NEW DELHI, India, July 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- US Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton chose the LEED Platinum rated ITC Green Centre to announce a
vision for Indo-US collaboration on climate change. Secretary Clinton, after
a tour of ITC's green building, said that, 'The ITC Green Centre is a
monument to the future. This Centre is a model of environmental stewardship
and economic development, which provides inspiration as we approach the
Copenhagen discussions.' Secretary Clinton said that if buildings across the
globe replicated ITC Green Centre's example, global energy use would be
reduced by 20 %. She expressed her admiration for ITC's commitment and work
on sustainability issues which underscored the fact that there was no
conflict between poverty and economic development.
The ITC Green Centre is one of the world's first largest green buildings
to receive the top-most Platinum rating from the US Green Building Council
for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). The building, which
has utilized innovation, cutting edge technology and design integration to
achieve new benchmarks in energy efficiency and water conservation, is a
manifestation of ITC's leadership in Sustainability Practices.
An exemplar from the developing world, ITC's Sustainability Vision has
enabled it to become the only company in the world to be carbon positive,
water positive and solid waste recycling positive, the three major global
environmental distinctions. By embedding inclusive corporate strategies, its
businesses have generated nearly 5 million livelihoods, many of whom
represent the weakest sections in India.
ITC's Green Centre uses CO2 monitoring systems to enhance Indoor Air
Quality to provide the freshest air, uses natural lighting to reduce energy
load, has zero water discharge, and even uses natural plants that need
minimum water.
Amongst ITC's sustainability initiatives are the e-Choupal, the world's
largest rural digital infrastructure that empowers 4 million farmers, Social
and Farm Forestry programs that have cumulatively generated 40 million
mandays of employment for poor tribals and marginal farmers, and Watershed
Development programmes that irrigate nearly 44,000 hectares. The Company's
community engagement projects encompass Rural Supplementary Education
reaching out to over 1,80,000 children, Women Empowerment programmes that
have created over 20,000 rural women entrepreneurs and Integrated Livestock
Development services provided to over 2,70,000 milch animals.
Contact Details :
Nazeeb Arif
Vice President
Corporate Communications
ITC Ltd
37, J L Nehru Road
Kolkata - 700 027. India
nazeeb.arif@itc.in
http://www.itcportal.in
SOURCE ITC LIMITED
