An East London Industrial Development Zone SOC Ltd (ELIDZ) based investor, Clariter, has been nominated as one of the finalists in the 2020 S&P Global Platts Global Energy Awards – “Award of Excellence – Downstream” category
Clariter has been selected as a finalist in the 22nd annual S&P Global Platts Global Energy Awards, an annual affair recognizing exemplary contributions by both companies and individuals in the energy industry. The 2020 finalists, chosen from some 300 nominated entries from more than 36 countries were announced by programme host S&P Global Platts, the leading global provider of energy and commodities information and spot market benchmarks. Established in 1999 and often described as “the Oscars of the energy industry”, the S&P Global Platts Global Energy Awards highlight corporate and individual innovation, leadership and superior performance in 21 categories spanning the entire energy complex.
On the event of their nomination, Clariter Chief Operations Officer, Petra Koselka, said: “We are proud to be nominated, and it is an honour to be amongst such a prestigious group of industry leaders. We hold the firm belief that Clariter heralds the future of green petrochemical manufacturing and would like to thank S&P Global Platts for highlighting the next generation of Downstream players.”
Congratulating the 2020 Award of Excellence – Downstream finalist, ELIDZ Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Simphiwe Kondlo stated that the nomination is proof that Clariter is making meaningful strides in addressing the plastic waste crisis that is plaguing the world. “Supported by their disruptive technology, the company has found innovative ways of ensuring that plastic waste is recycled and refined for further use through an array of products such as cosmetics and wax applications.”
Furthermore, Kondlo added that Clariter’s role in the ELIDZ is more than that of just being an investor, this as both companies will partner to create an SMME cluster, which will be made up of a group of Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises that work with the multinational corporation in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality region.
“The cluster is in two-fold, there is a group of emerging and medium-sized recycling companies that will enter into contractual agreements with Clariter for the sole purpose of collecting plastic waste for the company. The other group of companies will brand and sell the by-products which are pure industrial products such as oils, waxes, and solvents. These will then be used as drop-in ingredients in more than 1,000 different end-products, paints and coatings, leather and wood care products and even in cosmetics, replacing crude oil derived alternatives,” added Kondlo.
The winners of the 2020 Platts Global Energy Awards will be announced at a virtual celebration to be held on 10 December 2020.
Winning the award would add a feather in an already illustrated cap for Clariter, because they have been widely recognised in the industry for their contribution in ending plastic waste in the environment and reducing the demand for fossil fuels.
As part of the East London Industrial Development Zone SOC Ltd (ELIDZ) programmatic approach to finding innovative ways of reducing our carbon footprint whilst maintaining a high rate of production, there is also a conscious effort to minimise our environmental impact.
The ELIDZ recently conducted an Eco-Industrial Park (EIP) assessment. This study conducted in collaboration with Sofies Sustainability Leaders Pvt. Ltd and the National Cleaner Production Centre South Africa (NCPC-SA), released a report which revealed that the organisation ranks as the top, most advanced and eco-friendly Zone amongst establishments of a similar nature studied across the globe.
The assessment follows a 2018 greenhouse gas emissions inventory which was conducted in collaboration with NCPC-SA and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).
According to the ELIDZ Sector Manager: Renewable Energy, Chris Ettmayr, the exercise was necessitated by the zone’s obligation to sustainable environmental practices combined with a need to ensure that the IDZ remains suitable for light industries.
“The ELIDZ has been striving to measure and monitor its environmental impact from its own operations as well as those of its investors and tenants. As such, sustainable growth can only be achieved in conjunction with minimising the impact on the environment. The ELIDZ has therefore been monitoring its carbon emissions, water use and a number of other environmental as well as social impacts. It is important to monitor this over time as well, to ensure that a baseline is available and projects to mitigate any negative impacts can be implemented and measured.”
The reports key areas of assessment included the organisation’s environmental, economic and social performance.
Furthermore, Ettmayr added that the assessment is an important benchmark for the ELIDZ as it will show neighbouring communities and potential investors that the company is environmentally conscious. “The ELIDZ’s mandate is to grow the economy, but not at the peril of people and nature. With the ELIDZ ranking number one amongst the global parks already audited, it also sets the IDZ apart from other zones of similar nature and it acts as a leader for others to emulate.”
Meanwhile the report states that the ELIDZ continues to perform favourably when pitted against large proportions of the benchmarks in the International EIP Framework. 42 out of the 51 international benchmarks were fully met by the ELIDZ (82% of the total benchmarks).
“Seven benchmarks were not met and the performance against two benchmarks will be confirmed through additional data validation. With current and upcoming initiatives, the ELIDZ intends to reach a performance of 88% of the international benchmarks. These results position the ELIDZ as a leading industrial zone in South Africa transforming into an internationally recognized eco-industrial park.”
Ettmayr explained that this achievement bodes well for the Zone’s marketing efforts as both existing and future tenants who have consumers who care for the future of the planet will be drawn towards the ethos that the ELIDZ continuously strives for perfection.
“The ELIDZ is aligned to the country’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gases and being responsible with the consumption of limited resources and this sets us apart from a marketing perspective and offers a unique selling point.”
The ELIDZ has already put plans in place to address areas of improvement identified through the assessment which will further improve the organisation’s scoring in future audits.
“We have already started with a smart street lighting project which holds numerous benefits but there is also the next phase of this project, which is going to be embarked on, where the ELIDZ will be packaging projects to be taken to bankable feasibility stage. This will really enhance the status of our park and attract a new kind of responsible tenants and customers of the future,” concluded Ettmayr.
Education in South Africa is in crisis. The situation has been exacerbated by the recent lockdown and children in the poorest situations, risk being left even further behind.
The African Angels Independent School in Chintsa East gives these children a quality primary school education to help secure a better future for them and their families. Despite receiving no government funding since the school was established in 2012, the dedicated team at African Angels have managed to meet their financial commitments, through the support of long term donors and sponsors, and clever fundraising initiatives like the recent #88forangels. These funds are used to provide well equipped classrooms, qualified and experienced teachers, a properly applied curriculum and two meals a day, to ensure that our 142 children are ready to learn and grow to meet their full potential.
African Angels believe that a high-quality education will enable our children to become productive, employed and sound citizens of South Africa. They need your help to keep going.
If you share their dream of a productive South Africa, and you can, please support their Charity Golf Day on 20 November at Olivewood Golf Course and Private Estate.
There are multiple ways to get involved, either as a participant, a sponsor, or both. These are outlined in the Matrix below. This is just a starting point for discussions – if you have other ideas on how you would prefer to get involved and contribute to this cause, please contact Lou Billet by email on louk@sponsoranangel.org.
Any support will be acknowledged in the event marketing programme before and after the event – the sooner you sign up, the more coverage you will receive. In addition, all sponsorships will attract a Section 18(a) tax certificate (donations receipt).
By taking part in the Golf Day, you will reap the business benefits of networking with the East London business community while also investing in the future of South Africa’s children.
Caroline Kruger, who works with their team, will contact you in the next few days to discuss any questions you may have and to chart a way forward.
