Primedia goes green

Talk Radio 702 and 567 CapeTalk have joined sponsors, the South African Post Office (SAPO), in recognising South African businesses that are taking a positive lead in the fight against climate change. The awards also celebrate organisations and individuals who are making an impact in their communities regarding climate change issues.

Talk Radio 702 and 567 Cape Talk were enthusiastic about being part of the initiative from the outset, as they are aware that climate change is becoming a central issue to their listeners. To show their commitment to combating climate change, the stations felt it important to get their own house in order. Primedia Broadcasting, which owns both stations has undergone a green audit and will be sharing the results as well as their ongoing efforts to reduce their carbon footprint with listeners.

It's the right thing to do

"As responsible corporate citizens, we feel that it is the right thing to do," said CEO, Terry Volkwyn. "There are also economic incentives, by saving electricity, paper and minimising waste we're cutting costs, which will impact on profits. In South Africa, we understand the impact of a power shortage and it is in the country's best interest for us to reduce our consumption of this vital resource."

The carbon audit looked at the broadcaster's activities for the year ending June 2009 and calculated the amount of carbon these activities generated. "This was a benchmarking exercise," explained CFO, Michelle Sampson. "From here we need to look at ways of reducing our carbon footprint as a company, as well as the footprints of our staff and suppliers."

An easy decision

The decision to share the process with listeners was an easy one, "As a responsible media company, we are in a position to educate our listeners on issues. In this case, we feel there will be a benefit to individuals and other companies. We hope to show others how to reduce their footprint and also think there will be valuable lessons to learn from our experience, as we go through the process," said Volkwyn.

As world leaders gather at the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference in December, this issue is gaining more exposure than ever. Both stations hope to sustain this interest by constantly updating listeners on the progress the company is making in reducing its footprint.

The awards are accredited by the Carbon Protocol of South Africa and will benefit Food and Trees for Africa (FTFA). For more information on the awards, visit www.ccla.co.za.