Ahmad Tea is deeply committed to reducing the impact of our business on the planet. We take very seriously our responsibility to make our business activities environmentally friendly in every way possible. This is achieved through a number of initiatives.
We are committed to reducing our carbon footprint by cutting CO2 emissions by 5%, and reducing our reliance on plastics by testing other materials as viable alternatives in the years ahead. It’s just the beginning of the journey and we are constantly evolving.
Our recent initiatives to enhance the sustainability of Ahmad Tea packaging materials include:
– Development of a new biodegradable composition
envelope for the USA market.
– Creating inner cases from 100% recycled composition
paper board.
– Exploring use of plant-based filter paper over cellophane.
– Removing cellophane from our packet tea range to cut
plastic usage.
– Exploring the recycled composition of master cartons.
Key energy saving initiatives we have adopted include:
– Energy efficiency in plant operations
– Energy efficiency in transportation
– Substitution of fossil energy with renewable energy
– Substitution of refrigerants of air conditioners in staff accommodation
Throughout 2020, our global manufacruring hub in the UAE continued to set new sustainability standards for our industry and we are proud to say that our annual CO2 emissions dropped by 2% since 2019.
of our packaging produced from the UAE factory is biodegradable - up from 89% in 2019 (Our goal is 100% by the end of 2025).
We have invested in the largest privately-owned solar panel in the RAK Free Zone, a sign of our efforts to enhance our renewable energy portfolio and support a smooth transition to fossil-free energy use.
To make our refrigeration systems more efficient, in alignment with the Montreal Protocol, we have made a commitment to reduce use of hydrochlorofluorocarbon refrigerants at our facility. HCFCs, such as R22, are known to deplete the ozone layer. And at our UAE Facility, these are being replaced with environmentally friendly refrigerant 410A.
Our commitment to the GO GREEN office programme and the initiatives we have put into place have saved 110 reams of paper compared to our usage in 2019.
Our UAE production hub is a major environmental success, yet it is only a part of the big picture: to reduce the overall carbon footprint of Ahmad Tea – starting with a 2% cut in CO2 emissions, from 2019. Key components of the plan:
Reduce overall energy used (in kwh/ton of blended tea) by an average of 2.5% per year
Fuel 18% of our overall energy Requirement with renewable electricity
Replace all R22 refrigerant with the more environmentally friendly R410a
We are continuing to make progress in the areas of energy efficiency and ethical production. But there is always room for improvement – and one important area concerns reducing our reliance on plastic.
Since 2019 we have reduced our plastic usage by 4,048kg
