Leading paint company Dulux South Africa – well known for its wide range of vibrant paint colours – has gone the green route internally as it seeks to minimise the impact of its operations on the environment.
In line with this commitment, the company held its first ever Global Sustainability Day which underlines the company’s commitment to ensuring that sustainability issues are at the forefront of its agenda.
Sustainability “champions” have been appointed to oversee important areas within the company as part of the “Step Towards Greener” campaign which is colouring everything that Dulux does.
The “champions” are mandated to ensure that impact reduction targets are met in a variety of areas including: energy; transport and travel; waste and resources; people and communities; and products and services. Comprehensive carbon footprint reporting has also been implemented.
As a member of the AkzoNobel group, the world’s leading paint company, Dulux fully subscribes to and implements AkzoNobel’s all-embracing approach to sustainability and ensuring that all of its operations and activities are as environmentally responsible as possible.
 
It pays serious attention to the “triple bottom line” – environment, social and economic factors – to reduce risk and ensure that it is a good corporate citizen and neighbour in both local and global communities. “We are basically painting our company greener from within as we strive towards improving our sustainability levels across all aspects of our operations,” said Pradesh Naidu, Dulux’ Sustainability Manager.
 
“By breaking down internal business categories and having each one championed by a committed individual, we are able to make a big difference in the way that we do things.”
Interventions implemented by Dulux are across-the-board, including: installing lighting sensors; installing rainwater harvesting tanks; installing heat pumps and solar geysers; using fuel efficient additives in transport vehicles; and wherever possible opting for web and video conferencing hook-ups instead of carbon-emitting travel journeys.
Going a step further, the company is even looking into supplying its staff with energy-efficient shower heads to use in their homes. “Our approach is all-embracing so that we can make sure that we are genuinely making a difference that can have a meaningful and lasting effect over time,” stressed Naidu.
Importantly, Dulux South Africa has set itself a number of goals across five broad strategic areas to further entrench sustainability across its operations and throughout the decorating environment. The company’s strategic approach towards sustainability is highlighted by the way in which it behaves towards the people and communities with whom it interacts.
 
“We are highly cognizant of the impact of our products and services on the environment and the communities in which we operate by being vigilant about our use of energy, the way in which products are transported and the way in which natural resources are used to minimize waste,” said Naidu, adding that there is now convincing evidence of the effects of human-induced climate change taking place on every continent on earth.