Banco Popular Dominicano obtained the Gold Certification in Sustainability 3R (reduce, reuse, recycle), in six new branches of the banking entity, adding a total of 12 buildings endorsed with the highest category of this seal granted by the firm Sustainability 3R and the Center for Agricultural and Forestry Development (CEDAF).
The recognition of these new sustainable Banco Popular branches implies that each certified branch successfully implements an environmental impact management system, carries out its operations according to the principles of the 3R culture and complies with the guidelines of the Ministries of Environment and Works Public, thus aligning itself with the sustainable vision promoted by the financial organization.
This means that each building has a process for the use of water, maintains air quality, saves energy and fossil fuels, manages its waste properly, applies standards to preserve the health and safety of its members, and has an internal committee. that ensures the effective fulfillment of these processes, with defined goals and objectives.
The new certified
The six new offices certified with gold are Bellas Artes and Rómulo Betancourt, in the National District; San Cristóbal II, in the south; Bonao, in the Cibao region, and Bávaro and Romana I, in the east of the country.
These new certifications are added to the past branches standardized under this environmental management standard, also with a gold category, and which are: the Torre Popular complex, the Torre Empresarial 27 de Febrero, the Lope de Vega building and the Núñez de Cáceres offices, 27 de Febrero, in Santiago, and the San Cristóbal I branch, thus reaching 6% of the Popular network in the country.
The validations of each unit are granted after exhausting an external 3Rs Sustainability audit process, which visits each of the buildings, interviews the personnel who work in these locations and verifies the documents on the implementation of these sustainability programs.
Spreading a culture of sustainability
Banco Popular promotes these certifications as part of its commitment to the Principles of Responsible Banking and the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. Specifically, these certifications address the goals included in SDGs 6, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15 and 17.
In this regard, Mrs. Mariel Bera, Vice President of the Corporate Relations and Responsible Banking Area, expressed her pride in this new institutional milestone. “Our sustainable vision grows stronger every day. Proof of this is that these certifications are added to our project of 56 photovoltaic offices, which are powered by solar energy from more than 12,300 panels, and the Hazte Eco green finance portfolio, a pioneer in the sector and which offers preferential conditions to motivate a greater use of sustainable mobility and clean energy among our customers”, stressed the banking executive.
Recently, Banco Popular revalidated its certification as a carbon neutral organization, granted by the Brihgtline Institute under the ISO 14064-1:2018 standard, remaining the only Dominican financial institution with this endorsement, having reduced its carbon footprint by 40%. compared to its levels in 2015, thanks to its environmental sustainability and eco-efficiency programs.
