Case Study
Enhancing sustainable energy assets through responsible management
ENRG operating partners are expected to manage assets to the highest environmental and social responsibility standards.
To this end as part of the asset specific sustainability action plan we tasked the operating partners to achieve demanding international standards including:
ISO 14001 for environmental management and ISO 45001 for health and safety management to enhance operational efficiency, ensure risk and opportunity management and build stakeholder trust.
Certification involved a rigorous process to ensure policies, processes and procedures were in place and being followed and an in-depth third-party verification process which involved management and employee participation and communication.
Health and safety management includes establishing and implementing protocols and employee training programmes to prioritise employee and community safety and both assets have achieved zero total case injury rates since acquisition.
In addition, the hydro facility was tasked with achieving the hydropower sustainability standard within three years of acquisition. This certification process will be completed a year ahead of schedule in 2024. The standard is a global certification scheme, outlining sustainability expectations for hydropower projects around the world with the objective to help projects provide net benefits to the local communities and environments they interact with. In 2023, the Brazilian hydro facility operating partner engaged a third-party expert to complete a gap analysis and baseline study using the Hydropower Sustainability ESG Gap Analysis Tool. This analysis found robust programmes and projects to manage environmental issues with no significant gaps in avoiding, minimising and mitigating environmental and social impacts.
The gap analysis led to enhanced community engagement at the facilities including educational days for local school children and community training and simulation for dam safety with an emergency action plan coordinated in partnership with local agencies including police and fire departments.
Adherence to ISO and sustainability standards will contribute to long-term asset value and investment confidence. The success of operating partners in achieving these standards reinforce their commitment to continuous operational improvement and ENRG’s commitment to responsible investment practices and ongoing search to add sustainable value.