The Princess of Asturias Foundation reaffirms the commitment it made in 2011 to reduce the environmental impact resulting from its activities. To this end, the Foundation is working with the Ecology and Development Foundation (ECODES) to offset the carbon footprint resulting from the activities it will carry out during the Princess of Asturias Awards Week. This commitment has resulted in the Princess of Asturias Awards once again earning the net zero emissions event eco-label (CeroCO2), a certificate ECODES awards to businesses and organizations that offset their environmental impact, one which the Foundation has boasted since 2012.
The CO2e emissions from the activities organized to mark the Awards Ceremony experienced an overall reduction of 49.99% between 2011 and 2022, with a significant improvement in the indicators being evaluated. The Foundation has managed to effectively reduce emissions per attendee by 79%, from 36.12 kg CO2e (2011) to 7.71 kg CO2e (2022). An 87% reduction in emissions per surface area has likewise been achieved, from 51.53 kg CO2e to 6.86 kg CO2e, and an 84% reduction in emissions per event, from 19.59t CO2e to 3.02t CO2e. Also worth highlighting is the decrease in paper consumption emissions by 1040.29%, from 10.764t CO2e in 2011 to 0.94t CO2e in 2022, as a consequence of the digitalization of information media.
The Foundation will offset its carbon footprint through the “Conservation of the Peruvian Amazon in Madre de Dios” project.
Via its net zero emissions eco-label and programme, ECODES works to enable Spanish companies and organizations to calculate, offset and reduce their carbon footprint. The offsetting consists of a voluntary monetary contribution for each metric ton of CO2e generated to a project that avoids or captures the same amount of CO2e.
In addition to the aforementioned offset, the Foundation’s environmental commitment includes reducing its carbon footprint. Accordingly, this year it will have eight hybrid vehicles at its disposal to be used by Princess of Asturias Foundation staff to get about.