BEIJING, China - Dow Chemical (China) Investment Co. was recently recognized as a Top-10 Energy Conservation and Emissions Reduction Corporation at the Fourth China Summit on the Development of Circular Economy, part of the 2009 China Beijing International High-tech Industries Week. Dow received the award amongst 100 leading international and domestic corporations. The company was ranked first in the chemical industry for its operational eco-efficiency and outstanding contributions to emissions reduction in China and worldwide.
The judging process included expert panel reviews and open online voting through Xinhua Net, one of China's largest news portals. The judging criteria include the application of green technology, the commitment to innovation, the efforts to reduce environmental footprint and the relationship with the community and other stakeholders.
In China, Dow has applied stringent sustainability standards to all its plants and locations. Dow China's core manufacturing base in Zhangjiagang is recognized as "The State Environment-friendly Enterprise" by the Ministry of Environmental Protection, due to excellence in safety and cleaner production. The newly established Shanghai Dow Center, Dow's business and innovation hub in Asia Pacific, was designed and constructed as a "green building," utilizing many of Dow's cutting-edge sustainable technologies and products. It features DOWTHERM™ SR-1 heat transfer fluid in air-conditioning systems, and STYROFOAM™ insulation boards in both roof and exterior walls of the center.
Dow is an active and long-standing contributor to sustainable development in China. In 2008, Dow Water Solutions products helped the Beijing government achieve its "green olympics" commitment by contributing to a 50 percent wastewater reuse rate from the previous 15 percent. Dow Building Solutions products used in Beijing's No. 12 Huixinxijie energy conservation renovation demo project enabled the building to reach 65 percent of its energy efficiency requirements.
Through collaboration with China's Ministry of Environmental Protection, Dow launched a four-year program in 2005 to promote "Cleaner Production" and share sustainability best practices with local SMEs. The program has witnessed significant environmental and economic benefits through the reduction of energy consumption and wastewater discharge.
Dow has also been an educator to China's next generation on the importance of sustainable development. Starting in 2008, Dow partnered with Junior Achievement in China to launch the Our City program, a 10-week-long program for primary school students to learn about the role of sustainability in the urban economy. As part of the Our City program, Dow hosted the China Primary School Students Eco-Business Challenge at the newly established Shanghai Dow Center. Student teams from 18 schools showcased products they designed and handmade with waste and renewable materials found in daily life.
