1. GRAMEENPHONE CLIMATE PROJECT
About The Program
Our climate is changing very fast and causing the earth adversely with its consequences. While
manmade pollution is principally responsible for the crisis, it is the mankind again who are
suffering for it. But for us, how much do we know about this?
Although Bangladesh is responsible for as low as 0.1% of the world carbon dioxide emission, it
will be one of the worst-hit countries by suffering consequences caused by climate change.
IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change) in its report mentioned that high waters
and salinity is likely to displace millions of Bangladeshi people, and make them climate refugees
by the end of 2050. Loss of habitable and arable lands, extinction of wild lives, frequent flood
and cyclones will make our lives miserable. In the long run, simply it will jeopardize the FUTURE
of our next generation.
On the awakening to this crisis, we believe that we have a responsibility to take. We can reduce
our carbon footprint by individual and collective initiatives. We can live a greener life by
adopting 3R principle: Reduce-Reuse-Recycle. We can pursue with our respective companies
and organizations to develop and implement a Climate and Environmental strategy. We would
also need to inspire and encourage others through our advocacy for Bangladesh.
Emission Factors
GrameenPhone uses GHG protocol for its emission reporting. GrameenPhone's emission
sources are: Electricity, fuel and flights from the areas of Networks, Building & IT and Transport.
Emission calculation is based on the following factors as provided by the Telenor Group office.
1 GW-hr Electricity produces 602.08 tons of CO2
1 liter of Diesel procedures 2.663 kg of CO2
1 liter of Octane produces 2.34 kg of CO2
1 M3 of CNG produces 2.08 kg of CO2
1 Km of AIR Travel for long flight produces 0.11 kg of CO2
1 Km of AIR Travel for short flight produces 0.15 kg of CO2
2. Emission Reports
Q3 Climate KPI Report
GP Climate Change Ambition
We believe that the climate crisis is real, and we have a responsibility to take. Our ambition is
to reduce 30% carbon footprint and become a GREEN COMPANY by 2015.
GP Climate Change Strategy
The climate strategy of GrameenPhone aims to become a Green Company by shifting towards
low carbon operation, practicing green standards internally and developing a greater
momentum in the community with people.
3. Reduced Carbon Emission:
The objective of this focus area is to reduce CO2 Emission by reducing energy consumption
from direct operational areas through Power Reduction Program in Networks, IT, Office
building and at Transport.
Under this program there are a number of activities has been taken in Networks such as:
1. Cooling reduction in network sites, switches & datacenters
2. Green IT & Green Base Stations
3. 30% energy requirement reduction target by 2015
Buildings and offices consumes a large portion of energy and initiatives have been taken to
reduce it.
1. Moving towards CHQ (energy efficient headquarter building)
2. Office electricity & fuel by optimization & internal cut
Transport is another area of concern due to its heavy consumption of fuel. To run GP’s
operations throughout the country, employees requires to travel both locally and aboard.
Initiatives on this area are as below:
1. Optimization & internal cut from vehicle fleet
2. Reduce travel by employees
Carbon emission reduction KPI is in Tons of CO2 for GrameenPhone.
The benefit from this strategy is to achieve energy & cost efficiency from the initiatives.
4. Employee Awareness:
The focus of this strategic area is to create awareness among GP employees and inspire
adopting greener lifestyle.
For the employee awareness part, below initiatives will be done
1. Email from climate change program: Quarterly
2. Presentations & articles on climate change-prevention-mitigation: Quarterly
3. Desktop wallpaper: Quarterly
4. Climate change progress report & newsletter : Quarterly
There will be different initiatives for employee engagement on the subject matter.
1. Bonus KPI linked with energy efficiency for related teams
2. Tree plantation program
3. Social networking: Linked In, Twitter, Newsvine, Wordpress & Facebook groups
Benefits from the above activities will be:
Companywide attachment and engagement to Climate Change Program
Achieving climate goals through employee participation & motivation
Become a Green Company with energy and environment friendly workforce
Green Company:
GP’s aim is to become climate and environment friendly through entire value chain. Following
initiatives are in focus towards the transformation:
Green procurement guideline in SCM
1. RFQ & vendor selection: Weight 10-15%
2. Monitoring KPI: % of RFQ with green guidelines
Environmental Management System as per ISO 14001:2004
1. EMS: Develop & Implement GP specific guidelines
2. Environmental Impact assessment: Environmental audit & reporting
Disposal & Waste management policy with recycling
5. 1. Recycling option in the disposal & waste management process: Develop & implement
policy procedures
2. Environmental friendly disposal & waste management: Periodic monitoring & quarterly
report
Benefits from the transformation will be Telenor Group Compliance to Environment
Reach 2015 Climate & Environmental ambition
Establish sustainability in operations: Value for shareholders & customers
Development of corporate image
Environmental impact reporting for GP operations
Advocacy:
Focus on advocacy will be to create a greater momentum with community & people. Below are
the listed initiatives.
Formation of ‘Bangladesh Climate Watch’: The Advocacy group
1. Advocacy group: Establish with DoE, MTOB, Corporate houses
2. Green Movement: Establish official web site for the group
3. Leading mobile sector: Invite MTOB members to become climate & Env. friendly
4. Create national momentum: Invite and bring corporate houses to BD Climate Change
Umbrella
5. Benchmarking: Benchmarking climate initiatives in BD
1. Media Coverage:
1. Billboards, Print Add & TVC: Every second month
2. Leaflets on GP climate change at GPC for customers
3. Climate Change Workshops on Prevention & Adaptation: Semi annually
4. Social Networking
1. GP Climate Change Program Coverage: Linked In, Facebook, Newsvine
2. Program follow up: Twitter, Wordpress
Benefits
Visibility of Climate Initiatives of GrameenPhone
A bigger & meaningful momentum at national level to produce greater results
Benchmarking GP position in climate initiatives and adjust roadmap
Leadership role in the society and country to become a leading organization by 2015
6. Green Business:
Explore and launch green services for the customers.
1. Handset recycling project: # of recycled handsets
1. Handset New Life: Refurbish with new battery, casing or keypad
2. Handset trade in: Discount on new sets for an old mobile
3. Introduce ‘Green Recycle Mobile’ shelf at GPC to address BOP segment
2. E-Invoices
3. Billpay
4. Mobitaka
Benefits
1. Ensure green experience by GP customers
2. Earn revenue and improve profitability
3. Possibility to address BOP or Financially Constrained market segment by providing green
handsets.
4. Social benefit by recycling old handsets
Corporate Social Responsibility:
Facilitate adaptation for climate change in Bangladesh.
1. Cyclone shelters: to safeguard coastal community
2. Landscaping GP Sites with Tree plantation, and environmental visuals
3. Cyclone & Flood alert through SMS service
4. Sapling distribution
5. Environmental campaign, promote ‘Sabujey Thakun, Kachey Thakun’: Brand Tracking
Benefits:
Help the community during disasters & crisis
Visibility of climate change program to community
Attachment of the program to community
7. GP Climate Initiatives
Renewable Energy
GrameenPhone has a number of sites located at the very remote areas of Bangladesh where no
grid connection is available. Beside that in many grids connected sites outage last from 8-16
hours a day. In order to provide uninterrupted voice and data communication services to these
areas, GrameenPhone uses traditional method of running diesel generator for electricity
production. This causes high CO2 emission and noise pollution. As a step forward towards
Green and to overcome operational challenges, GrameenPhone has rolled out 12 Solar and 1
wind powered base station sites in 2009 in addition to the previously rolled out 2 pilot solar
sites in Dec 2007. Currently GrameenPhone has a total of 15 Green BTS sites. Plan for 2010 is to
deploy 100 or more sites with renewable energy.
Legacy core nodes swap and switch vacant project
To build a low carbon core network, GP swapped 39 legacy MSC with energy efficient layered
architecture MSS in 2009. This enabled 43% energy and emission savings over previous system
along with more space efficiency. To gain even further energy and space efficiency, 2 core sites
has been vacant under the core site consolidation project.
Other Energy saving Initiatives
In order to reduce energy consumption and emission from GP’s operational footprint, a number
of other energy saving initiatives have been taken. Cooling requirement of site is responsible for
around 50% of the total site’s energy consumption. In order to reduce AIRCON runtime at BTS
sites, an intelligent device name ACP has been installed in 500 sites. DC fan ventilation system
has also been installed at 50 sites to reduce the need for AIRCON. Other major initiatives
include: power connection to 155 off Grid sites which used to run on diesel generator, 400
additional battery sets has been installed at site to offload 170 generators and 3 PIU (Power
Integrated Unit) has been installed on a pilot basis at low voltage site to reduce generator
runtime. IT server consolidation has also been done to gain resource and energy efficiency.
Transport Initiatives
To gain efficiency and to reduce emission a number of transport initiatives had been taken in
2009. 50% of the fleet has been converted to CNG. Fleet optimization has been ensured
through proper usage and internal awareness. Vehicle pooling and monitoring has been
introduced to gain optimum level of efficiency.
8. GP Green Office
We plan to select Green Ambassadors from all divisions/departments to start the Green
Office. Currently the Climate Project has cross functional resources throughout all divisions
working in this role.
Climate Change Knowledgebase
Have you been wondering why the weather is going to such extremes lately? Why are summers
so hot? Why are cyclones more common? Why are so many people suffering from diseases
such as diarrhea and dengue? Why is there a silent storm going around everywhere?
Well, all your questions have just one simple answer with a not so simple solution – CLIMATE
CHANGE caused by global warming. Does it all seem to make sense now?
The first and foremost important aspect of combating the climate change is awareness.
Learn more from our knowledgebase.
16. Contact
Currently Climate Project is placed under the Technology Division of the company. For more
details, please contact:
Md. Ariful Alam
Climate Champion
Climate Project
Technology Division
GrameenPhone Ltd.
Phone-(+88) 01711080742
(i) Email nehtisham@GrameenPhone.com
Work Phone 8801711503157
Job Technology.Climate Project.Specialist-Climate Project
Manager Tanveer Mohammad
Department Climate Project.Technology
Full Name Nafis Ehtisham
Employee Number 3442
(ii) Email tanveer@GrameenPhone.com
Work Phone 8801711500102
Job Technology.Divisional Head.Chief Technology Officer
Manager Tore Johnsen
Department Divisional Head.Technology
Full Name Tanveer Mohammad
Employee Number 0121
