WINTER 2016 43 42 Where needs take us Environmental Responsibility in Zoom Tzachi Mor Assistant to Executive VP & COO 39 Single BA and MA in Economics Tel Aviv, Israel \\\ With ICL since 2009 Roy Weidberg Carbon Footprint and Sustainability Coordinator 33 Married + newborn boy B.Sc. in Environmental Engineering Tel Aviv, Israel \\\ With ICL since 2010 One more thing: I’m a member of a playback theater group (that performs improvisations based on personal stories from the audience). ICL Headquarters Tel Aviv & Be’er Sheva, Israel Following years of preparation and negotiations, nearly 200 countries came to an agreement at the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP21) held in Paris in December which aims to limit the rise in global temperature by reducing the countries’ carbon footprints. The conference placed squarely back in focus the global discussion of the climate change issue which for years has been one of the core elements in ICL’s strategy of sustainability. “Within global industry,” say Tzachi Mor and Roy Weidberg – one serving as the chief editor and person responsible for producing ICL’s annual report on corporate responsibility, and the other the company’s sustainability and carbon footprint coordinator – “ICL has repeatedly proven its leadership in the struggle against greenhouse gas emissions, and in 2014 was even included in the exclusive list of companies leading the world-wide efforts in this field.” ICL’s remarkable achievements in the area of climate change prove, beyond all doubt, that sustainability is a part of our DNA. Out standing in sustainability
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WINTER 2016 4342 Where needs take us
Environmental Responsibility inZoomTzachi Mor
Assistant to Executive VP & COO 39 Single BA and MA in Economics Tel Aviv, Israel \\\ With ICL since 2009
Roy Weidberg
Carbon Footprint and Sustainability Coordinator 33
Married + newborn boy B.Sc. in Environmental Engineering
Tel Aviv, Israel \\\ With ICL since 2010
One more thing: I’m a member of a playback theater group (that performs improvisations based on personal stories from the audience).
ICL Headquarters Tel Aviv & Be’er Sheva, Israel
Following years of preparation and negotiations, nearly 200 countries came to an agreement at the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP21) held in Paris in December which aims to limit the rise in global temperature by reducing the countries’ carbon footprints. The conference placed squarely back in focus the global discussion of the climate change issue which for years has been one of the core elements in ICL’s strategy of sustainability. “Within global industry,” say Tzachi Mor and Roy Weidberg – one serving as the chief editor and person responsible for producing ICL’s annual report
on corporate responsibility, and the other the company’s sustainability and carbon footprint coordinator – “ICL has repeatedly proven its leadership in the struggle against greenhouse gas emissions, and in 2014 was even included in the exclusive list of companies leading the world-wide efforts in this field.” ICL’s remarkable achievements in the area of climate change prove, beyond all doubt, that sustainability is a part of our DNA.
Outstanding in sustainability
WINTER 2016 4544 Where needs take us
You deal with various aspects of sustainability in the organization. Are you yourselves “green”?Tzachi: The truth is that until my cur-rent posiiton at ICL I wasn’t exposed to the issue of sustainability or to its pro-found implications on ICL’S activities and on us as individuals. I began work-ing as an economist at ICL six years ago, and in 2013 I was appointed as Assistant to the Executive VP & COO, Mr. Asher Grinbaum, who is responsi-ble, among other things, for the area of sustainability and environment in the company. Among my roles, I am responsible for producing ICL’s corpo-rate responsibility report, and there is no doubt that this complex task has increased my sensitivity and aware-ness to the environment in general.Roy: For me it began earlier…I was a member of a Nahal youth group of the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel, and I continued to study environmental engineering at the Technion. Even today, I “take my work home” in the sense that I try to apply values of sustainability in my private life. I try to separate garbage and recy-cleable materials, limit our energy and water use, and purchase products that weren’t tested on animals. I recent-ly placed a compost bin for organic waste in the yard of my building, and I discovered that my neighbors also use it occasionally. Regarding our subject: when we talk about a “carbon footprint” we are referring to the responsibility of an entity for damage to the earth from greenhouse gas emissions resulting from its activities. Before we speak about ICL, can you explain what kind of damage results from these emissions?Roy: In the global scientific commu-nity there is a concensus that human activity, i.e. massive emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and primari-ly carbon dioxide into the atmosphere,
its earliest days. We are obligated to prove – and we do prove – that we not only talk, but act. Where do greenhouse gas emis-sions come from at ICL and what can we do to reduce them?Roy: More than half of the green-house gas emissions at ICL derive directly from fuel combustion at com-pany facilities, and mainly from ICL’s power station at the Dead Sea. Direct emissions also result from chemical processes at ICL’s various plants, primarily emissions of CO2 from the acidulation of phosphate rock at ICL Rotem, which is an unavoidable part of the production process there. In
addition, large amounts of indirect emissions result from using exter-nally produced electricity. Other, but much smaller, amounts of emissions result from the use of cooling gases and vehicles, waste treatment, water consumption and treatment, and even from flights taken by company employees. ICL works extensively to reduce its emissions, and the greatest opportunities to do so are energy re-lated (see map). Changes to chemical production processes can also result in a significant reduction of certain greenhouse gas emissions. What is ICL’s position in this regard in comparison to similar companies
inZoom
Well done to ICL!
Recently, the 2015 CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project) scores were published and ICL was awarded a disclosure score of 99 (out of 100) for its report, which is among the top 120 scores (or top 6%) of all global companies in 2015. ICL’s score is also tied for second-best among global fertilizer-producing companies, and is the highest disclosure score ever achieved by a Israel-based company. Due to ICL’s efforts to reduce its GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions, the company has achieved one of the top two CDP performance scores (A or B) for the past five years. In 2014, ICL was also included in the CDP CPLI (Carbon Performance Leadership Index), an exclusive list of global companies that have excelled in emission reduction and climate change mitigation.
ICL Rotem, Israel: Strategic transition of the large majority of installations from the combustion of heavy fuel oil to natural gas. Transition to using external electricity mostly from the natural gas-based private power plant, OPC Rotem.
ICL Dead Sea: Massive reduction of ~ 1 million tonnes CO2e ,in the magnesium site, by switching from using SF6 gas to the much less-harmful HFC134a gas, as a cover gas in magnesium production.
ICL Haifa SF BU, Israel: Integrating an innovative system that has resulted in a reduction of about 60% in Nitrous Oxide emissions per tonne of produced Nitric Acid.
ICL US Gallipolis Ferry: Integrating a state-of-the-art central cooling unit in production processes which has significantly reduced cooling gas leakage.
ICL China Shandong and Jiaxing: Full calculation of the carbon footprint of two ICL IP products in 2013 – for the first time at ICL plants in China.
ICL Germany Ladenburg: Operating a new co-generation facility in 2014, producing electricity and steam in a combined, productive process, saving energy and reducing emissions.
ICL UK Nutberry: Examining the possibility of installing wind turbines at the plant as a source of reneweble energy.
ICL US Ontario: Integration of a bromine-based energy accumulating battery in October 2015, enabling the effective management and reduction of electricity usage.
ICL Iberia: Reducing energy losses in fluid bed dryers and pumps using technological improvements.
ICL US Lawrence: Technological upgrade of steam, heat and light recovery systems, to increase energy savings.
ICL Mexico Nuevo Leon: Improving insulation and upgrading lighting and compressed air systems to reduce energy usage.
ICL the Netherlands Heerlen: • Integrating an innovative cooling
system that re-uses heat energy from combustion processes.
• Subsidizing the purchase of bicycles for employees to reduce the use of private cars.
is the principle cause of the climate changes that we have been experi-encing in recent decades. In most areas around the world significant rises have been recorded in average temperatures and in the frequency of extreme weather events, such as hur-ricanes, storms or extended droughts. Additional and alarming side effects to these changes are melting icebergs, changes in lifestyles of flora and fauna, the re-appearance of diseases such as malaria, and others. There is also a concern that climate change will, in the future, result in rising sea levels, making large areas of land un-suitable for human life. In fact, climate
change today already is one of the causes of massive waves of migration from certain parts of Africa and other continents, because of the inability to engage in traditional agriculture in many increasingly-arid areas.Tzachi: Without the extensive and coordinated action by all governments and large comanies around the world to significantly reduce their global greenhouse gas emissions, these phe-nomena will just increase. The world expects companies like ICL to prove their determination in the fight against climate change, so we made green-house gas management a central is-sue in ICL’s policy of sustainibility from
ICL’s Global Map of Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction
Environmental Responsibility
WINTER 2016 4746 Where needs take us
Gift Giving – Getting it RightMessage from ICL’s – Vice President, ICL Global Compliance
ICL is an ethical company that obeys the laws of the countries in which we operate. None of us wants to give or receive a gift or entertainment which could be perceived as an illegal bribe. However, understanding the laws and regulations about gifts and entertainment in the business world can be confusing
and intimidating. Last year, we created the ICL Gift & Entertainment Policy to outline ICL’s rules on giving and receiving gifts & entertainment. You should have already received a copy of the policy. We receive many ques-tions on what is permissible under this policy. I hope this Ethics Corner helps you better understand what is permissible and/or requires approval when giving or receiving gifts & entertainment as an employee of ICL.
Heather K. Luther, Chief Compliance Officer
FAQ Do I need to get approval to give a wedding present over $50 to my friend who also works for a customer of ICL?If you have a longstanding personal friendship formed outside work, and your friend happens to also works for our customer, then a wedding gift would not be consid-ered a business gift under the ICL Gift & Entertainment Policy and thus, no approval is required.
Do I have to get approval under the Gift & Entertainment Policy to take a customer to dinner?No. Providing a reasonable busi-ness meal to a customer or accept-ing a business meal from a vendor does not require approval under this policy; however you should make sure to follow your manager’s guidelines in this area.
At an industry conference that I attended, I won a randomly selected raffle for a $200 gift card. Can I keep it?Since it is worth over $50 and was obtained in the course of your job with ICL you need to obtain approv-al to keep it.
What should I do if at a busi-ness meeting I am presented a gift that clearly requires approval under our policy? Do I need to reject it at the meeting?You will have to use your business judgment at the time of whether you can politely decline the gift without offending your host, or whether it is best to bring the gift to your manager to figure out what to do with it.
Giving and Receiving Gifts & Entertainment
If you have questions about ICL’s Gift & Entertainment Policy please contact Heather Luther, ICL's VP of Global Compliance or your Regional Compliance Officer: Mischa Menheere, Europe, [email protected] • Ellen Chen, Asia, [email protected] • Heather Luther, Americas, [email protected] • Amir Meshulam, Israel & Africa, [email protected]
Are you giving or receiving a gift or entertainment?
Is it cash or in direct exchange for a business advantage?
Is the recipient currently evaluating a business decision involving
the giver’s company?
Is the gift or entertainment to a government official?
Is it legal in the applicable country to give a gift or entertainment to a gov’t official?
Is the gift or entertainment to the government official over $50 in value?
This policy does not apply to this situation
You can never give a gift of cash, or any gift or
entertainment in order to get a business advantage
Employees involved with a current business decision
should not give or receive gifts or entertainment with affected parties during the decision making process
1. If a gift – is it under $50 in value?2. If for entertainment – is it under $100 in
value, or a reasonable business meal?
No special approval is required.
1. Fill out approval form2. Get approval from a
VP or higher 3. Turn approved
form in to Regional Compliance Officer
You should always act in
accordance with the law of the country where you are acting.
ICL’s policy prohibits gifts
or entertainment to government officials over $50 in value.
1. Fill out approval form2. Get approval from VP or
higher and your Regional Compliance Officer
3. Submit approval form to Regional Compliance Officer
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Yes
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes No
Yes
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No
The Ethics Corner
around the world?Tzachi: ICL has reduced its absolute emissions by 35% in only six years! This is an extraordinary achievement for a large industrial company. ICL has also calculated the carbon footprint of more than 60 of its leading products through a significant investment of resources – much more than what is acceptible by other industrial com-panies. As a company whose main activities are located in Israel, ICL is considered an Israeli leader in the struggle against climate change and was one of the first companies to re-port its greenhouse gas emissions to the volun-tary mechanism estab-lished by Israel’s Ministry of Environmental Protection. Utilizing the experience we’ve accumulated over the years, we even provided assistance in devel-oping the reporting methodologies. ICL establishes its own reduction targets and, therefore, at times “makes things more difficult” for itself, even when the regu-latory authority doesn’t demand it. Is this something demanded by our customers?Roy: Absolutely. ICL began to devel-op the methodology back in 2008 in order to minimize its greenhouse gas emissions before it was required by the regulators, according to a ‘Beyond Compliance’ policy related to the en-vironment and sustainability. Today, as a leading global company, our stakeholders – customers, investors and regulators – also demand that we measure the carbon footprint of our sites and our products and to prove that we are continously reducing our emissions. We are happy to say that, to date, we have succeeded in meeting these demands, and even
exceeding them. One can see that in recent years ICL has won prizes and recognition, not only for its success in reducing emissions, but also for its report-ing. What is so important about reporting?Tzachi: The basic rule in sustain-ability is “what gets measured, gets managed.” This rule proves itself time and time again – the actual need for public and reliable reporting in various fields requires continuous improve-ment in the ongoing measurement and management of operations and
strengthens the actions and coordina-tion corporate-wide. What are ICL’s next challenges in reporting?Roy: Recently, a heading of a news-paper article about sustainability at ICL declared that “corporate respon-silibity at ICL has passed the point of no return,” and we agree with this claim. Sustainability is a never-end-ing race: the bar is constantly being raised and there’s always room for improvement. We definitely detect a continuous change from year to year in our stakeholders’ attitudes to ICL’s sustainability activities and their appreciation for our high levels of transparency. As part of this activity, we provide assistance to the School of
Sustainability at the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya, of which ICL is a founder, and help student groups with their graduation projects in the area of sustainability.One of our main challenges in the coming year is deploying and inple-menting a new sustainability reporting IT system, known as “SoFi”, in all ICL companies around the world. Its suc-cessful deployment will enable us to signficantly reduce the data collection burden on our many reporting parties, streamline the production of internal and external reports, and improve
the quality of our data, its level of documenta-tion and availability, and our ability to increase its transparency to the public. What gives you pro-fessional pride?Roy: To witness the long-term improvements in our operations, our reports and our coor-dination of processes between all areas of sustainability at ICL – and to feel good about my contribution to this process. Amongst others,
I’m very proud of the high grades we are consistently awarded by the CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project) for our reports which I am responsible for writing.Tzachi: Our 2014 corporate respon-sibility report was the first to include data on a global level and I am very proud that I was able to produce it. But mostly, I am proud that we’re not stagnating, but constantly trying to improve and upgrade -significantly expand the external validation pro-cesses that we initiated, improve our global coordination and enhance the awareness of sustainability among our suppliers, as well. I firmly stand behind our slogan that we will go any-where where needs take us! ///
