Brundland Report defines Sustainable Development as the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising future generations’ ability to meet their own needs. Acknowledging genuine sustainability requires an understanding of the interconnection of issues and initiatives related to environment, society, and the economy.
We need to maintain a sustainability perspective that encompasses all parts of our everyday lives as part of our immediate community and the globe at large. The continued depletion of natural resources has led corporations with large energy requirements to become more environmentally conscious. Green initiatives save on costs, reuse precious resources, and meet compliance requirements, while at the same time contributing to overall brand recognition.
As a human capital organization with more than 50,000 employees, SYKES understands the value of being actively conscious and focused on a greener world. SYKES is committed to sustainability as a way to increase economic growth and increased social mobility. We are working towards creating a culture of environmental stewardship and staying on the cutting edge of sustainable advancements as part of our commitment to our employees, clients, customers, shareholders, communities, and vendors.
Even during the pandemic, SYKES grew and added to its headcount by launching a new India site. SYKES is committed to being sustainable and integrating its environmentally friendly advocacy in designing its latest centre. SYKES incorporated into its design and building plans mechanisms to support its energy and water conservation efforts. Motion sensors were installed to save electricity and replaced conventional tube lights with LED bulbs in all common areas.
The facility also installed ARA system for the AC chillers (automated tube cleaner) to increase machine efficiency, thereby requiring lesser power. SYKES installed solar panels for streetlights to ensure less reliance on the usage of fossil fuel generated power and provide water aerators in taps to conserve water usage. Rainwater harvesting pits were installed to reuse the water for plants and other purposes.
SYKES has also made great strides in its efforts to reduce emissions wherever possible. Results are tracked and reported internally and to third parties such as CDP and EcoVadis. SYKES Costa Rica installed solar panels on their buildings as an energy-efficient measure. Since then, the sites have conserved enough energy to power more than 7,000 homes for a month. In SYKES Philippines, the Energy Conservation Program (ENERCON) serves as a top-to-bottom approach to conserving energy at the site.
Through education, improved equipment, and enhanced working conditions, every employee plays an integral role in SYKES’ responsibility to save energy and reduce costs. The company solar panel plant in El Salvador generates the equivalent amount of energy consumed by 258 houses and does the work of 700 trees a month.
As a result, SYKES has reduced CO2 emissions by 200 tons per year. We are also committed to global paper-reduction by 50% in 5 years by implementing a Global Printer Policy, and we are aiming to reduce waste by 50% in our sites by 2025.
As a responsible corporate citizen, the company has repeatedly extended monetary support and other safety products to the community to combat the current pandemic and contributed to road safety initiatives in Hyderabad totalling INR 2 Million worth of financial assistance.
In this current landscape organizations that are seen as having environmentally sound business practices and clear strategies to support global sustainability goals will always have a clear advantage over those that continue to labour under old and traditional practices. SYKES sees its role not only as a supporter of the cause of sustainability but as a true advocate for the cause and a partner of all the communities it operates in worldwide.
SYKES, a leading provider of multichannel demand generation and customer engagement services for Global 2000 companies. It is a US based publicly listed company at 65 locations in 20 countries serving in over 30 languages for over 40 years.
In India, SYKES has been in operation since 2006 with more than 1,500 strong, creating intelligent customer experiences, and serving clients and brands for different industries including Banking, Communication, Technology, Telecom, Retail businesses through multiple channels. The company believes that through collective effort to drive sustainability, Sykes can inspire other corporates for a sustainable infrastructure. (Views are personal)