Climate and Environment

We adhere to Orange Group's strategy to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2040

Our Commitments & Objectives

Based on Orange Group strategy "Lead the Future" a roadmap was drawn up by Orange Egypt for its environment and climate strategy with an aim to achieve several goals that will reflect positive impact on sustainable environmental and social development and enhance economic growth.

Accordingly, Orange Egypt set up its Climate department in November 2022 to focus on the group’s commitment towards achieving net zero carbon target by 2040.

Orange Egypt follows a systemic ecosystem to meet environment and climate challenges

1.           Renewable Energy

Orange Egypt has adopted several renewable energy practises to enhance and optimise the energy it uses. In November 2022, and in line with COP27, Orange Egypt signed a cooperation protocol with the New and Renewable Energy Authority (NREA) took place to purchase renewable energy and use it to power its networks and sites throughout the country.

In June 2023, Orange Egypt signed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the New and Renewable Energy Authority (NREA) to supply part of OEG sites generated from clean energy source covering 3,200 sites with 121 GWh.

Almost six months later, around June 2023, a contract was signed between Orange Egypt amongst other telco operators and NREA. This Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) aims to satisfy the purchase of clean / renewable energy for use in network operations, in line with our strategy to preserve the environment, rationalize consumption, rely on renewable energy sources, and reduce carbon emissions, within the framework of implementing the national strategies for sustainable development and Egypt’s Vision 2030.

The success of the PPA contributed to a reduction in carbon emissions by more than 30% through energy generated and a Renewable Energy Ratio (RER) of 48% by year end 2023.

By summer of 2024, Orange Egypt’s premises and data centers will be partially supplied by solar energy as part of its partnership with Alkan CIT, a world-class company, providing top-notch solutions and services that include solarisation, in Egypt and the MEA region.

Despite the challenge in limitations and the high costs per site, Orange Egypt has successfully powered up hundreds of network sites using solar panels.

With these efforts that aims to preserve the environment, Orange Egypt was able to achieve record numbers that exceeded those expected and planned, leading on the carbon emissions savings achieved across the MEA region in 2023

2.   Energy Efficiency

Orange Egypt has enhanced energy efficiency, as it launched a set of projects to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions and contribute to ensuring higher operational efficiency in data centers and various technical sites, through projects aimed at monitoring key performance indicators that minimize carbon emissions and energy consumption.

The adoption of energy management across Orange Egypt buildings by the optimisation of electricity consumption through seating optimization, teleworking and dynamic operations saving a total of 3,800 metric-ton CO² (8,500 MWh).

In addition, Orange Egypt has planned trials for its data centers and shops energy optimization with an Egyptian start-up though real time measurement, AI predictive analysis and recommendations.

Furthermore, Orange has implemented many applications of rationalization and carbon reduction in its headquarters, such as the automated (BMS Systems) system to ensure saving energy consumption, where the system operates buildings from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., controlling electrical consumption, turning off the air conditioning from 4:30 p.m., and lighting by 50%, in addition to the use of LED technology. This allows Orange Egypt to cut its energy consumption inside the building by almost 50% compared to 2019.

The Indoor – Outdoor initiative succeeded in the deployment of hundreds of sites over the years reaching a total of almost 1,200 sites. Similarly, the Generator to Grid [G2G] has succeeded in a reduction of 37% carbon emissions under scope 1.

3. Resources management and Fuel optimisation

We pride ourselves in our headquarters, thanks to the massively impressive green landscaping, noteworthy that Orange Egypt is the leading company in Smart Village with this amount of green space. We upgraded the green space around HQs in SV (~ 6000 sq. m) to raise its efficiency. This greenery absorbs the CO2 in the air and releases oxygen sufficient for almost 5,500 individuals to reduce CO2 emissions equal 2.5 mt-ton on yearly basis.

Orange Egypt’s headquarters is also distinguished by a pipe cooling system that relies on the chilled water cycle inside, and unlike other nearby buildings, Orange has developed this system so that the water cycles are repeated several times to take full advantage of their coldness, resulting in a 48% reduction in water use in 2021 compared to 2019.

This deployment of chilled water methodology at Orange Egypt’s headquarters located at Smart Village by optimizing the chilled water consumption through teleworking and recycling inlet chilled water resulted in a total saving of 632 metric-ton CO2 (388,385 TR).

As for our fleet management initiatives, we have deployed a number of initiatives in 2023 alone that returned significant success.

We focused on optimizing the fuel consumption and maintaining consumption within minimum range by (a) launching the Green Driver GPS solution installed across all fleet vehicles to monitor distance / speed to monitor and manage carbon emissions savings and (b) launching the pre-paid fuel cards instead of fuel allowance. These applications resulted in a total saving of 102 metric-ton CO2 in 2023.

In November 2022, we launched our Green Shop in Sharm el Sheikh, our key innovation, that has gained widespread media attention! This store is one of the most eco- friendly workplaces ever, serves as a model for how all branches should evolve in the future as It provides efficient services to customers while respecting the environment and climate, by embracing water, energy and waste disposal self-sufficiency.

• Drink a glass of water produced by a device that converts humidity in the air into pure water (via UV filtration) at a rate of 20 litres per day, enough for 125% of the store's customers. It also saves up to 1700 plastic bottles annually
• Breathe clean, impurity-free air thanks to the green wallsthat are watered and cared for inside the store by AI technologies that provide oxygen for 18 people for 24 hours (72,000 cubic meters of fresh air annually), reducing the temperature, humidity, and noise, and creating an optimal workplace for employees and customers.
  
• AI Automatic Sorting Waste containerthat sorts and separates waste into recyclable and non-recyclable parts while also absorbing strange odours caused by waste.
  
• Sensors are strategically placed throughout the store, including around doors, windows, and other entry points; designed to use as little energy as possible. The degree of cooling inside the store changes automatically based on the number of customers, the time of day or night, or the temperature outside. Furthermore, the humidity levels are automatically adjusted to a comfortable level.
  
• All of these systems are linked to a cutting-edge intelligent quality monitoring systemthat calculates and regulates the energy consumed during heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, as well as counting the number of people who have entered the store, monitoring carbon dioxide and oxygen levels, detecting viruses, and performing other tasks.
  

It is not a surprise that this iconic store, with all of its eco-friendly technologies and innovations, can reduce emissions by 0.64 metric tons per year, which will have a significant impact on our planet if replicated across all branches.

4.  Circular Economy

As the linear economic model of "make, take and dispose" continues to accelerate the environmental crisis, the circular economy model of "return, repair, refurbish and recycle” is growing to become an urgent necessity.

Orange Egypt adopts circular economy to increase the lifespan of products, at Orange, we promote all aspects of the circular economy and we put it in our core businesses (networks, datacenters…).

Currently, as part of the OSCAR program, for modernisation projects, we dismantle our outdated network equipment to reinstall and reuse them in new locations. Over and above, February 18th, 2024, the National Telcom Regulatory Authority approved 50 ABIA Baseband Units (BBU) by Nokia as proof of concept paving the way for deployment of more refurbished network equipment between Orange Egypt and other Orange affiliates.

Egypt's e-waste generation represents 20% of the total e-waste in Africa with 585.8 kt. Less than 5% of Egypt’s e-waste is recycled by authorized entities. There are many waste collection hubs in Cairo and across the country, including electronic markets and waste storage markets In addition, currency devaluation and consumer price inflation impact the affordability of new devices. All these elements pave the way for adopting Circular Economy practices in Egypt. Hence, Orange Egypt’s interest to join the Switch to Circular Economy Value Chains pilot co-funded by the European Union and the Government of Finland managed by UNIDO and supported by Chatham House, EIB and Circle Economy.

The global Switch to Circular Economy pilot aims to accelerate the transition to circular value chains through industrial pilots and capacity building for circular economy-enabling stakeholders; strengthening sustainability efforts of EU-based companies in developing countries while the pilot in Egypt aims to establish a refurbishment centre to develop the secondary market for electronics. The pilot is driven by a strong consortium of partners with Orange SA, OMEA, OEG, Sofrecom, Nokia, Cordon, Archipel&Co., E-Tadweer, O2 Media Agency, others. The pilot has an ambition of creating a national ICT-electronics green alliance in Egypt, responsible at social & industrial level:

§  Supporting the adoption of circular economy practices

§  Setting up a local ecosystem to extend the ICT-Elec. products lifespan

§  Raising awareness on circular economy benefits for all

§  Creating capacity development opportunities

5. Positive social value for societal change

Orange Egypt has launched a dedicated Climate Campaign to raise employees’ awareness on energy saving, climate change, plastic waste, recycling and upcycling. The Climate Campaign hosted several influencers / activists like Mostafa Magdy, Yara Yassin, …

• Mostafa Magdy gave a workshop and podcast tackling the subject of the impact of our actions on the climate and how we can make a difference in protecting environment and support in establishing waste segregation and recycling.
  
• Yara Yassin co-founder of Up-Fuse had her team deliver an engaging and innovative workshop on converting plastic waste to bags, purses, card holders, … and setup a booth to set their colourful and trendy recycled products from product waste.
  
• On top of this was the fun and engagement through several mini mic series with employees on the go on climate trivia and setting up a smoothie bike, a stationary bike that boosts the cyclists’ pedalling energy to mechanically power a blender. Pure fruit juice would flow into the blender jug and after 30 seconds of pedalling cyclists earned their soft drink.
  

The Climate Campaign succeeded in engaging with more than a thousand employees!

In addition to the climate campaign, Orange Egypt is committed to raising awareness on climate and develop people’s knowledge and skills on the subject. These communication and engagement activities range from a monthly newsletter “OrangeECO” to engagement activities like the Employee Scavenger Hunt, GreenBox welcoming feedback and suggestions on climate activities. The Scavenger Hunt was quite the delighter and huge success in terms of employee engagement, equipped with 10 climate related questions, on premises and online. On premises, employees had to scan the QR codes running from building to building and floor to floor to answer the questions.

Orange Egypt is also committed to raising awareness across social media on calendar events linked to environment and climate like Earth Hour, Earth Day and World Environment Day, Recycling Day, … It is also noteworthy that Orange Egypt has in place a Green Committee that convenes on a monthly basis, whose members are climate ambassadors and active representatives from each department. Committee members follow-up on CO2e & ongoing green initiatives, explore new initiatives and collaboration areas with local suppliers/partners and share best practices with different affiliates and with OMEA.

Last but not least, is our realisation that change can only happen by each one of us. And to do that, we need to develop our knowledge on the subject. Hence, we are focused on delivering simple, comprehensive training discovery material to all employees tackling several topics, like CSR Visa, Circular Economy, Towards a net zero transition, The Great Climate System, Climate Fresk, …

Orange Egypt has also met the requirements of obtaining the ISO certification standards for various environment and energy qualifications, accordingly many agreements were initiated and signed with the Ministry of Environment and other agencies that do respect environmental issues to ensure safe disposal of electronic and electrical materials waste, fleet cars, power generators waste and buildings waste.

Orange Egypt has received ISO certifications in the fields of environment, carbon footprint and occupational health and safety and energy efficiency, confirming that its climate transformation strategy is on track and yielding tangible results.

§  ISO 14064-1:2018 Greenhouse Gas Management attesting to Orange Egypt’s adherence to a GHG management, calculation, verification, and reporting system; Orange Egypt is the first telecom operator in Egypt to be awarded ISO 14064.

§  ISO 50001:2018 Global Certification for Energy Management Systems which confirms Orange Egypt's commitment to the best energy management practices and to the systematic approach it adopts to achieve ongoing energy performance improvement throughout its daily operations as a mobile operator, virtual fixed phone provider, tower maintenance company, provider of ADSL services, and other telecom services.

§  ISO45001:2018 International standard for Occupational Safety and Health Management Systems, which confirms the company implements strict procedures to reduce safety risks, adopts a strategy for managing occupational risks, and maintains a safe and healthy work environment.

§  ISO14001:2015 Environmental Management Systems, which is concerned with enhancing its operational procedures.

6. Emissions from the value chain

In addition, there are several initiatives that have an impact on reducing carbon footprint, and these include reducing the use of paper by adopting developed materials that can be more suitable for environment protection, reducing the size of our SIM cards and the use of biodegradable bags.

These initiatives are reflected in a variety of actions to keep products and materials in use as long as possible, such as reducing paper consumption more and more by increasing the use of digital solutions, recycling paper waste and setting up waste separation bins.