DNV’s approach to safeguarding the environment is threefold; a focus on a positive global impact on the environment through our services, continuously improving the environmental footprint of our operations, and helping our employees improve their personal environmental footprint.
In 2007, DNV launched ‘WE do’, an initiative designed to increase environmental awareness among employees and help them act in a more environmentally friendly manner in their daily lives. DNV has allocated NOK 40 million in 2008 to partially finance environmental measures initiated by DNV employees. ‘WE do’ will finance up to two thirds of the cost of private environmental measures, with the maximum grant per employee limited to NOK 10 000. This initiative will be reported on in 2008.
During the past year, DNV has continued to join businesses, NGOs and other stakeholders in putting the environment on the agenda. At the Global Compact Leaders Summit in July 2007, DNV signed the statement headed “Caring for Climate: The Business Leadership Platform” and thereby expressed the urgent need for businesses, governments and citizens to take steps to address climate change.
The launch of DNV’s ‘WE do’ initiative, our focus on providing environmental services that address climate change, and our work to ensure continuous improvements through our environmental management system show DNV’s commitment to action to address climate change and other environmental issues.
Environmental Management System
In 2007, the focus was on implementing an Environmental Management System in compliance with ISO 14001. Energy consumption and waste handling are important areas of attention, but in many countries targets have also been set to reduce business travel. DNV aims to improve environmental awareness in general throughout the organisation. Al Gore’s film An Inconvenient Truth has therefore been shown in most of the company’s offices around the world, and in some countries the employees’ family members have also been invited to watch. In addition, several other awareness activities have been initiated in many countries.
A pilot for monitoring and reporting environmental performance has been started in Norway using DNV’s own software, the Environmental Performance System (EPS). The environmental performance indicators established are based on an environmental aspect assessment, environmental objectives, legal requirements and the GRI reporting requirements.
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A survey of five DNV offices (Høvik, Rio de Janeiro, London, Singapore and Houston), covering approximately 32% of DNV’s employees, has been conducted in order to map energy consumption.
The average energy consumption per person in the selected offices was
12 115 kWh in 2007, (a decrease from 14 040 kWh in 2006). Of this, 13% was renewable energy produced largely by a heat pump at Høvik (12% in 2006). When hydropower is included, renewable energy constitutes 82% of consumption (77% in 2006).
Emissions
The emissions from energy use per person per year at the selected offices were
2 300 kg CO2 , 3.8 kg NO2 and 5.5 kg SO2.
The large decrease in specific emissions in Norway is due to a shift to renewable energy. The increase in specific emissions in Singapore is due to a shift from gas to oil. The increase in specific emissions in Houston is due to higher electricity consumption and updated emission factors specific to Houston.
Waste Handling
DNV Petroleum Services (DNVPS) laboratories reported the disposal of 117 tonnes of hazardous waste in 2007 (an increase from 112 tonnes in 2006), of which 97% was delivered to licensed waste-handling facilities, 2% consisted of oil that was burned off to the air, and 1% was diluted and disposed of in the sewage system.
A survey of waste handling at DNV’s offices at Høvik has also been conducted. The waste per employee was measured to be 0.3 tonnes per year over the past three years.
