Major global companies including Motorola Mobility, Deutsche Bank, Bloomberg, Method and BD (Becton, Dickinson and Co.) have procured or have pledged to procure at least 25 percent of their operations’ power consumption from wind energy. They announced their commitment to become certified under the new WindMade™ consumer label at a Global Launch event in New York.
The companies pioneering the use of the world’s first wind power consumer label were unveiled today at an event hosted by WindMade™ and the UN Global Compact in New York.
The label allows participating companies to communicate the share of wind power and other renewable sources as part of the overall power demand of their operations. The objective behind WindMade™ is to drive demand in wind power, thereby boosting investment and growing the renewable energy market.
"These companies are at the forefront of the global sustainability movement," said Henrik Kuffner, WindMade’s CEO. "We are delighted to have them on board the unique WindMade™ initiative, and are confident that many others will follow suit in the coming weeks and months."
"Consumers are ready to act. 67 percent of 31,000 consumers globally have told us they would favor WindMade™ products,even at a premium," said Morten Albæk, SVP Global Marketing and Customer Insight at Vestas Wind Systems, the company spearheading the WindMade™ initiative. "WindMade™ empowers people to choose brands that choose wind."
"We believe clean growth is good economics," said Sabine Miltner, Group Sustainability Officer for Deutsche Bank. "We are committed to leveraging our core business expertise towards a cleaner and more energy efficient global economy. We believe in leading by example and have increased our use of clean electricity from seven percent to 65 percent over the last four years. WindMade is an important step toward more market transparency and we are pleased to join this new partnership."
"It is Motorola Mobility’s intent through our participation in the WindMade™ initiative to encourage greater use of renewable energy sources like wind and solar around the globe," said Bill Olson, director office of sustainability and stewardship, Motorola Mobility.
"The supply side of the clean energy sector can clearly deliver, but now it is time to galvanize demand. Government has done their part, and it is now up to the corporate community to demonstrate leadership by committing to clean energy development. WindMade™ provides us with a roadmap for achieving this," said Curtis Ravenel, head of sustainability, Bloomberg.
"Corporations investing in wind energy technology need a global set of standards if they are to provide the transparency that’s critical to their stakeholders as well as gain the competitive advantage that such investments can mean for their businesses," said Kathy Nieland, U.S. sustainable business solutions leader, PwC.
"Using wind power helps BD become a more sustainable organization, and the WindMade™ label sends a message to our customers and the industry that supporting clean sources of electricity is a sound business decision and an important choice in reducing a corporation’s environmental footprint," said Glenn Barbi, vice president, Global Sustainability, BD.
The WindMade corporate pioneers and founders are:
Motorola Mobility (mobile device and set-top manufacturer)
Deutsche Bank (financial services provider)
BD (Becton, Dickinson and Co.) (medical technology)
Method (maker of home and personal care products)
Better Place (electric car infrastructure)
Widex (hearing aid manufacturer)
Droga5 (independent advertising agency)
G24 Innovation (solar energy)
Engraw (textile producer)
RenewAire (energy recovery ventilator TTTech (supplier of communication andcontrol platforms)
Vestas Wind Systems (wind turbine manufacturer)
PwC DK (professional services)
Bloomberg (financial news and data service)
LEGO Group (toy manufacturer)
According to the WindMade™ requirements, companies using the label must source a minimum of 25 percent of the electricity consumed from wind power. The wind energy share can be procured through a company-owned wind power generation facility, a long-term power purchase agreement for wind power, or the purchase of high quality Renewable Energy Certificates approved by WindMade™. The exact percentage of the wind energy share will be stated on the label.Companies can choose to certify global, regional or facility level operations, a distinction that will be clearly communicated on the label itself.
WindMade™, which was introduced to the world at this past year’s World Economic Forum in Davos, is backed by the UN Global Compact, Vestas Wind Systems, WWF, Global Wind Energy Council, Bloomberg (as the official data provider), and the LEGO Group. PwC is the official verification partner.
A separate label for products is in development and will be released during 2012.
WindMade™ is the world’s first global consumer label for companies and products using wind power. The label is managed by the WindMade non-profit organisation, dedicated to accelerating the adoption of renewable energy by improving companies’ ability to communicate their wind energy investments to their stakeholders.
WindMade™ will strive to achieve this by increasing transparency of corporate investments in wind energy, by educating citizens on the implications of using different energy sources, and by empowering consumers to favour corporations who make a real contribution to delivering new wind energy.
The first WindMade™ Standard for Companies and Organizations was published on 13 October 2011, and a standard for products is under development.
Deutsche Bank is a leading global investment bank with a substantial private client franchise. Its businesses are mutually reinforcing. A leader in Germany and Europe, the bank is continuously growing in North America, Asia and key emerging markets. With more than 100,000 employees in 73 countries, Deutsche Bank offers unparalleled financial services throughout the world. The bank competes to be the leading global provider of financial solutions, creating lasting value for its clients, shareholders, people and the communities in which it operates.
Motorola Mobility fuses innovative technology with human insights to create experiences that simplify, connect and enrich people’s lives. The company’s portfolio includes converged mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, wireless accessories, end-to-end video and data delivery, and management solutions, including set-tops and data-access devices.
BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) is a leading global medical technology company that develops and manufactures medical devices, instrument systems and reagents. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in New Jersey, BD employs approximately 29,000 associates in more than 50 countries throughout the world.
The WindMade™ initiative reflects BD’s commitment to renewable energy use and is an excellent way to communicate these global efforts to customers and external stakeholders. Previously, communication vehicles for these activities varied by region; the WindMade™ label will provide consistent messaging around the world.WindMade™ also allows BD to collaborate with organizations outside the medical technology industry to promote wind power and building capacity for renewable energy infrastructure.
Founded in 2000, Method is the pioneer of premium planet-friendly and design-driven home, fabric and personal care products. Formulated with naturally derived,biodegradable ingredients, Method cleaners put the hurt on dirt without doing harm to people, creatures or the planet. Today, Method can be found in more than 40,000 retail locations throughout North America, Europe, Australia and Asia.
Method believes that renewable energy is an important part of a commitment to sustainability. Method is proud to be a WindMade™ pioneer and is excited to help grow the awareness and transformative power of the program.
Better Place is the electric car network that makes driving more affordable, convenient and sustainable through a revolutionary switchable battery model. Better Place is building the infrastructure and intelligent network to deliver a range of services to drivers, enable widespread adoption of electric vehicles, and optimize energy use. Based in California and privately held, Better Place has operating companies in Israel, Denmark, and Australia. Better Place looks forward to taking part in the effort to define the criteria for electric car products under the WindMade™ umbrella.
"We are excited to be a WindMade™ pioneer and see many synergies between the WindMade™ initiative and our vision to drive the world electric. Connecting electric cars and energy from renewable sources like wind turbines is key for the future energy and transportation systems – and I hope that going forward the WindMade™ certification will play a vital role on the global transitiontowards green mobility," said Johnny Hansen, CEO, Better Place Denmark.
Widex is a family owned company founded in Denmark in 1956. Today, the company is the world’s sixth largest manufacturer of hearing aids. Sold in more than 100 countries, Widex’ hearing aids are known for their high quality of sound and innovative design.
Widex wishes to make use of the WindMade™ certification to showcase the sustainability of the company and ultimately its products, allowing Widex to stand out in the business. Widex is convinced that the WindMade™ label will become internationally recognized, and as a pioneer shares the vision that consumer demand for "being WindMade™" will increase.
"Our wind turbine produces the energy we need for our global headquarters, including the production. By completely eliminating the use of fossil fuels, we believe that we have created the best possible foundation for our future – both as a company, and as members of society," says Richard Tøpholm, Manager at Widex and member of the Board.
Droga5 is an award-winning creative and strategic agency based in New York, with clients including Puma, Prudential, Unilever, Kraft, Hennessy and UNICEF.
Droga5’s commitment to practicing and promoting sustainability is evident in both its daily operations and its client roster. When asked by Vestas to promote wind power, the agency decided to turn clean energy development into a consumer-facing initiative, encouraging businesses to choose cleaner energy, and thereby helped paving the way for WindMade™. Droga5 is proud to have helped launch WindMade™, and will continue its support as a WindMade™ pioneer. Droga5 is the official creative partner of WindMade™.
Founded in 2006, G24 Innovations (G24i) has commercialized Michael Graetzel’s ground-breaking Dye Sensitized Cell (DSC) technology which, unlike anything in the market, creates electricity from low and ambient light. G24 Innovations is committed to sustainability, and it is the first manufacturing facility in the world to make renewable products solely through the use of renewable energy from a 120 metre tall wind turbine.
"The Windmade™ label will help consumers think differently about the energy they consume, directly and indirectly. That’s something G24 Innovations has set out to do since 2006. We have chosen to make our solar modules with wind energy because we believe that you have to be green in process as well as product to be a truly sustainable business. We are proud to be a Windmade™ pioneer," said Robert Hertzberg, Co-Founder and Director, G24 Innovations.
ENGRAW S.A. is a textile company oriented to the production and exports of wool tops. Founded in 1951, it combines the experience and tradition of a family business with the flexibility and dynamism of a modern company.
The company is the second main producer and exporter of combed wool tops in Uruguay. Its products are exported to the most important and demanding markets throughout the world.
RenewAire is a leading manufacturer of energy recovery ventilation equipment for homes and commercial buildings in the Americas, and a member of the worldwide Soler & Palau Ventilation Group. RenewAire is able to deliver fresh air at nearly ideal temperature and humidity though a passive heat and humidity exchange process that cuts energy requirements and costs by approximately 70%. WindMade™ participation will insure that RenewAire’s production is as energy efficient and environmentally friendly as the climate our products create for our customers.
TTTech Computertechnik AG is the leading supplier of dependable networking solutions based on time-triggered technology and modular safety platforms. Our focus is to improve environmental sustainability with solutions for high-availability applications in the energy and industrial segements.
"Our WindMade membership is a statement towards our customers and partners as well as our employees, showing our dedication to wind and clean energy. It fits perfectly with TTTech’s ambition to deliver solutions for the entire value chain from clean energy generation to powering electric vehicles," said Georg Kopetz, Member of the Executive Board at TTTech.
Every single day, Vestas wind turbines deliver clean energy that supports the prevention of climate change. Wind power from Vestas’ more than 40,000 wind turbines currently reduces carbon emissions by more than 40 million tons of CO2 every year, while at the same time building energy security and independence. Today, Vestas operates in 65 countries, providing jobs for over 20,000 passionate people at our service and project sites, research facilities, factories and offices all over the world. Vestas is the Lead Sponsor of WindMade.
PwC is one of the world’s largest providers of assurance, tax, and business consulting services. Every day, 161,000 PwC employees in 154 countries work hard to build strong relationships with others and understand the issues and aspirations that drive them. PwC measures success by an ability to create the value that clients, people and the wider investing public are looking for. PwC is the Official Verification Partner to WindMade.
Bloomberg, the global business and financial information and news leader, gives influential decision makers a critical edge by connecting them to a dynamic network of information, people and ideas. Bloomberg Professional service, which provides real time financial information to more than 310,000 subscribers globally.
The Bloomberg sustainability program is on track to reduce our carbon footprint 50% by 2013 (from the 2007 baseline) through implementing energy efficiency measures, increasing renewable resource use and activating comprehensive waste reduction strategies. Bloomberg is WindMade ‘s official data provider.
LEGO® products are sold all over the globe. The LEGO Group is committed to supporting the improvement of issues that concern its stakeholders and has set ambitious renewable energy targets as part of its ‘Environment, Social and Governance’ agenda.
Launched in 2000, the United Nations Global Compact is a call to companies around the world to align their strategies and operations with ten universal principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption, and to take action in support of broader UN goals. Through the development, implementation, and disclosure of responsible corporate policies and practices, business can help ensure that markets advance in ways that benefit economies and societies everywhere. With more than 6,300 business participants in over 135 countries, the Global Compact is the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative.
WWF is one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with over five million supporters and a global network active in more than 100 countries. WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the Earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.
GWEC is the global wind industry trade association, providing a representative forum for the entire wind energy sector at the international level. GWEC’s mission is to ensure that wind power establishes itself as one of the world’s leading energy sources, providing substantial environmental and economic benefits.
By José Santamarta, www.windmade.org
