State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Enel and Sime Darby Join the Earth Institute Corporate Circle

We are pleased to welcome Enel and Sime Darby to the Earth Institute’s Corporate Circle. Sime Darby has pledged $475,000 for the Tropical Agriculture Program and $25,000 for the China 2049 program as a “Strategic Partner” of the Institute. Enel has joined as a “Sustaining Partner” with a $25,000 gift. Both corporations are supporting the core sustainable development work of the Earth Institute and joining a network of top companies committed to sustainability.

Enel, Italy’s largest power company and Europe’s second listed utility by installed capacity, is present in over 20 countries on four continents. As a leader in providing the world with energy, Enel seeks to align business growth with environmental protection and spearhead innovation for wind, solar, biomass, geothermal and hydroelectric energy. Enel aims to generate electricity using a balanced mix of energy resources with more than a third powered by renewable sources. The company’s Environment and Innovation Project outlines an investment plan for research, renewable resources, development, innovation, and the application of cutting-edge technologies. Enel’s first annual Sustainability Day was held on February 8, 2010 and drew experts and institutions from Italy and around the world to discuss sustainable development.

Sime Darby is a Malaysian-based multinational company with core businesses in plantation, property, motors, industrial, energy and utilities and with growing presence in China and healthcare. Sime Darby has funded numerous local preservation projects ranging from recycling centers to the first center for mangrove research in Malaysia to school adoption programs. As a Corporate Circle Strategic Partner, Sime Darby supports the Earth Institute’s Tropical Agriculture and Rural Development Program which is dedicated to addressing the interactions between agricultural production, environmental quality and human well-being.  Sime Darby is also a supporter of China 2049, a collaboration of China’s top economic and planning agency with the Brookings Institute and the Earth Institute to develop research to help formulate policies to ensure that the development of China is sustainable for the economy and the environment. The Earth Institute will also serve as an advisor to Sime Darby as they enhance their sustainability initiatives across all business operations.

The Corporate Circle facilitates mutually beneficial relationships in all sectors that further sustainable development objectives. The addition of Enel and the Sime Darby Group will greatly increase the Earth Institute’s own understanding of the potentially transformative role of corporations in achieving sustainable development and provide insight for our other Corporate Circle members.