Since it kicked off its recycling program in 2011, Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation (Empower), the world's largest district cooling services provider, has recycled 11 tons of paper used in its offices and plants. According to Ahmad Bin Shafar, Chief Executive Officer of Empower, this step comes in line with the company's firm commitment towards sustainability and is part of its corporate social responsibility program. Starting May 2011, all shredded documents at Empower were sold to vendors as scrap papers, where generated income was donated to the needy people identified by the company. The donations varied between covering medical expenses, eye glsses, medicines not covered by insurance, helping families who have medical challenges, reconstruction of houses affected with floods, air tickets and groceries for needy people, and marriage aid among other humanitarian activities. “We look at this program as a collective responsibility that we have been committed to since five years in Empower,” said Bin Shafar. “Conserving the global environment as well as paying back to the community drove us to implement this ambitious program. Also part of the income of this program goes to the UAE Red Crescent to aid them in their goals and projects.” Empower data shows recycling of 11 tons of paper over that specific period, including the confidential shredded documents of newspapers, cardboxes and mixed papers. Earlier in January 2015, Empower was awarded the Dubai Chamber CSR Label in recognition of its success in operating sustainably and responsibly across its corporate practices. “We have taken community support to the next level at Empower to reflect our stature as the biggest district cooling company in the world. We practice what we preach and we are continuously committed to the highest standards of sustainability in all our operations,” added Bin Shafar. Empower currently operates more than 1 million RT, providing environmentally responsible district cooling services to large-scale real estate developments, such as Jumeirah Group, Business Bay, Jumeirah Beach Residence, Dubai International Financial Centre, Palm Jumeirah, Jumeirah Lake Towers, Ibn Battuta Mall, Discovery Gardens, Dubai Healthcare City, Dubai World Trade Centre Residences and Dubai Design District, among others. — SG
