SOCIETY

BUSINESS: 477 PRACTICES


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Initiative

Useful items from recycled plastic

Useful items from recycled plastic
SUBMITTED FROM:

V GROUP

The V Group of companies is a dynamic and constantly growing Group of companies in the fields of Waste Management and Renewable Energy Sources.

Founded by Byron Vassiliadis, V Group provides highly innovative, reliable and efficient services, while remaining committed to the highest standards of ethics, responsible entrepreneurship and sustainable development.

With the initiative and commitment of the Founder of the Group, the Depy Vassiliadis Foundation has been established, which provides significant support to local communities and implements actions for the education of children, the welfare of animals and the protection of the natural environment.

With a vision of sustainable development and sustainability, the companies of the V Group, a member of CSR Hellas - led by Antipollution, VEN Engineering, Green and VEN Energy - invest in green energy, rational management of natural resources, alternative management and energy utilization of waste and currently hold a significant market share in a highly competitive business environment.

Possessing significant experience in responsible environmental management, the Group develops with a commitment to innovation and continuous improvement, to the provision of high-quality services, to the care of the health and safety of employees and partners, as well as to the support of the local communities in which it operates.

 

More information: https://vgroup.com.gr/

Contact: [email protected]



Objective Action

The motivation of this action, as well as any initiative undertaken by V Group companies in the context of their corporate social responsibility, is the protection of the environment, the awareness of the involved entities and civil society for the need to take immediate actions in order to conservation of natural resources and ecosystems, as well as the promotion of circular economy principles.

The V Group, through the company Antipollution, has more than 70 years of experience in the protection of the marine and coastal environment. Antipollution is the leading service provider of port reception facilities for ship solid waste and cargo residues, as well as one of the largest waste management companies in Greece and the Mediterranean. It operates in major ports of the country, as well as in many private marinas and terminals, providing integrated, customized solutions for the protection of the environment. The company also provides prompt, efficient and reliable emergency response services, such as oil spills, around the world.

The protection of the natural environment of Greek ports - marine, underwater and terrestrial - is a priority for the Group, which plans and implements actions to protect marine life, preserve biodiversity, clean up the coasts and reduce waste, raising awareness of the growing risk of plastic pollution, educating the new generation, informing about the benefits of alternative waste management, always with a vision of the principles of circular economy, sustainability and zero waste.

In this direction, the V Group practically supported the network of actions organized by important state and private bodies to bring to the fore the need to protect the natural environment of ports, small and large, which is subject to serious degradation, with one of the main causes are the concentration of tons of waste, mainly plastic, on the seabed, on the surface of the sea, on the coasts. It is a fact that the destruction of the marine environment is increasing rapidly, with forecasts estimating that by 2050, the seas will contain more plastic waste than fish, with a serious impact on the sustainability of the environment, the health and well-being of the inhabitants, as and economic development.

Climate change is rapidly worsening and plastic waste management, recycling and reuse can contribute dynamically to the achievement of global goals for sustainable development and the smooth living of societies. With this aim, the action organized includes two parts: the collection of waste from the ports with the activation of competent bodies, companies and volunteers, as well as the processing of these to create objects of modern aesthetics for utilitarian reasons. In other words, activating an entire mechanism and creating synergy for the adoption and application of circular economy principles for the benefit of local societies and the natural environment.

 

Target Audience

The action addresses and benefits the wider society. It supports the synergy of government and private agencies, voluntary groups, non-governmental organizations and civil society. It mobilizes private sector workers, public sector executives, residents and organizations fighting for environmental protection and sustainability. In the context of volunteering, it introduces people of all ages to the importance of giving for the common good, respect for the natural environment and natural resources, and the value of working together to achieve common goals that influence and shape the future.

 

Duration

2021 - 2022


Description

 

The starting point of the action was the celebration of World Environment Day and World Oceans Day, June 5 and 8 respectively, for the year 2021.

In this context, Antipollution, a member of the V Group, collaborated with the General Secretariat of Ports of the Ministry of Shipping & Island Policy and the Urban Non-Profit Organization Enaleia that coordinates the Mediterranean CleanUp action, to create a network of 4-day actions with the aim of raising awareness citizens and port organizations for the protection and restoration of the marine and underwater environment from the waste found in them.

The regional actions, which were implemented with the cooperation of Coast Guard - Hellenic Coast Guard officials, port officials, companies, as well as volunteers and local citizen groups, included the cleaning of port bottoms from waste (plastics, tires, metals, etc.) , but also the cleaning of coasts and beaches, within land port zones.

A total of 14.2 tons of marine waste were collected from the 8 ports and land port zones, in which the actions were developed, specifically from the port facilities of Rafina, Lavrio, Agios Nikolaos, Chania, Kefalonia, Corfu, Samos and Kymi. In most of these ports, Antipollution installed storage facilities for the collection of marine waste, while the V Group volunteer team, with a large presence, participated in the clean-up of the land area of the Rafina port and helped to transport the waste collected by the divers from the sea area on land. Afterwards, the waste collected in Antipollution's storage facilities was transferred to V Group's modern waste management facilities for processing in an environmentally sound manner and in accordance with European standards.

The resounding message of the protection of the marine environment from plastic pollution was followed by that of promoting the principles of the circular economy, which the V Group strongly advocates. Specifically, part of the plastic material collected from the above actions was recycled to create useful items, such as benches and waste bins, with the aim of returning and serving the ports from which the waste was collected.

The construction of these useful objects, and in particular the new benches, which will be placed in pairs in the 8 ports of the action within 2022, was carried out with the sponsorship of Antipollution. For the implementation of the construction, the cooperation of Enalia with the Spanish environmental action company, Gravity Wave, which works dynamically to protect the sea and oceans from plastic pollution, was used. The aim of the initiative is to give a "second chance" to the plastic material collected from Greek ports, to extend its life cycle and transform it into modern objects that will serve the residents of the local areas and convey the message of environmental protection, of zero waste and the circular economy, which is the cornerstone of sustainable development and living.

A well-orchestrated initiative of state and private entities in Greece and abroad, supported by volunteers fighting for a better tomorrow, is a model of action for the circular economy and proves that cooperation with a common vision has the power to bring about changes that directly improve the quality of life of the wider society.


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Impact on Society

The V Group seeks to offer and interact with society, in the context of the extroversion it develops to communicate its vision and values and to seek fellow travelers in the arduous journey of protecting the environment from modern threats. The actions it organizes and participates in have as their core the awareness of employees, partners, customers, as well as the wider society with the aim of changing mentality and practice in matters of environmental protection and sustainable development.

Concrete actions that sound the alarm on the degradation of marine ecosystems, risks to public health and propose solutions to the issues of natural resource depletion and uncontrolled pollution act as models of action and create shared consciousnesses for the future, such as we desire and as we dream to shape it for the generations to come.



Initiative Location

Ports and parts of port facilities of Rafina, Lavrio, Agios Nikolaos, Chania, Kefalonia, Corfu, Samos and Kymi.


Working with Organization

The V Group and the Antipollution company collaborated for the implementation of the action with the General Secretariat of Ports of the Ministry of Shipping & Insular Policy and the Urban Non-Profit Organization Enaleia, which coordinates the Mediterranean CleanUp action for a sustainable marine ecosystem, through environmental education, prevention, cleaning the sea, utilizing marine plastic in the best possible way. Also, the officers of the Coast Guard - Hellenic Coast Guard, companies, groups of divers as well as local groups of citizens made a decisive contribution to the success of the action.

The action of collecting waste from the ports was carried out under the auspices of the Clean Seas Campaign and within the framework of the Clean Seas Campaign of the United Nations, while it was a tribute to the celebration of World Environment Day and World Oceans Day 2021.

For the production of the useful objects from the plastic material collected from the clean-ups, the work of Gravity Wave was used, which, based in Spain, manufactures waste bins, pots, seats and other objects that acquire a second life after being collected. from the seas and oceans of the world.

For the placement of the seats in the ports of the action, which Antipollution has undertaken to implement within 2022, it will be sought to inform the local bodies in order to communicate the message of the action, to raise awareness and to be the starting point for similar actions in the context and in the circular economy philosophy.


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Workers Participation

The voluntary group of the V Group gave a dynamic presence to the action. The Group's employees, with studies, work experience and a passion for environmental protection, consider it of primary importance to participate in actions that promote corporate culture, embrace the Group's values of cooperation for the benefit of sustainable development and social contribution, acting as model for the wider professional and social environment, which they wish to positively influence and inspire with their philosophy and actions.

In this direction, the employees of the Group, accompanied by their families, participated in the cleaning of the land area of Rafina port and helped to transport the waste collected by the divers from the sea area. The children of the workers, of all ages, got to know on the job the actions required by the voluntary cleanup, the materials collected by type, while they had the opportunity to record the waste collected by the divers from the bottom of the port, some of which caused them great surprise, such as car tires, chairs and tables, electrical appliances.


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Benefits for Οrganization

V Group, as a model environmental and energy Group, directly links its development with sustainability and innovation.

The strategy, the corporate governance, the strengthening of the local community and the high environmental standards throughout the range of its activities, are evidence of the Group's commitment to the principles of sustainability and its significant contribution to the development of the circular economy.

The Group understands the dual role it has undertaken, as a Group that promotes sustainability and as a partner that contributes with its business activity to ensuring sustainability on behalf of its partners, part of its mission and responsibility towards the planet, the market, society, man.

True to its commitment to lead change by contributing with its positive footprint, it meets the challenges of the future while maintaining high performance in the standards and specifications it sets for sustainability.

The planning, participation and implementation of activities that promote the protection of the environment, the awareness of citizens, volunteerism, the partnership of agencies and the strengthening of local societies, is the primary purpose of the Group. Corresponding actions that promote the principles of rational waste management and the circular economy enjoy his approval and practical support, as they are consistent with his vision of creating a legacy that will inspire and motivate future generations to strive for sustainable development , while maintaining respect for the environment.




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