Daikin Europe N.V. has obtained the SDG Champion label as part of a program set out by VOKA, the Flemish Chamber of Commerce, and UNITAR, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research. The label is awarded to companies that make a significant contribution to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
The SDG Champion label is part of a program set up by VOKA, the Flemish Chamber of Commerce, to encourage and support companies in their contributions to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. The program runs in close collaboration with UNITAR, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research.
“In 2020, we were one of the first Belgian companies to enter the program,” says Matthew Lammertyn, General Affairs Executive for Welfare and Environment at Daikin Europe. “Later that year, we received the SDG Pioneer label, which is the first step in the three-stage program. Today, we are very proud to take the next step and become an SDG Champion.”
“The label is an important recognition for our efforts in the domain of sustainability,” says Wim De Schacht, Vice President of Daikin Europe. “It also strengthens our credibility in the international market place, where Corporate Social Responsibility is a critical success factor.”
In order to obtain the SDG Champion label, companies have to align their sustainability efforts with the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. “Daikin Europe has actions in place for each of them, but our efforts are mainly focused on SDG 12 – Sustainable Consumption and Production and SDG 13 – Climate Action,” says Matthew Lammertyn.
As part of its ambition to become carbon-neutral by 2050, Daikin Europe has been making steady progress to reduce its carbon footprint. “We have taken measures to reduce emissions in our factory in Ostend by focussing on energy consumption, the purchase of green electricity and connecting our factory to the local collective heating network. But in order to become an SDG Champion, companies need to take actions that go beyond their own organisation. The L∞P by Daikin program is a great example of this. By recuperating refrigerants from used products and reusing them in our new products, we are building a circular economy for refrigerants, which will have a positive impact on our entire sector.”, concludes Matthew Lammertyn.
