How large is Czechia’s real carbon footprint? And how are companies across various industries supposed to measure this criterion – an indispensable prerequisite for reducing it as much as possible? For that matter, how can companies successfully cut their CO2 emissions? A unique platform put together by a number of leading businesses from several sectors of the Czech economy strives to answer these and other questions. The goal of the platform is rather straightforward: to help businesses chart the current situation and then manage the transition to more sustainable operations. The first comprehensive Carbon Tracker 2022 report is slated to appear in June of this year.
Climate & Sustainable Leaders Czech Republic, z.s. is a registered association created by companies in the fields of banking and finance, telecommunications, and consulting, as well as law firms; and experts in CO2 reduction who wished to join forces. The core mission of this unprecedented platform is to monitor the ambitions of the largest companies in the Czech Republic when it comes to curbing their CO2 production, to nudge key players in the Czech economy toward commissioning sustainability and climate-saving projects and to assist them in implementing these schemes.
The following are the thirteen founding members of Climate & Sustainable Leaders Czech Republic (in alphabetical order): Allianz pojišťovna, Česká spořitelna, the Czech Technical University in Prague, Československá obchodní banka, CO2IN, HAVEL & PARTNERS, Mastercard, power2green, PwC Česká republika, Raiffeisenbank, UniCredit Bank Czech Republic and Slovakia, Vodafone Czech Republic, and White & Case.
Among others, the Climate & Sustainable Leaders platform is committed to the compilation of an annual overview of CO2 emissions by the largest companies in the Czech Republic and their ambitions toward curbing these emissions. The association has just begun work on the inaugural installment of this report, which will be known as Carbon Tracker (www.carbontracker.cz). In putting it together, the platform intends to draw on responses to a questionnaire from the 150 top companies in the Czech Republic in terms of revenues, supplemented by data from the public domain. The carbon footprint calculation used in the Carbon Tracker overview will be based on a methodology devised by the expert team of PwC Česká republika, which in turn draws upon the internationally recognized GHG protocol. The questionnaires will arrive at the companies’ doorsteps over the next few days; they will then have until the end of March to provide their data. Publication of the rankings derived from that data along with an expert commentary is planned for late May / early June.
“One thing which the Carbon Tracker definitely won’t be is a simple list of the largest CO2 producers. Each industry and each firm has a different starting point. In some sectors, significant innovation will need to take place before they can even think of approaching carbon neutrality while retaining their basic competitiveness. We want to keep track of the ambitions of each firm, create links between companies, and encourage them to engage in sustainable projects. We want to deliver hard data and be an impartial source for the media and think tanks. Last but not least, we want to initiate the necessary innovations which can contribute to protecting the climate,” said Jakub Skavroň, chairman of the administrative board of the association and co-owner of power2green.
The Climate & Sustainable Leaders Czech Republic platform will help companies curb their CO2 production and assist them with all related aspects, be they measurement methods, monitoring successes in the given industry, understanding and implementing anticipated legal changes, or setting a realistic pace for the reduction of their own emissions.
“We need to raise awareness among SMEs in particular when it comes to the need for having ambitions and making commitments to reducing one’s carbon footprint. It is often difficult for these companies to understand why their bank or their insurer might be interested in their approach to sustainability even now. In actual fact, the Czech Republic, and Europe as a whole, is facing revolutionary changes, and we want to do our part to ensure that these changes will be opportunities, rather than threats, for the Czech economy,” added Pavel Štefek, deputy chairman of the association and partner at PwC Česká republika.
Aside from the above-mentioned chairman and deputy chairman, the administrative board of Climate & Sustainable Leaders Czech Republic will be staffed by the following renowned leaders with a history of engagement in sustainability and ESG:
The ranks of the administrative board will be further bolstered in January by representatives of other members of the platform: České spořitelna (Matúš Púll, Chief Sustainability Officer), UniCredit Bank Czech Republic and Slovakia (Jan Jašek, Head of the Industry Expertise Center), Allianz pojišťovna (Kamila Šimonová, Chief Risk Officer), and the Czech Technical University in Prague (Lucie Orgoníková, chancellor).
Aside from the Carbon Tracker report, the Climate & Sustainable Leaders platform is working on a number of additional activities in the areas of education, awareness raising and methodological assistance regarding sustainability and meeting climate targets. The association is an open platform, and welcomes the participation of other companies.
The 16th Moravská Třebová Amper Cup was held in the beautiful surroundings of Moravská Třebová on Saturday, 25 July 2020. The race, threatened until the last minute with closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic, featured 222 competitors (44 on the 20 km family route, 91 on the short 40 km route and 87 on the long 60 km route), which meant that attendance increased by more than 63% compared to last year!
The change in the lengths of the routes compared to previous years proved to be the right choice. The traditional family route once again offered young potential Moravská Třebová cyclists the opportunity to have a go at the race, but also the possibility to ride with their families at a leisurely pace. The most popular short route offered active competitors the opportunity to race at a fast pace, but also offered the possibility to ride along an undemanding and beautiful route at their own pace and marvel at the surroundings of Moravská Třebová. On the long route, the participants enjoyed both a competitive pace and a solid dose of kilometres, as well as fun passages full of mud and puddles due to the rainy weather over the previous days.
Our race means we also have the honour of helping those in need. As promised, we allocated CZK 50 from each entry fee to the Pokorný Endowment Fund, and specifically to little Vojtěch Vacek from Moravská Třebová, who was born with Goldenhar syndrome. The general partner of the race doubled the total amount collected. In total, over CZK 35,000 was collected, including your donations in the donation box on site. This will allow Vojtěch to undergo additional treatments to help him integrate into normal life.
The 16th Moravská Třebová Amper Cup cycling marathon is successfully behind us, but together with our ambassador, member of the preparatory team, and Czech Cyclo-cross Championships 2020 champion Emil Hekel, we are analysing the complete organization and course of the race, and diligently preparing next year’s event. We are convinced it will be even more successful than this year. We look forward to seeing you all again at the start line next year on the 17th occasion of our beautiful race. Until then, we wish you great success and, above all, good health!
For more information about the race, please visit: www.mtbmt.cz.
The town of Hustopeče has chosen Amper Savings as its partner for an EPC project at the town’s indoor swimming pool. Over the next 10 years, the company will provide Hustopeče with energy services worth a total of CZK 11 million and with a guaranteed result.
The main energy efficiency measures implemented include: reconstruction of the gas heat source, installation of a cogeneration unit, replacement of circulation pumps and mixing units, modernization of the existing lighting with LED technology and, last but not least, a new measurement and control system. The reliable operation of all equipment, guaranteed savings, and continuous optimization of the client’s operating costs will be ensured through active energy management.
Hustopeče is thus one of the first entities in the South Moravian Region to use the sophisticated EPC method to modernize their facilities and improve comfort for their citizens, with a guarantee of savings in operating costs.
Amper Holding is joining the private companies helping prevent the spread of the new coronavirus epidemic. It has distributed face masks and respirators worth half a million Czech crowns and will increase this aid to three million Czech crowns in the coming days. It recommends building the economic recovery of the Czech Republic on blanket tax breaks and decentralisation, including in the energy sector.
The first shipment provided by Amper Holding arrived in the Czech Republic last week. It contained protective equipment that was distributed to health care workers, social services, front-line employees, and Amper clients.
“We secured respirators and face masks abroad. We have donated a significant portion of them to our clients, such as hospitals in Břeclav and Hustopeče, but also to other medical facilities. At the same time, we have been working to contribute towards the successful handling of the epidemic, mainly by digitising the operation of all equipment and technical support as much as possible, and sending employees to the field only when necessary – the operational energy management has made this possible,” says Jan Palaščák, CEO of the Amper Holding group.
Further shipments of medical supplies will be distributed to the hospital in Nové Město na Moravě, the towns of Chrudim, Choceň, Moravská Třebová, and non-profit organisations providing social services in Tábor, to name just a few.
“We can also learn from the current situation in relation to restarting the economy. Above all, it is clear that excessive centralisation and regulation are detrimental – this applies not only in healthcare but throughout the economy, including the energy sector. Decentralisation must go hand in hand with digitisation and the adaptation of strategic plans for any emergencies the 21st century might bring - health, migration, climate change, or any other black swan,” comments Jan Palaščák. “The immediate recovery after the end of the epidemic should include robust relief from taxes and levies – for closed businesses, small businesses and industrial enterprises. The state should choose simple, quick and blanket measures instead of complex, protracted and individually assessed support.”
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