Farnek Signs UAE Climate-responsible Pledge

Leading UAE-based smart and green facilities management (FM) company Farnek has joined a select group of major UAE organisations and signed a Climate-Responsible Pledge to support the UAE’s decarbonisation drive in line with the UAE net zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative.

Markus Oberlin Second from Left at the Signing Ceremony

The signing ceremony took place at the Fifth National Dialogue for Climate Ambition (NDCA) in Abu Dhabi, hosted by The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE). Dignitaries at the event included HE Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and the Environment and the Rt Hon. Vincent Keaveny, Lord Mayor of the City of London.

“By signing this pledge, we have committed to stepping up our efforts to combat climate change by measuring and reporting our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions transparently, developing ambitious but realistic science-based plans to reduce our carbon footprint and sharing these plans with the UAE government to contribute towards the UAE achieving its national net zero targets by 2050,” said Markus Oberlin, CEO, Farnek.

“Furthermore, by integrating sustainability principles across our operations, we will adopt an all-inclusive approach that engages youth, women, and vulnerable segments of society,” he added.

The UAE Climate-Responsible Companies Pledge is part of MOCCAE’s initiatives focused on scaling up the UAE’s climate action in response to the call of the Glasgow Climate Pact, an outcome of the 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), for countries to seek higher GHG emission reduction targets.

Apart from Farnek, representatives from other UAE organisations, such as the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE), TAQA, SirajPower, Taka Solutions, Talabat and Zurich Insurance Middle East, were also present, amongst others. Previous signatories included BEEAH, Emirates Nature-WWF, Majid Al Futtaim Group, Standard Chartered Bank, HSBC, Masdar, Emirates Global Aluminium, Emirates Steel Arkan Group, Aldar Properties, Emirates Environmental Group and the Chalhoub Group.

Farnek has already unveiled its roadmap to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. Using 2021 as a baseline, Farnek consultants have identified the scope and boundaries to measure its carbon footprint accurately.

Apart from building performance, such as energy and water consumption, Farnek is also considering employee travel, logistics, purchased goods and services, waste disposal, and focusing on recycling, renewables and other lower carbon alternatives.

Moreover, Farnek has set emission targets for each category and applied an initial five-year reduction goal, which will be reviewed annually to monitor progress and adjust if necessary.

Nadia Ibrahim, Associate Director - Consultancy & Sustainability at Farnek, commented, “By 2026, we aim to reduce our electricity, water, refrigerants and fuel consumption by 30%. We will also cut our waste by 10% and lower emissions associated with purchased goods and services by 5%.”

In 2031 Farnek’s objective is to decrease its emissions in these categories by up to 50%, and by 2048 its carbon footprint will have been cut by up to 90% overall.

“It is impossible to become carbon neutral by reduction methods alone, so the remaining 10% will be offset, by supporting certified carbon offset projects, thereby achieving our Net Zero target by 2050,” added Ibrahim.

For more information, log on to www.farnek.com.