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08. June 2009
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Borealis ‘Water for the World’ programme nominated for prestigious Austrian CSR award

Borealis' and Borouge's pioneering contribution towards tackling global water scarcity - Water for the World - has been recognised by TRIGOS, the Austrian Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Award. Amongst 147 applications and 27 shortlisted projects, Water for the World was nominated in the category "Society" by an independent jury consisting of TRIGOS representatives and economic and academic experts.


TRIGOS works to enhance the understanding of CSR and sustainability and its benefits for society and business in Austria, aiming to engage businesses and create public awareness of best practices. The initiative was established in 2004 by respACT, the Austrian Business Council for Sustainable Development, the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKO), Austrian trade and industry bodies, and well-known NGOs, including Caritas, the Austrian Red Cross and the "Umweltdachverband".


Launched in 2007 by Borealis and Borouge, leading providers of innovative, value creating plastics solutions, Water for the World is a programme designed to leverage the companies' expertise and business capabilities to contribute to sustainable and improved access to water and sanitation. The programme aims at addressing the environmental, business and social dimensions of sustainable development related to water and sanitation. Initiatives range from increasing water efficiency within their own operations, to developing innovative products that contribute to sustainable water management, such as highly durable leak-proof plastic pipes, working with customers and local communities, and supporting the efforts of international organisations.


Examples of achievements since the programme's launch in November 2007 include:

  • Environmental stewardship - pioneering water footprint measurements in the plastics industry by initiating a joint effort together with Uponor, a leading supplier of plumbing and heating systems, to investigate water use across the entire plastics industry value chain from raw materials extraction to a fully installed system at home, as well as partnering with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) to raise awareness and promote best practices on sustainable water management.

  • Business leadership - developing innovative products that contribute to sustainable water management, such as highly durable leak-proof plastic pipes, that contribute to the decrease of the leakage rate of up to 40% in European cities, caused by ageing, corrosive water networks.

  • Social engagement - with community field projects, such as supporting Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor (WSUP) an alliance of businesses, academics and NGOs, to improve the water and sanitation conditions of 3.5 million people living in urban slums by 2015.


"We are honoured by this important nomination which not only recognises the contribution Water for the World and our continuous efforts are making. It motivates us to further expand our programme," comments Lorenzo Delorenzi, Executive Vice President, Polyolefins, Borealis. "We hope that with Water for the World we can provide an example to others of how businesses can make a positive and truly sustainable contribution to the global water challenge."


"With Water for the World, Borealis responds to the ever-increasing global challenge of water scarcity. Through integration of employees, external experts and customers, the company connects its core business to one of the most urgent challenges for the future. Workplace health and safety, ethical business practices and environmental issues are high on the agenda of Borealis. In order to continuously improve the business landscape of the company, Borealis develops strategies and measurements which improve the social and environmental performance of the company", according to the TRIGOS jury.


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