, though being the lowest contributor to environmental degradation, is considered to be among the worst-hit countries to the effects of climate change. In view of this, as a responsible corporate citizen Grameenphone launched its environmental and climate change campaign Stay Green, Stay Close . Click Green is an internal initiative of this particular campaign .
Objective
The purpose of Click Green is to create climate and environment awareness among the employees of Grameenphone and encourage them to become active agents of sustainable and equitable development. At the same time, the program has been developed to encourage employees to think, reflect and act towards the goal of being environment friendly - promote an understanding that communities are pivotal to changing attitudes towards environmental issues. Above all, this initiative has been initiated to display the beauty and diversity of our country and to create awareness about what we will be missing if we do not act now to protect the planet.
Project Duration
2009 and June – August 2011 respectively
Project Description
A Photography Competition is being arranged for all GP Employees to create climate and environmental awareness among the valued employees of Grameenphone and to inspire ‘Green Lifestyle’. The best pictures will be selected by a judges panel out of the photo pool and the top 3 photos will then be displayed in an exhibition in GP House, head office of Grameenphone.
Project Achievement
Company wide environmental awareness and more environmentally responsible business behavior.
Community power project-A social business approach
Introduction
90 million out of 140million population in Bangladesh do not have direct access to electricity and remaining 50 million people have access but reliable and quality power is still beyond their reach. A large number of these households are situated in remote rural regions that are unlikely to get connected to the national electricity grid. This limits socio-economic development and has direct consequences at the individual level.
In the exact same off-grid regions, network operators are to an increasing extent installing renewable energy equipment, such as wind turbines and solar panels, to power their base stations. The opportunity now exists for mobile network operators to provide excess electricity beyond the base station and into local communities through partnering.
Objective
The Community power project plans to develop a robust and cost effective decentralized mini-grid infrastructure based on renewable energy for rural development in Bangladesh. This project aspires testing smart mini-grid to provide energy to single village or cluster of villages. The operation is to be carried out as a social business where an NGO/VEC will be responsible for management, operation and maintenance so that this part becomes sustainable and require no financial involvement from Grameenphone. This will help the local people’s livelihood to grow and also will contribute to the Government commitment’s to digital Bangladesh.
Project Duration
2011- till date
Project Description
Grameenphone and University of Oslo will initiate a ‘community power project where a solar power plant will be established and provide power to the Grameenphone base station as well as households and local businesses. Grameenphone will be the key driver of this model having a consistent power requirement for the base station. University of Oslo will provide the initial capital cost of capacity extension and development of the mini grid. Grameenphone will provide a stable anchor demand for powering the base station which will contribute to the sustainability of this model.
Project Achievement:
Delivering power supply on regular basis to 140 households from 5pm to 12 am and to 1 Grameenphone community information center in day time.
Grameenphone Climate Change Program
Grameenphone being a socially responsible company adopted systematic processes to ensure that, wherever possible, we manage and mitigate the probable negative impact of our business activities on the environment.
Grameenphone's Climate Change Program was initiated in early 2008 with a vision for reducing carbon emission, being environment friendly and creating a momentum with the community and people.
The ambition of Grameenphone's Climate Change Program is:
- To become the leading corporate company in climate initiatives in Bangladesh within 2015'
- Reduce 15% carbon emission by 2012 & 40% by 2015 Ton CO2 as compared to 2008 level
- Corporate Transformation: 'Green Company'
- Aware-Engage-Advocacy GP employees
- Create momentum With community & People
Download Environment Policy in PDF format