Intel: From land to the ocean

CSR for the environment — By csr on March 13, 2010 at

Intel strives continuously to push the boundaries of innovation to make lives more exciting, fulfilling and manageable. It never stops looking for the next step ahead in technology, education, culture, manufacturing and social responsibility. This includes environmental responsibility, which has been an essential ingredient in the company’s philosophy.

Intel has long focused on reducing emissions, recycling waste, conserving water and designing environment-friendly products. Its new 45nm products use a lead-free process and its packaging technology introduced in 2008 is halogen-free. From January 2008-June 2009, Intel spent RM10.54 million on environment programmes, of which RM8.52 million went towards internal programmes and RM2.02 million on external programmes. During this period, the company ran several projects under an overriding environment theme of From Land to Ocean: Intel Malaysia’s Commitment to the Environment. These are elaborated on below.

Intel & Friends Solid Waste Recycling Programme

Since 2003, this annual solid-waste recycling competition involving schools and colleges has reached out to about 100,000 students and teachers in northern Peninsular Malaysia. The campaign in 2008 saw the participation of 58 schools and colleges in Penang and Kulim, as well as 232 Intel volunteers who spent over 928 hours conducting environmental briefings to the participants. Funds raised from the sale of the solid waste were channeled to WWF-Malaysia.

1 Employee : 1 Tree Campaign

ev018_page_06Launched in 2005, this campaign in which employees plant mangrove trees continues to grow exponentially. Money donated by Intel Malaysia employees in 2008 was able to buy 3,000 saplings of mangrove trees, double the 1,500 saplings bought and planted in 2007. Students from 24 primary and secondary schools in Penang and Kulim participated in this eco-friendly endeavour. In total, about 8,000 mangrove trees have been planted by 2,000 Intel employees.

Nature Walk at Penang Botanical Garden

To increase children’s appreciation of the natural environment, Intel organised a rainforest walk in the Botanical Garden during which 200 employees taught 100 school children about the importance of rainforest conservation.

Go Green Batu Ferringhi

Over 800 volunteers converged on Penang’s beachfront for a massive clean-up in August 2008, and collected 19,000 pounds of rubbish. In addition, the Forestry Department planted 150 trees at the event. Intel also partnered with Ocean Conservancy to analyse the debris as part of the NGO’s global survey on marine pollution.

River Ranger Program

ev003-aIntel together with the Department of Irrigation and Drainage in Penang promotes environmental conservation among students through this six-month programme. In 2008, some 1,500 students from 35 schools took part in the nature walks, environment talks, water monitoring and evaluation, eco camp and innovation competition organised. After the programme, the schools were given parts of the two rivers monitored - Air Terjun River in Penang and Lata Ulu Pipe River in Kulim - to conserve.

Turtle Adoption Program

dsc_2107In 2008, an Intel team developed the first animal adoption programme for the company. Turtles were chosen because they are endangered due to natural threats as well as the fact that their meat, eggs, skin and shells are in demand. The programme began with a three-month adoption campaign in partnership with WWF. Top employee contributors spent two days at the turtle sanctuary in the East Coast, where they released turtles, participated in a beach clean-up, collected freshly laid eggs and helped tag them. In 2009, the same Intel team developed a comprehensive school package to educate students about the plight of turtles. The team also implemented a Save-a-Turtle programme in which 2,000 Intel employees pledged not to eat turtle eggs.

Intel’s efforts over the last two years have brought awareness of marine conservation, and particularly turtle conservation, to at least 30,000 employees, students, teachers and members of the local communities in Penang and Kulim.

Innovative Technology - Internal Programs

The Intel Malaysia Energy Conservation Team was formed in 2001, with the explicit aim to reduce operation costs, provide more affordable utilities services and conserve energy resources hence reduce CO2 emission. As a result of their efforts, Intel has saved 8% average utility year-over-year and about 178MkWH (equivalent to 95 million kg of CO2 emission reduction and about four million trees planted). In 2008-2009, the team saved about US$2.434 million through energy conservation projects.

The Prime Minister’s CSR Awards, launched by the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development in 2007, aims to recognise companies that have made a difference to the communities in which they operate through their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes. Download the Official Entry Form. Tags: , , ,

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