Firm earns carbon impartial certification for second time
5 December 2023
3 minute learn
At Boehringer Ingelheim’s Gainesville, Georgia, manufacturing plant, incomes carbon impartial certification for the second yr in a row was twice as good, the corporate mentioned in a current press launch.
“Attaining the carbon impartial certification in 2021 was an necessary first step in lowering our environmental influence,” mentioned Bryan Summers, engineering lead on the Gainesville website. “Now as we glance again on 2022, sustaining carbon neutrality actually demonstrates our dedication to making a more healthy planet as we speak and for generations to return.”
Positioned northeast of Atlanta within the “Poultry Capital of the World,” the Gainesville website was Boehringer Ingelheim’s first main manufacturing website within the US to go carbon impartial. To scale back the positioning’s carbon footprint initially, varied energy-saving initiatives have been carried out, together with putting in photo voltaic panels over the car parking zone, changing fluorescent lightbulbs with LED bulbs, and lowering warmth and power loss by changing insulation on gear.
However the website’s work to determine extra environmentally-friendly methods to function didn’t cease there. The certification have to be reviewed yearly and relies on the earlier yr’s emissions.
To keep up carbon neutrality for 2022, the Gainesville website took a number of steps all year long to proceed enhancing power use. Simpler use of the constructing administration system helped determine key areas for power financial savings, particularly with the automation of HVAC techniques. Photo voltaic panels now generate as much as eight p.c of the positioning’s power demand. The location was additionally acknowledged by Georgia Energy for its lively participation of their Easy Photo voltaic program, which permits for the acquisition of renewable power credit to offset carbon-based electrical energy use.
Going carbon impartial has resulted in measurable, optimistic impacts. From 2021 to 2022, the Gainesville website decreased its CO2 emissions by 23% – practically 700 fewer tons of CO2 emissions are launched into the ambiance. These efforts assist preserve pure sources, enhance air high quality and help local weather change mitigation efforts.
“Decreasing carbon emissions is a worthy funding in a sustainable future,” mentioned Andy Brehm, website director in Gainesville. “This was a site-wide effort from the beginning, and everybody in Gainesville could be proud that we’re main the way in which for different manufacturing websites within the US”
Boehringer Ingelheim websites within the US proceed to make progress towards its objective to turn into carbon impartial in all firm operations by 2030, which aligns with the United Nations’ Sustainable Growth Objectives and our firm’s personal sustainability technique.
A sustainable hyperlink within the meals provide chain
The sustainability influence of the Gainesville website additionally goes past carbon discount efforts.
Animal well being performs an necessary position in sustainable livestock manufacturing and defending the meals provide. When the meals provide chain is threatened by animal illness, there could be severe impacts on meals safety. Vaccines assist to stop illness and preserve livestock wholesome, optimizing efficiency, and lowering the sources wanted to lift animals for meals.
Poultry meat represents practically 40% of worldwide meat manufacturing and is a crucial supply of vitamin in communities the world over. The Gainesville website manufactures greater than 40 billion vaccine doses per yr for poultry. The vaccines assist shield poultry from illness in about 60 nations, emphasizing this website’s position as an necessary hyperlink within the meals provide chain.
“We’re pleased with the vaccines we manufacture and what we do to help poultry farmers in elevating wholesome flocks,” mentioned Steve Boren, head of the US Livestock and Equine enterprise. “Our crew is aware of that they’re making an influence daily via our dedication to higher well being for animals, folks and the planet.”
