Companies win clean energy awards

By Taddeo Bwambale

Five companies have received awards for adopting efficient means to use of water resources and reduce pollution.

The Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production (RECP) awards were handed out at a ceremony held at Hotel Africana on Wednesday.

The awards covered six categories, namely: energy efficiency, waste water management, water use reduction and materials efficiency and the corporate social responsibility.

Kakira Sugar Ltd won the top award for corporate social responsibility and another for energy efficiency.

Sadolin Paints (U) Ltd won materials efficiency award, while Crown Beverages took home the water use management award, and Leather Industries of Uganda Ltd claimed the waste water management award.

Other companies awarded certificates for their efforts to adopt clean energy include Paramount Dairies (2010) Ltd, Lake View Hotel, Igara Brewers Tea Factory, Sunset Hotel International, and GBK Dairy Products Ltd.

The awards were organised by the Uganda Cleaner Production Centre, a joint project of the Government of Uganda and United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).

The minister of trade, industry and cooperatives, Amelia Kyambadde pledged Government support to such initiatives to ensure the sustainability of small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

“Over 80% of Uganda’s economy is based on SMEs. My ministry will work with companies to promote the use of cleaner energy because environment is crucial to market access,” she said.

Kyambadde assured the companies of better returns for using cleaner energy sources, noting that addressing water pollution and emissions had a direct link to their production patterns.

She noted that addressing environmental challenges did not only require policy interventions, but also a mindset shift.

The minister appealed to the companies to share their knowledge with other firms, and raise awareness for communities to take steps to protect the environment.