Virtusa Environment Day 2010 launches Carbon Footprint Calculator and Sustainability Report

Sustainability (CSR) is a key part of Virtusa’s culture and corporate citizenship. The company strongly believes that sustainability is about creating, building and sustaining a positive social impact. The Carbon Footprint Calculator which will be used by all Virtusans and the Sustainability Report was launched by Chief Guest Otara Gunawardene CEO ODEL and Founder Embark Initiative.

 

 

Otara said, “It is great to see companies like Virtusa leading from the front and I hope to work closely with Virtusa in future activities which both parties are interested in, a sustaining environment”.

 

 

As a responsible corporate citizen, Virtusa is involved in a wide range of environmental initiatives that strive toward making a positive environmental impact. The activities focused on collecting funds to further making the bare land, where the Virtusa Digital Learning Centre was installed to rehabilitate ex-combatants in Pompemadu, Vavuniya a greener environment.

 

 

Madu Ratnayake Vice President and General Manager, Virtusa Sri Lanka said, “Businesses have a crucial role to play in maintaining environment sustainability. At Virtusa, environmental accountability has been core to our corporate values. We have implemented many eco-friendly initiatives with a focus to create, build and sustain a positive impact on our environment and the society.”

 

 

Environmental issues have gained immense importance in the current era of Global Warming and Climate Change.

 

 

Achim Steiner, Executive Director of the UNEP in his keynote said, “The urgency to better manage the planet’s natural assets is a key theme of World Environment Day 2010, coming as it does half way through the UN’s International Year of Biodiversity. Every year, an estimated $2 to $ 5 trillion is lost from the global economy as a result of the degradation and destruction of the planet’s nature-based resources. If the Green Economy is to take root world-wide, the time has come to galvanize governments in part by building community awareness and public action from the grass roots up. WED 2010’s theme is Many Species; One Planet; One Future—it is high time that the one species with the power to make positive change recognized these fundamental facts.”

 

 

2010 Virtusa Environment Day

 

Virtusa celebrated its 2010 Environment Day with an aim to create awareness across all regions of operations, by uniting its employees to conserve the diversity of life on the planet and educating them on the current status of environmental biodiversity. Themed “Save Species. Save Planet. Save Future”, Virtusa Environment Day is a program under the Virtusa Code Green banner supporting the World Environment Day (WED) of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

 

 

As part of the pre-event activities, many competitions like debates, Flickr photography, video, drawing/painting competitions were organized. The competitions were open to Virtusans and their children. However, in the case of the Flickr photography competition, the public was invited to participate as well.

 

 

The Virtusa Environment Day event at the company’s facility in Orion City consists of an Environment Awareness session and exhibits/stalls from different organizations showcasing and featuring environment-friendly products and services. The event provides an opportunity for the Virtusans to have a deeper understanding and awareness on the environmental issues and the role they can play in conserving the environment.

 

 

The company implemented number of ongoing activities throughout the year with the view to drive environment sustainability across employees, suppliers and business operations:

 

Carbon Footprint Calculator: A carbon footprint calculator, which has been developed in-house, will be launched internally in few locations on the Virtusa Environment Day for use by employees. The carbon footprint calculator will help a Virtusan understand and get awareness on the individual carbon contribution.  Each of us, in every action we take, in every purchasing decision we make, engages a chain of events that generate a series of unintended as well as intended effects that affect the environment. Measuring the carbon footprint can give one a clear understanding of where he/she is - the scale of his/her contribution – that directly or indirectly affects the environment.

 

 

Carbon Emission Test Program: At the Virtusa Sri Lanka Advance Technology Centre, Virtusans conducted a voluntary carbon emission test program for vehicles. Several vehicles were tested and made more environmentally friendly.

 

 

Environment Friendly New Campus at Hyderabad:We are building our new campus in Hyderabad, to support an eco-friendly atmosphere. High priority is being given to the efficient use of water, soil and landscapes in addition to the use of energy efficient and eco-friendly equipment, effective control and building management systems and the use of recycled material. The tangible and intangible benefits accruing from the green initiative include:

Energy savings

 

Water savings

 

Enhanced employee comfort level leading to health and safety benefits

Improved productivity

 

 

Collection and Recycling/Reuse of Waste Paper: At Virtusa Hyderabad and Chennai Advance Technology Centre (ATC), Virtusans collected paper waste from across the facility. The ATC’s partner, with leading private company to ensure proper recycling and re-use. The money received from this effort is used for other CSR activities such as a Medical camp for orphanage kids. Through this effort, Virtusans were able to create awareness internally on re-using wastes and are able to put the money received from it to a good cause.

 

 

Code Green Initiatives: The Company additionally helps reduce CO2 emissions from purchased electricity through Green IT and Green facilities initiatives.

 

Green IT initiatives include using energy efficient bulbs, implementing virtualization of servers, focusing on reducing paper consumption in printing, etc.

 

Green Facility initiatives include focus on effective recycling and reuse of waste, using energy efficient light systems, consolidating space utilization in datacenters/work floor areas, optimized air conditioning operations, etc.

 

 

Electricity Saving Campaigns: The Company conducts electricity saving campaigns to educate Virtusans on the need to switch off computers, lights and other equipment when not in use, to conserve energy.  Our company policy is to use low energy CFL bulbs wherever possible.

 

 

Company business partners such as contractors and suppliers have been encouraged to take responsible environmental initiatives. As per our Green Procurement Policy, preference would be given to such suppliers.

 

 

By being proactively involved in saving energy and protecting the environment that Virtusa operate in, the company spread an optimistic approach to the growing urgency to save the planet.

 

 

About Virtusa Corporation: Virtusa is a global information technology (IT) services company providing IT consulting, technology implementation and application outsourcing services. Using its enhanced global delivery model, innovative platforming approach and industry expertise, Virtusa provides high-value services that enhance clients’ business performance, accelerate time-to-market, increase productivity and improve customer service.

 

 

Founded in 1996 and headquartered in Massachusetts, Virtusa has offices in the United Statesand the United Kingdom, and global delivery centers in Indiaand Sri Lanka.

 

 

To learn more about Virtusa, please visit: www.virtusa.com.

 

“Virtusa” is a registered trademark of Virtusa Corporation.

 

 

Photo Captions: (Clockwise from top left) Denver De Zylva Associate Director Virtusa Sri Lanka elaborating on Virtusa Code Green – the Environment Sustainability Programme, Launching of the Carbon Footprint Calculator and Sustainability Report by Otara Gunawardene CEO ODEL and Founder Embark, Virtusans exploring 2012 in a Zorbi a recreation of rolling downhill in an orb and (inset – centre) Achim Steiner, Executive Director of the UNEP.