Qatargas has won the first place in the “Large Size Enterprise” category across the MENA region at the coveted Arabia Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Award.
The Arabia CSR Awards is the most prestigious CSR and sustainability related recognition in the region, honoring and showcasing organizations in the Middle East, Levant and North Africa region that demonstrate a clear strategy and effective implementation of CSR, a Qatargas press release said.
The award was presented at the 7th cycle of the Arabia CSR Forum and Awards ceremony held on 28th October in Dubai. Mansour Rashid Al-Naimi, Qatargas Public Relations Manager received the award on behalf of the Company.
Commenting on this achievement, Khalid Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Qatargas Chief Executive Officer said: “We are delighted to win this prestigious award, which is a testament to Qatargas’ robust Corporate Social Responsibility program focused on long-term, sustainable initiatives. As a leader in the global energy industry, Qatargas has made significant contributions to a sustainable future for our country and the world at large. Over the past few years, we have made huge financial investments in reducing our carbon footprint, improving air quality, reducing and recycling waste, judicious use of water and, above all, community development at different levels.”
Ghanim Al-Kuwari, Qatargas Chief Operating Officer, Administration added: “This award is the result of our continued commitment to a cohesive, dynamic CSR program that inspires our employees, as much as it benefits the community. We work in an engaged and collaborative manner with our stakeholders taking great care to thoroughly assess the social and environmental value of our initiatives and the potential to add value to the objectives of the Qatar National Vision 2030.” Awards were presented in six different categories. The ‘Large Sized Enterprises’ category comprises organizations with more than 500 employees. A jury panel consisting of multinational experts in the field of CSR and sustainability selected the winners from a total of 155 applications submitted by organizations representing 25 industries from 12 countries in the MENA region.
Qatargas’ CSR initiatives are spread over five broad areas covering education, environment, health & safety, community development and sports.
As part of Qatargas’ CSR initiatives in the field of education, the Company has a long-standing cooperation with Qatar University and has been sponsoring a Research Engineering Chair with the objective of promoting genuine research in the field of gas processing technologies.
Qatargas is also supporting several other educational initiatives of the University such as the Gas Processing Centre Consortium, GASNA competition, Plant Design Contest, Engineering Week, seminars, workshops and symposiums organized by the university.
Qatargas also extends its support to different other educational initiatives such as its sponsorship of a technical annex at the Qatar Independent Technical School. The Company also supports various activities of the Qatar Society of Petroleum Engineers and Qatar Society of Engineers.
Qatargas is following a very successful Qatarization and National Development program aimed at harnessing and promoting local talent and boosting the human capital in the country.
The Company has won four awards in the past five years for its Qatarization efforts in the Energy and Industry sector. These include the awards for ‘Supporting Qatarization’ in 2010 and 2014, award for ‘Support for Training and Development’ in 2011 and the award for ‘Support and Liaison with the Education Sector’ in 2013.
In the field of Health and Safety, Qatargas has recently supported the Qatar Cancer Society and the Qatar Diabetes Association in addition to conducting a series of blood donation drives in cooperation with the Hamad Medical Corporation.
Qatargas also supports various health-related events and conferences. For the past eight years, Qatargas has been supporting the Ramadan Road Safety Campaign organized by the Ministry of Interior’s Traffic Department.
Qatargas is an integral member of the Ras Laffan Community Outreach Program, working closely with companies in Ras Laffan Industrial City to develop the northern areas of Qatar.
It also cooperates with charity organizations like Qatar Red Crescent, Qatar Charity, Sheikh Abdullah Bin Thani Humanitarian Foundation, and Sheikh Eid Charitable Society to extend all possible support to communities inside Qatar and abroad.
Sports is another key area of focus in Qatargas’ CSR program. Qatargas supports various games and teams inside the country. Qatargas is a title sponsor of several tournaments such as the Qatargas League (Second Division League) of Qatar Football Association, and the Qatargas Open Chess Tournament organized by the Qatar Chess Association.
It also supports the Qatar Minor Ice Hockey Team and the Junior Golf Programme of the Qatar Golf Association. Qatargas is also one of the main sponsors of the Asian Football Confederation tournaments held in different countries across the continent during the 2014-16 season.
Qatargas is committed to supporting Qatar’s development in a sustainable manner while protecting the environment for future generations. In line with the Qatar National Vision 2030, upholding the highest standards for environmental protection and resource utilization are fundamental requirements of our Company’s Direction Statement. Qatargas has a comprehensive Environmental Management System (EMS) certified to ISO 14001 standards which provides an over-arching framework to manage environmental and regulatory compliance issues for our operating facilities.
Qatargas has a forward-looking Greenhouse Gas Management Program, certified annually to international standards, and are conducting studies to identify additional opportunities for GHG emissions reductions through enhanced process and energy efficiency. The Company has been able to reduce its total hydrocarbon flaring by approximately 27% since 2011.
One of the best examples of Qatargas’ continued commitment to flare reduction is its pioneering US$1 billion Jetty Boil-off Gas Recovery Project (JBOG), which will result in a 90% reduction in current flaring at the LNG loading berths at Ras Laffan port, enough gas to power 300,000 homes and equating to annual reduction of 1.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide.
The JBOG Project, along with the LNG mega train flare reduction project and the plant reliability initiatives as part of Qatargas 2011-2015 Flare Reduction Plan will result in a reduction of Qatargas’ 2011 flaring rates by about 70% by 2016. Qatargas has been able to reduce NOx emissions by 30% since 2011 by installing low NOx combustion system in its older LNG trains.
Qatargas is implementing an extensive wastewater recycling and reuse program centered on the use of advanced treatment technologies. When these projects are completed in 2016, Qatargas will be able to recycle and reuse the water currently discharged to sea, resulting in significant reductions in freshwater intake. A reduction of 16% has already been achieved in the intake of desalinated water since 2011 through operational minimization measures.
Qatargas is also focusing on developing a comprehensive Waste Management System for its operational facilities with the aim of minimizing waste generation.
State of the art onsite waste management facilities are also being planned to ensure long-term compliance and alignment with the national vision. The Company also commenced a theme-based ‘Go Green’ campaign in 2014 to raise environmental awareness amongst employees.
Qatargas has been recognized and awarded for its environmental and sustainability performance on several occasions. Qatargas was honored with the “Best Overall Sustainability Report” Award from His Excellency, the Qatar Minister of Energy and Industry, in recognition of its 2013 Company Sustainability Report.
Qatargas was presented the ‘Excellence in Flaring Reduction’ Award by the World Bank led Global Gas Flaring Reduction (GGFR) Partnership in 2012 recognizing the Company’s focus on operational excellence and organizational commitment as well as our program of advanced engineering projects to manage and reduce flaring.
Qatargas was also the first ever recipient of a Green Award by the Green Award Foundation recognizing its environmental practices in conjunction with our LNG fleet. The Qatargas Shipping Department has also successfully achieved the “Five Star Environmental Management Audit Certification” awarded by the British Safety Council in 2014.
Individuals and organizations who have made the most significant contribution to the region’s sustainable future were honored at the Arabia CSR Forum and Awards 2014 held by The Arabia CSR Network (ACSRN) and highlighted those who have championed sustainable projects and initiatives, across the MENA region.
This year’s Forum titled ‘Green and Inclusive Economy: Building a Sustainable Future’, featured an all-day symposium during which key thinkers, experts and practitioners in the field of sustainability shared their thoughts and opinions on the major developments in the area.
The forum aims to promote discussion and debate from CSR experts and professionals representing acclaimed regional and international organizations, providing them with a platform to discuss the most recent sustainability trends in the Arab world and globally.
Source : Qatar News Agency
