Vodacom has announced that the Vodafone Site Solution Innovation Centre has scooped yet another accolade, emerging as winner of the Highest Scoring Green Star Project 2008-2012 category during the recently held New Green Leadership Awards. The firm was awarded this accolade by the Green Building Council of South Africa, who launched these awards to acknowledge eco building "champions" that have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the green building movement. 

The GBCSA selected the 450 m² building, situated at Vodacom’s head office in Midrand, as winner due to its water, energy and emissions efficiency. This latest award follows the site being awarded six stars by the GBCSA in October 2011, making it the “greenest building in Africa” according to Vodacom.

Brian Wilkinson, CEO of the Green Building Council, stated that the project by Vodacom and its parent company Vodafone addresses sustainability in all respects as it aims to minimise the impact of the building upon the surrounding environment.

A team of engineers are housed within the Vodafone Site Solutions Innovations Centre and they are tasked with coming up with methods to reduce the Vodafone Group’s carbon emissions across its global operations footprint, as well as implementing additional cost efficiencies through the adoption of sustainable practices.

The local telecommunications firm stated that it is always looking for ways to achieve further eco benefits beyond cutting operating costs and reducing carbon emissions from its network. For example, the company is currently trialling a solar base station that also provides green power to the local community. Locally, Vodacom plans to reduce carbon emissions within the organisation by 5% annually up until 2014.

“We are very proud of this award because it is a testimony of our commitment to growing our business in a sustainable way,” said Maya Makanjee, chief officer corporate affairs at Vodacom.

“We all have a responsibility towards ensuring the sustainability of our communities, country and planet. The Innovation Centre, and what it aims to achieve, is a critical component of that philosophy,” concluded Makanjee.

In related news, Vodacom also recently became the first operator in South Africa to commercially launch its LTE (4G) service.