Responsible Usage of Resourses – From Food to Fuel – Sure Way of Sustainability

Acting responsibly in any aspect of life and business and trying to avoid the waste of resources – this has always been a part of ContourGlobal Maritsa East 3’s philosophy. In line with its convictions and ambitions, the company actively supported the 2013 celebration of the World Environment Day in Bulgaria – both on a national level and with an internal corporate event.

On June 5, when the United Nations celebrate the World Environment Day, the company organized a special event under the global campaign’s motto Think-Eat-Save, Reduce Your Foodprint. It aimed at raising awareness among the company’s staff towards the large-scale global waste of food resources and appealing towards everyone’s conscience in order to prevent it. “Every year developed countries throw away 220 mln tons of products, whereas in other parts of the world there are people starving”, Garry Levesley, CEO, ContourGlobal Maritsa East 3, wrote in his statement to his colleagues.

According to Teodora Bakardzhieva, Food programs and volunteers network development manager, Bulgarian Food Bank, who was the special guest to the celebration, some 30-40% of the consumable food on the planet is wasted. “This is what the Bulgarian Food Bank is about, in order to fight hunger and food waste in Bulgaria. Because about 700 tons of unused food remains in our country every year, whereas 1.6 mln Bulgarians go to bed hungry every evening.”

The start of the Celebration at ContourGlobal Maritsa East 3 TPP began with birds of prey stickers placing on the façade of the Administrative Building in order to address an issue and to alert real birds that there is a solid object in front of them instead of sky and field. Part of the power plant personnel was involved in a sodium hydroxide spill training at the Wastewater Treatment Plant. During the lunch break many of the workers were surprised by the traditional live Environment Quiz and the quicker ones with correct answers deserved eco-prizes. Other employees were active in the email quiz and won T-shirts with the logo of the World Environment Day.

The idea of composting waste products from the food preparation process was presented to employees in the power plant’s canteen.

Special attention was given to the volunteers from the Spring 2013 Volunteers Day. They were awarded with certificates for their commitment to the company’s involvement in the volunteering initiatives of the Bulgarian Charity Aid Foundation on May 18^th. The agenda was completed with a global webinar in which many of the team of ContourGlobal got connected and united under the environment flag and 2013 World Environment Day motto.

In the meantime, the World Environment Day was also celebrated at the Wildlife Rescue Center in Stara Zagora. The hosts welcomed employees of the company with their children.

On a national level, the Environment Day was celebrated on June 3. The UN Global Compact Network Bulgaria, of which ContourGlobal Maritsa East 3 is a member, organized a special celebration for children at the Earth and Men National Museum in the city of Sofia. More than 80 children took part in drawing competitions and workshops and saw films educating them about how serious the food waste problem is. The initiative was supported by ContourGlobal Maritsa East 3, Overgas Inc., TNT Bulgaria.

The World Environment Day is an annual event that is aimed at being the biggest and most widely celebrated global day for positive environmental action. World Environment Day activities take place all year round and climax on June 5 every year, involving everyone from everywhere. The World Environment Day celebration began in 1972 and has grown to become one of the main vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and encourages political attention and action.

About ContourGlobal Maritsa East 3

ContourGlobal Maritsa East 3 is an important part of the large energy family of the international company ContourGlobal. In Bulgaria, ContourGlobal is the majority owner of ContourGlobal Maritsa East 3 TPP, one of the four thermal power plants in the Maritsa East complex. It is the first coal-fired thermal power plant in the Balkans, which operates in full conformity with the highest European standards for safety and environment preservation. ContourGlobal Maritsa East 3 produces affordable electricity at a low price in an environmentally-friendly way.

In 2013 ContourGlobal Maritsa East 3 is again a partner of the Good Samaritans Annual Awards, organized by the Samaritans Association in Stara Zagora, for the recognition of a particular person. This is a way to identify and select people who deserve general public respect and appreciation as a consequence from their doing good to another person or people in a difficult situation.