It is undeniable that the world today is facing numerous environmental issues such as global warming and climate change. As we continue to see the negative impacts of these issues, an increasing number of governments, organizations, and individuals are embracing and promoting environmental sustainability.
Environmental sustainability is the ability to maintain an ecological balance in the planet’s natural environment and conserve natural resources to support the wellbeing of current and future generations, and it has become a global imperative in the face of escalating ecological challenges.
One of the best ways to practice environmental sustainability is to prevent waste, whether it be finding new efficiencies, doing things smarter, or valuing every resource. According to the world bank statistics, the world generates 2.01 billion tons of municipal solid waste annually, with at least 33 percent of that not managed in an environmentally safe manner. Understanding how waste is produced and how it can be minimized, or even prevented, is the first step to reduce waste and protect our environment; in that way, pollution prevention is an essential component of sustainability.
Another major contributor to environmental issues is Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, with the majority of the gasses being specifically made up of Carbon Dioxide (CO2). GHG from human activities have increased over the years; they build up in the atmosphere and warm the climate, leading to many other changes around the world, in the atmosphere, on land, and in the oceans. According to International Energy Agency (IEA), global energy-related CO2 emissions grew by 0.9% or 321 metric tons in 2022.
With the rise of global waste and carbon emissions, industries and businesses are changing their behaviors and investing in sustainability. Moreover, with the escalating environmental challenges, the concept of a circular economy has also emerged as a promising solution and has become a fundamental aspect of many business operations.
In this article, I would like to highlight Beyon’s efforts towards environmental sustainability and share its journey in 4 main areas which are: managing energy usage, clean energy production, supply chain management and waste management.
Beyon has set sustainable objectives and commitments that are in line with national and international sustainable development goals and is on a mission to achieve them. One part of Beyon’s sustainability objectives involves using renewable energy. Beyon has started its journey with renewable energy sources in 2021 when the first phase of the Company’s solar park was established, and then expanded with phase 2 in 2023. Beyon’s Solar Park Phase 1 and 2 is generating 3.6 GWh of clean energy leading to a carbon footprint saving of over 2000 tons annually. Moreover, Beyon’s Data Centre is the first in Bahrain to rely entirely on clean energy generated from the company’s Solar Park, which is located at Beyon Data Oasis.
Beyon is continuously exploring opportunities for renewable energy wherever possible. The company aims to power its business and network with renewables and is committed to powering it in the most sustainable way, while also making its network more efficient. For instance, the sunsetting of Batelco’s 2G network not only made way for transformation towards advanced mobile development but led to a reduction in electricity consumption as well as a reduction in CO2 emissions by an estimated 827 metric tons annually, which according to environmental studies is equivalent to the effect that approximately 30,000 trees would have on the environment.
Another part of Beyon’s sustainability objectives is providing solutions that are environmentally friendly; these solutions include products such as Cloud based services, and Information and communications technology. A very popular product of Beyon’s portfolio is OneBox, which is a digital postbox solution delivered by Beyon Connect that enables communication services between the public and private sectors and individuals in one secure, convenient, and sustainable digital platform. A key benefit of OneBox is that it reduces the need to transport and physically deliver millions of mailed letters and documents, which supports a reduction of carbon footprint per capita.
As mentioned previously, waste is a major contributor to the world’s pollution, and from the 2 billion tons of solid waste, around 40 million tons of electronic waste is generated every year, worldwide. That’s like throwing away 800 laptops every second. Waste prevention is a critical component to sustainability, therefore, as a tech company Beyon is adopting a circular economy approach, which is a method that encourages reuse, repair and recycle. It’s a conscious way of consuming resources and materials in a circular rather than a linear system, to reduce waste and prolong the life of materials. Beyon already started taking steps in adopting this approach, and one example of Beyon’s circular economy practice is its collaboration with a partner to repurpose its assets such as old tech devices, equipment, and cables. With such collaborations Beyon is trying to move away from a culture that uses and throws away to a culture of reuse, extending the life cycle of its products and making use of them rather than have them discarded as e-waste in landfills.
Moreover, Beyon prefers to deal with suppliers that are environmentally conscious even in the smallest details of its operations. For instance, during corporate events, Beyon makes sure that the materials used for the events are reusable or recyclable or biodegradable in order to reduce the amount of waste generated from events.
In conclusion, reducing environmental footprint is a challenge, but by focusing on areas of biggest impact and committing to actions across businesses, I believe we can create transformational change. Moreover, adopting a circular economy approach and capitalizing on its impact will also support the vision in reducing emissions and waste across businesses. Environmental sustainability and the conservation of natural resources are important, and it is our responsibility to act now and make conscious choices that prioritize the long-term wellbeing of our environment. No matter how small or big the steps we take, whether its organizations or individuals, through collective efforts, we can build a sustainable and resilient world for ourselves and future generations.
An article by Maryam Al Ghatam – Public Relations Specialist, Beyon Corporate Comms. and Sustainability Department.
Sources:
https://www.theworldcounts.com/stories/electronic-waste-facts
https://www.iea.org/reports/co2-emissions-in-2022
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/sustainability/learn/environmental-sustainability