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Global Compact International Yearbook 2013
Grundfos has also committed itself to
ensuring that all new buildings are en-
ergy-efficient, as befits a signatory to the
World Business Council for Sustainable
Development’s manifesto on Energy
Efficiency in Buildings. Today, all new
Grundfos buildings must be LEED Gold
certified, while all renovations must
meet LEED certification.
A vivid example of this policy at work
is the company’s recently refurbished
British headquarters. This features en-
ergy-efficient pumps along with solar
roof panels that supply hot water and
supplement electricity usage. Similarly,
Grundfos’ new Indian complex is packed
with sustainability initiatives that have
seen it become the country’s first gold-
rated green building.
Putting aspiration into action
Of the Ten Principles of the Global Com-
pact, there are two that are especially
close to Grundfos’ heart. These are Global
Compact Principle 8: “Businesses should
undertake initiatives to promote great-
er environmental responsibility” and
Global Compact Principle 9: “Businesses
should encourage the development and
diffusion of environmentally friendly
technologies.” Grundfos has actively
delivered on both principles, bringing
the full weight of its global reach and
technological leadership.
Fostering awareness of the
challenge…
Over the past few years Grundfos has
put a great deal of focus on creating
awareness of the role of pumps in in-
dustrial energy overconsumption, along
with their potential as an immediate
solution. This has centered on the Meet
the Energy Challenge NOW campaign.
Disseminated through multiple media
channels, including social media, this
campaign has targeted a broad array
of relevant people, from company pur-
chasers to CSR managers to politicians.
Its goal is as crucial as it is simple – to
make people understand just how real
and present the issue is, while informing
them how the ever-present pumps they
take for granted could make an immedi-
ate and radical difference.
As there are many who remain uncon-
vinced of the reality or urgency of global
warming, the campaign has also empha-
sized that reduced energy consumption
translates to lower power bills and that
energy-efficient installation or retrofit-
ting may cost a little more to start with,
but in the long run saves a lot of money.
…
and introducing a practical
solution
Meet the Energy Challenge NOW has
been run in conjunction with the release
of next-generation high-efficiency pump
technology. Pumps are an often over-
looked opportunity for energy savings.
This is because most run at full speed at
all times when, in fact, they rarely need to.
A typical example of this is hotels, where
very few guests will take showers during
the late hours. This makes maintaining
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