Gas Networks Ireland Launch their First Sustainability Report

In recent years sustainability has become a huge influence on businesses worldwide and Gas Networks Ireland is no exception. Using the UN Sustainable Development Goals as their blueprint, this year Gas Networks Ireland published their first sustainability report – Sustainability in Action 2018 – which highlights their progress in implementing sustainable development across all areas.

As a company in the energy sector, Gas Networks Ireland is responding to the effects of climate change by investing in renewable gas and compressed natural gas, aiming to deliver an efficient, cost-effective and environmentally friendly service. In 2018, they received €100 million from the European Investment Bank and invested a total of €145 million in gas network infrastructure, using these investments to drive sustainable growth and new connections which included:

– Constructing a compressed natural gas facility in Dublin Port.
– Commissioning the second pipeline for the Ireland-Scotland Interconnector project.
– Final stages of the first renewable gas injection facility in Cush, Co. Kildare which went live in 2019.

In 2018, Gas Networks Ireland focused on the environmental areas of waste, biodiversity and climate change, developing a number of initiatives regarding carbon emissions, energy use, waste generation and the efficient use of resources. These include:

94% recycling rate.
Signing the Business in the Community Ireland Low Carbon Pledge.
Setting up an Environmental Energy Working Group.
Implementing the GNI Biodiversity Enhancement Programme.
Rolling out compressed natural gas vehicles and infrastructure.

In response to the UN SDGs, Gas Networks Ireland is also supporting community initiatives focused on the areas of education, employability and accessibility.  Last year 1/3 of GNI employees volunteered in community programmes and clocked up over 1,250 hours volunteering.

Their social commitments in 2018 included:

-Supporting 68 community initiatives.
-Launching the new STEM programme “Energize”, in partnership with Junior Achievement Ireland, to primary school students nationwide.
-Encouraging literacy through support of Business in the Community Ireland’s Time to Read campaign.

As a result of their economic, environmental and social commitments, last year Gas Networks Ireland was awarded the Business Working Responsibly mark for the third time, one of 33 companies in Ireland who have achieved this standard.

Denis O’Sullivan, Managing Director, Gas Networks Ireland said, “As guardians of Ireland’s natural gas infrastructure we aim to deliver our services in a sustainable manner that contributes to the protection of the environment while supporting the social and economic development of the communities we operate in, as well as the wider economy.

Download a copy of the Sustainability Report Sustainability in Action 2018

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