ADB Issues Its First Sustainability Report
KYOTO, JAPAN - As an international institution whose focus is on poverty reduction and sustainable development, ADB has been taking steps to ensure that, as an organization, it practices what it preaches, according to a new report released today. In the last 12 years, ADB has provided more than US$8 billion for projects and programs with environmental objectives, according to its first Sustainability Report released today. As an institution, it has also taken measures to minimize its own environmental footprint at its Manila headquarters and is beginning to address the issue in its field offices. "We are proud to have been the first multilateral development bank to achieve ISO 14001 certification in 2003 for our internal environmental management systems, and we want to continue to reduce our corporate environmental footprint," says Nessim Ahmad, ADB’s Director for Environment and Social Safeguards. Presenting data through 2006, the report documents how ADB staff are working on developing clean energy sources for the region, enhancing sustainable agriculture, expanding educational opportunities, establishing effective financial institutions, building water supply and sanitation systems, and more. The report also shows how ADB manages its facilities to minimize the impact on the environment. ADB’s headquarters in Manila have received several energy efficiency awards, and electricity use at the headquarters – and associated emissions of greenhouse gases that cause global warming – is still declining. Annual energy consumption at ADB's Manila offices is only 130 kWh per square meter – well below the accepted regional benchmark of 200 kWh per square meter for an energy-efficient building. Other measures to conserve resources and lessen greenhouse gas emissions include the expanded use of videoconferencing to reduce air travel and an increased emphasis on electronic communications instead of paper forms and memoranda for approvals and information transmittal. Looking ahead, ADB is exploring the use of renewable energy sources – such as solar power – for its headquarters, according to the report. Like electricity consumption, water use also has been declining, and ADB will begin recycling some of its waste water this year to irrigate its grounds. ADB's first sustainability report is meant to assist readers who are not familiar with ADB's structure and activities to better understand the organization, what motivates it, and how it operates. In keeping with emerging international norms for sustainability reporting, the document will primarily be made available online. About ADB | 
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