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Environmental & Social Information • Jun 15, 2012
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Press Information
June 15, 2012
Philips makes a strong plea for sustainable development at Rio+20
Innovation and multistakeholder initiatives will catalyze the transition towards an equitable and sustainable society
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – Starting today, 15 June 2012, Philips is actively contributing to the international sustainable development debate at several high-level events during the United Nations Conference, Rio+20. Throughout the conference Philips will make a strong plea for advancing sustainable development through innovation and multistakeholder dialogue that can drive the transition towards an equitable and sustainable society.
“Today, the life of every 4th person on earth (1.7 billion people) is touched by Philips products that directly improve their health or helps to reduce the ecological footprint”, said Harry Hendriks, Global Head of Public and Government Affairs at Philips International. We as business must innovate to deliver meaningful technologies and solutions. However, business also needs to closely collaborate with governments, civil society and scientists to ensure our innovations effectively address the challenges we will meet during our transition towards an equitable and sustainable society.
Philips believes that by motivating and rewarding front runners, stimulating green public procurement or financing solutions and by introducing performance standards such as on energy efficiency to phase out inefficient products, governments can expedite this transition. For example, when facing the challenge of energy, we know that global energy consumption is projected to grow by some 35 percent by 2035. Innovations in new LED lighting technology could provide energy savings of up to 80 percent in many applications and the switch to LED could cut energy consumption by 40 percent on average globally. Philips is working with The Climate Group and others to make the case for a swift, massive scale-up of clean technology. Key findings of ‘Lighting the Clean Revolution Report’, an independent, two-and-a-half-year global pilot of LED lamps, are presented for the first time on June 17th, 2012.
Philips is also part of a global group of NGOs, scientific and business leaders from diverse areas, which formed an informal coalition called “the Friends of Rio+20”. Sharing a common interest in shifting the world onto a trajectory of truly sustainable development, “the Friends of Rio+20” calls the governmental leaders of the world for inviting this informal, but influential coalition, to develop an action plan for the international community. The Friends of Rio+20 will offer to work together to deliver practical outcomes at scale from the “bottom up” so that governments can mobilize the combined skills, innovation and resources from the public, private and civil society sector to accelerate progress against new goals, where it is most needed and feasible.[1]
“Brazil is one of the markets where Philips has a strong presence for almost hundred years, delivering innovations that improve people’s health and well-being for example by making healthcare more accessible and affordable to women and children. We hope that Rio+20 will mark the beginning of a global mindset change, that sustainable development is not a trade off, but rather one big innovation agenda”, Harry Hendriks concluded.
On behalf of Philips, the following speakers will participate in a number of high level side-events at Rio+20 that bring together representatives from the private and public sector:
- Mr. Harry Hendriks (Global Head of Public and Government Affairs, Philips International)
- Mr. Harry Verhaar (Head of Global Public and Government Affairs, Philips Lighting)
- Mr. Marcos Bicudo (CEO Philips LATAM)
- Mr. Jan-Willem Scheijgrond (Senior Director Environment, Health, and Safety, Philips Corporate Sustainability Office)
Follow the conversation and updates from Rio+20 on Philips Twitter @PhilipsPR, @PhilipsCenter, @PhilipsLight, (#RioPlus20, #prp20) or Philips Lighting blog.
For more information on the UN Conference on Sustainable Development, visit: http://www.uncsd2012.org/rio20/index.html
Philips activities at Rio+20 from June 15 – June 21:
Friday 15th June
United Nations Global Compact, Opening ceremony
Philips participants: Harry Hendriks (Global Head of Public and Government Affairs, Philips International), Harry Verhaar (Head of Global Public and Government Affairs, Philips Lighting), Marcos Bicudo (CEO Philips LATAM)
Friday 15th June
Green Procurement: a Cross Cutting Strategy for Green Growth
Philips spokesperson:Jan-Willem Scheijgrond (Senior Director Environment, Health, and Safety, Philips Corporate Sustainability Office)
Sunday 17th June
The Climate Group and Philips LED event
(Launch of the ‘Lighting the Clean Revolution Report’)
Philips spokesperson: Harry Verhaar (Head of Global Public and Government Affairs, Philips Lighting)
Monday 18th June
Beyond Rio: A global youth movement for sustainable development
Philips spokesperson:Jan-Willem Scheijgrond (Senior Director Environment, Health, and Safety, Philips Corporate Sustainability Office)
Tuesday 19th June
The Climate Group World Summit of States & Regions
Philips spokesperson: Harry Hendriks (Global Head of Public and Government Affairs, Philips International)
Tuesday 19th June
C40 City Event
Philips spokesperson: Harry Verhaar (Head of Global Public and Government Affairs, Philips Lighting)
Tuesday 19th June
Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All)
Philips spokesperson:Jan-Willem Scheijgrond (Senior Director Environment, Health, and Safety, Philips Corporate Sustainability Office)
Tuesday 19th June
Philips spokesperson: Marcos Bicudo (CEO Philips LATAM)
Tuesday 19th June
WEF Friends of Rio+20
Philips spokespersons: Marcos Bicudo (CEO Philips LATAM), Jan-Willem Scheijgrond (Senior Director Environment, Health, and Safety, Philips Corporate Sustainability Office)
Thursday 20th June
Business Leadership Seminar - Technologies for Sustainability
Philips spokesperson: Jan-Willem Scheijgrond (Senior Director Environment, Health, and Safety, Philips Corporate Sustainability Office)
Thursday 20th June
IBD Rio+20
Philips spokesperson: Marcos Bicudo (CEO Philips LATAM)
Thursday 20th June
Philips spokesperson: Harry Hendriks (Global Head of Public and Government Affairs, Philips International)
Thursday 20th June
Philips spokespersons: Harry Hendriks (Global Head of Public and Government Affairs, Philips International), Harry Verhaar (Head of Global Public and Government Affairs, Philips Lighting)
Thursday 20th June
The R20 at Rio+20
Philips spokespersons: Harry Hendriks (Global Head of Public and Government Affairs, Philips International), Harry Verhaar (Head of Global Public and Government Affairs, Philips Lighting)
Friday 21st June
UNEP en.lighten
Philips spokesperson: Harry Verhaar (Head of Global Public and Government Affairs, Philips Lighting)
Friday 21st June
Sustainable, Inclusive Growth: The Way Forward from Rio+20 and G20
Philips spokesperson: Harry Hendriks (Global Head of Public and Government Affairs, Philips International)
For further information, please contact:
Eeva Raaijmakers
Philips Corporate Communications
Tel: +3120 5977427
Email: [email protected]
Yvette van Braam Morris
Philips Lighting Communications
Tel: +31 6 27038951
Email: [email protected]
Renata Marucci
Communications, Philips Brazil
Tel: +55 11 85887811
Email: [email protected]
About Royal Philips Electronics
Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHI) is a diversified health and well-being company, focused on improving people’s lives through meaningful innovation. As a world leader in healthcare, lifestyle and lighting, Philips integrates technologies and design into people-centric solutions, based on fundamental customer insights and the brand promise of “sense and simplicity”. Headquartered in the Netherlands, Philips employs approximately 122,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries worldwide. With sales of EUR 22.6 billion in 2011, the company is a market leader in cardiac care, acute care and home healthcare, energy efficient lighting solutions and new lighting applications, as well as lifestyle products for personal well-being and pleasure with strong leadership positions in male shaving and grooming, portable entertainment and oral healthcare. News from Philips is located at www.philips.com/newscenter.
- Extract from a joint letter from the Friends of Rio+20, to be presented on 19th of June 2012. ↑