Evaluation pioneer in Portugal shows positive impact on the environment

"Corticeira Amorim commissioned a study which includes the calculation and independent verification of their carbon footprint, according to ISO 14064, which shows that the company activity benefits the planet in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, sequestering more CO2 than that it emits. The calculation performed by PricewaterhouseCoopers to all Business Units (BU) Company, with independent verification by Deloitte concluded that the activity of Corticeira Amorim results in an annual carbon sequestration of more than 2 million tons of CO2, which exceeds more than 15 times the emissions of greenhouse gases from across the value chain.

According to Nuno Barroca, Amorim Corticeira administrator with responsibility for Sustainability, "The findings of this study position - unsurprisingly - the cork and its applications as excellent green alternatives to non-renewable materials, high-impact, present in many products and applications and Corticeira Amorim as a company that contributes positively to this challenge that the planet is global warming that results from the high concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere. "
The cork oak, made possible by extracting the cork, the cork industry that leads the world Corticeira Amorim, plays a key role in carbon sequestration, estimating a capacity retention of CO2 by 14 million tons / year.
In this sense, the carbon footprint of Corticeira Amorim and its products have to be seen in a life cycle perspective, covering the entire value chain and hence impacts the amount of materials used in their processes.
As regards the cork and the company's activity, thus becomes imperative to consider the effect of the cork oak, made possible - in large part - by the action of Corticeira Amorim. Note that in 2011 the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV) recognized that the impacts of the use of cork stoppers should be considered holistically, considering the effects of the cork oak.
In this context, reference was taken as the international standard-ISO 14064, considering the direct emissions of greenhouse gases that are controlled by the company - resulting from the activity of the UN - the indirect emissions of greenhouse gases not controlled by the company - related to the purchase of electricity - and other indirect GHG emissions resulting from the company's activity (upstream and downstream).
The calculation performed in all UN and considering the effect of sink mounted, it appears that the activity of Corticeira Amorim enables a kidnapping annual 2,028,415 ton CO2.
The total emissions of the value chain Corticeira Amorim thus represents less than 6.6% of the value of kidnapping. As regards the origin of the emissions are indirect emissions associated with the value chain that are more important (69%), followed by emissions associated with electricity consumption (27%) and fuel used in the activity (4%) .
Given the computations performed by PwC, thus results a footprint negative (-1.9 Mio Ton CO2), ie the activity of Corticeira Amorim also benefits the planet in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, sequestering more CO2 than that which emits .
The findings of the study can be found in the seventh Sustainability Report Corticeira Amorim, now released, the first company to be awarded level A, in accordance with the G3 guidelines of the GRI (Global Reporting Initiative)."

Retrieved from http://www.sustentabilidade.amorim.com/iniciativas/noticias/Actividade-da-Corticeira-Amorim-viabiliza-sequestro-de-carbono-superior-a-2-milhoes-de-toneladas-de/182/  in 13.06.2013

 I've had the opportunity to visit one of the factories of the company and was surprised by environmental concerns taken by their officers, and especially with the use of biomass obtained by production waste to be reused for operation of boilers.
 This is a project in which we can associate a word like Sustainability.