When Intel Technology Philippines Inc. (ITPI) was given the Don Emilio Aguinaldo Energy Efficiency Citation for its “laudable energy efficiency and conservation performance” in 2007, what was recognized was more than a corporate social responsibility (CSR) endeavor, since, as Maria Teresa L. Pacis, ITPI external communications manager (corporate affairs), says, “cutting our carbon footprint is actually also a good business move for the company.”

“Turning green is a way to pursue sustainability (so) we work to minimize our environmental footprint,” Pacis says. “ITPI is committed to protect the environment and has incorporated environmental goals into product design, manufacturing process, and facility use. For (us), doing the right thing for the environment means doing the right thing for the business. So sustainability by working to minimize our environmental footprint is continuously being pursued.”

Thus, as of end2007, ITPI has, among others, recycle 70% of its solid waste and reduced hazardous wastes by 15%, generating revenues of $15,000; saved some 105,883 cubic meters of water through reduction, recycling and water re-use to lessen discharges to the environment (through its Water Conservation Awareness Campaign) to generate $97,578 in savings, exceeding ITPI’s earlier target of only $49,271.27; and conserved 15 million kilowatt hours through its CS energy efficiency program and manufacturing tool bagging efforts, generating $1.8 million in savings, again exceeding the company’s target of $1.2 million.

ITPI is the first American multinational and semiconductor company in the Philippines, established in 1996 as the local subsidiary of Intel Corporation (IC). ITPI, located at the Gateway Business Park in Javalera, General Trias, Cavite, is only the second IC offshore assembly operations center in Asia, contributing some $383 million to the economy (comprising 0.30% of the country’s gross domestic product or GDP) in 2004, just as it generated over 36,000 jobs directly or indirectly in allied services and industries.

Pacis admits that going green is not necessarily easy – nonetheless, the benefits always outweigh costs when maintaining a robust environmental management system. “(As IC founder Gordon Moore once said, it) is no longer enough to just produce a profit. Instead, we need to continually improve our manufacturing process, thereby reducing our burden on the environment, and becoming an asset to the communities (where) which we live and work,”Pacis says.

Globally, IC’s green efforts include reducing energy consumption in its manufacturing operations by 4% per year per unit of production from a 2002 baseline; implemented conservation projects at facilities worldwide to reduce energy use per unit of production by over 20%, also since 2002; and, in the last seven years, invested over $20 million in more than 250 energy conservation projects, saving the company nearly 500 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity.

“Good design today isn't just about having the vision to create tomorrow's technology, but having the foresight to anticipate and address its associated implications and issues,” Pacis says.

For more information, visit www.intel.com/ community/philippines.