Driving sustainable development through social commitment
Madrid / 24 November 2022
At Siemens Gamesa, we’re not just dedicated to fighting the climate emergency. Guided by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), we also feel a strong social commitment to driving the sustainable development of the communities in which we operate.
Siemens Gamesa’s position as a wind energy industry pioneer and an early advocate for and adopter of green hydrogen means we are already doing our bit to fight the climate emergency. However, the Sustainable Development Goals require us to do more. Our mission in terms of social commitment is “to actively reduce poverty and provide disaster relief in our communities, to fight climate change, and to promote technological education in line with the future needs of society”. We are achieving these goals using a long-term strategy with the help of volunteering colleagues and the business, who work actively to support their (and our) communities.
We are very proud of the scores we receive in the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) indices. Our last score in the (S&P) Dow Jones Indices averaged 94 out of 100 (12 points more than the previous year), and 97 out of 100 in strategy (22 points more than previous year), meaning that only 3 of the 100 best companies in the Industry category scored higher than us.
Protecting the environment by reducing CO2 emissions – SDG13, SDG14 and SDG15.
The best way to reduce CO2 is by planting trees. That's why we have spent the last three years developing the Forest of Siemens Gamesa project together with volunteering colleagues and their families. So far, we have established 24 forests in 13 countries. The 100,000 trees we have planted to date will not only help restore some of the lost vegetation and absorb the equivalent to more than 4,000 tons of CO2 but the initiative also has provided paid employment, in the Amazon forest alone for 170 people for three years.
We understand that the devastation suffered by the Amazon rainforest is having a negative global impact on the climate, so we are engaged with the indigenous population in our efforts.
Our colleagues don’t just volunteer to help restore habitats on land. Our significant presence in offshore wind also requires us to be aware of marine and coastal habitats. We are an active participant in coastal and ocean clean-ups, and more than 450 volunteers have already devoted their time to join 23 such events in nine different countries.
Did you know that, on average, each email with an attachment emits 50 grams of CO2? That’s why we run our digital clean-ups campaign twice a year, through which we have already eliminated 400 tons of CO2.
Sustainability is close to our hearts, and by offering our entire workforce the opportunity to learn sustainable behaviors through the Sustainable Employee project we are amplifying our impact. Little by little, all of team Siemens Gamesa are playing their part to contribute to a greener world.
Driving engagement with STEM subjects – SDG4
As a technological company, we are concerned by the lack of engagement with STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) among students. Engaging with children and teenagers is the most effective way to combat this and build up a STEM talent pool for the future.
The UN thinks there could be 24 million new jobs in STEM by 2030, and Siemens Gamesa has partnered with major industry players to help this vision become a reality.
For example, we have developed a video game called Planet Rescuers for young students to learn about renewable energy and sustainability. It is based on the popular Microsoft game Minecraft and is part of its Education Edition, a platform which encourages game-based learning and unleashes creativity.
Planet Rescuers builds STEM skills and covers topics such as the importance of the Paris Agreement, reforestation and the potential for green hydrogen to help address emissions from hard-to-decarbonize sectors. Around 200,000 students from some 1,000 schools are already using it in 25 countries and it is available in five languages: English, Danish, German, Spanish and French.
In collaboration with the United Nations, we are directly engaging with university students. Last year, in partnership with the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), we kicked off the first edition of a university contest asking students for solutions to the world’s greatest challenge – the climate crisis. Students from five universities across five countries participated, and we are already working to launch the second edition in a few weeks.
Eradicating poverty in local communities – SDG1
Our SGRE Impact program encourages our colleagues to suggest projects to help communities on a local level. Since 2018, the program has helped us bring positive change to the communities in which we operate. Every year we receive between 60 to 80 projects and 8-10 projects are selected, taking into account geographical diversity, volunteering opportunities and number of beneficiaries.
For example, together with Movimiento Raiz in Mexico, we have found ways to improve access to food and help reduce poverty for 10,000 socially vulnerable people in Mexico City and its environs. We have also worked closely with Educa Seci in the Brazilian region of Capuava to provide access to education for 150 students between the ages of five and twelve. The aim is for students to develop the confidence to fulfil their potential and develop social skills alongside literacy and numeracy, while also highlighting to families the importance of education. Throughout Central Florida, we have installed community gardens at various places where disadvantaged children, homeless people and other marginalized groups can meet up. As well as creating a source of locally produced food, the gardens also offer educational and training opportunities. Around 10,000 Floridians have benefitted from this initiative.
These are just a few examples of how we’re working to accelerate sustainable developments in our communities, and there are many more to come.
With our scale and footprint Siemens Gamesa is dedicated to being a global force for good, and our social commitment to sustainability will only deepen as it becomes even more embedded in our corporate culture.
