Six steps towards a sustainable future

Across Capgemini campuses in India, large and small changes are driving sustainability – and bringing us ever closer to our net zero ambition.

From solar power to recycling food waste, to growing vegetables, a host of initiatives support our efforts towards a sustainable future. Here are just six of them.

1- Switching to renewable energy

In India, solar panels have been installed across Capgemini’s campuses. They can be seen on roofs, gazebos, pedestrian walkways, and car ports. There’s even a solar-powered amphitheater and solar-powered ‘trees’. Solar plants on campuses will also help power the switch to electric vehicles – reducing carbon emissions during the commute to work.

2- Giving back surplus energy

Every day, Capgemini campuses in Bangalore and Hyderabad return surplus energy generated from their in-house solar plants to the state electricity boards. The amount of surplus energy has increased with the rise in home working, and this enabled these two campuses to export 1.46 lakh kWh of electricity to the state electricity grid, enough to power 60 households for a full year.

3- Cutting down on water waste

Every drop of water used on the campuses goes through a membrane-based treatment system. This means waste water generated within the facilities can be re-used to water gardens and flush toilets. This results in no waste water being discharged outside of the campuses.

4- Recycling organic waste

On-site converters turn organic waste – from food and plant materials – into compost, which is put back into the soil in the campuses’ garden areas. Employees are also invited to take compost home to help grow fruit and vegetables in their own gardens, or to use it on small vegetable patches within the campus itself. Kitchen waste, too, is being converted, to generate bio-gas that powers kitchen appliances.

5- Using sunlight smartly

In Chennai, Capgemini’s solar plant deploys smart light sensors to move solar panels to face the sun throughout the day, so they absorb maximum sunlight, and harvest maximum energy. The plant generates around 300 kilowatts at peak power, and currently provides 20 percent of the overall energy consumed by the campus.

6 – Offering reusable bottles

At the start of 2020, all Capgemini colleagues in India were given a branded reusable drinks bottle. This not only reduced the amount of single-use plastic water bottles brought – and disposed of – on campuses, but also greatly reduced the amount of tap water used to wash glassware. With 120,000 employees across India in 2020, it’s a small change that has made a big impact.

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