Sustainable generation: from environmental to integrated certification

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From the Urals to the Andes, the Apennine Mountains and the Pyrenees, the Environmental Management Systems (EMS) adopted by Enel’s Global Generation plants have all received an ISO 14001 environmental certification.

ISO 14001 certifies, through an external certification body, that the way in which a company manages its business meets a specific set of international criteria in terms of environmental preservation and protection.

‘For Global Generation,’ explains Matteo Cimaglia (Head of Environment and Authorisations of the HSEQ Global Unit), ‘this certification is a validation by a qualified independent third party of our respect for international environmental management standards in the construction, operation and maintenance of our conventional power plants. We are talking about very complex systems such as Torre Valdaliga in ItalyLitoral in Spain and Sant'Isidro in Chile; facilities where our Environmental Management System is used in every aspect of the production process, including exhaust fumes, discharges and waste management.’

Global Generation’s commitment is not limited to the environment. ‘We are striving to make a another leap forward to achieve what few utilities in the world have obtained thus far, namely an efficient integration of all aspects related to Quality, Health, Safety and the Environment in a single business management model,’ highlights Vittorio Bellini (Head of Quality of the HSEQ Global Unit).

‘Our objective,’ Bellini adds ‘is to adopt a single integrated and certified environmental management, safety and quality system by 2016, by improving on Global Generation in its current form and aiming to unite and optimise our processes across the world.’

Global Generation’s numbers are noteworthy: the certification applies to more than 100 business units for a total of 75,000 MW of installed capacity worldwide, spanning from Europe to South America. ISO 14001, a certification that our entire power plant park has already earned, is one of the key pillars of this vast operation. ‘What must be clear to all,’ Bellini adds ‘is that our activities meet the highest international standards, not only in terms of environmental protection, but also in terms of quality and safety, creating a single integrated and certified management system.’

The path towards this ambitious goal will be evaluated by an international certification organisation. Global Generation’s integrated management system is based on key pillars such as the promotion of an increasingly effective safety culture, innovation, the development of human resources and, last but not least, the application of the best internal and external practices in our plants. We also aim to ensure the sustainability of our business, by involving local stakeholders in order to create value and respect their needs, while operating responsibly and protecting the environment and biodiversity through a rational use of resources. Our integrated management system will also support the Group's commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

‘An integrated management system,’ Bellini concludes, ‘means operating in a transparent, effective and controlled manner, learning from our mistakes in order to constantly improve. It means putting the safety of our employees and suppliers first, while safeguarding the territories in which we operate through the quality of our work, by implementing business strategies according to a ‘safety and environment first’ vision.’

Today, the creation of value integrates environmental protection into all aspects of our Group’s business. As highlighted by Giulio Peruzzi, Management Representative for the Group's Environmental Management, such a strategy ‘can only be implemented through the involvement of all stakeholders, starting from local communities. We ask them to share their proposals and to notify us regarding critical issues by sending an email.’