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  • Mark O Connor, MSD

Mark O Connor, MSD Global Centre of Excellence, talks to us about energy management and improving energy performance in MSD

Embedding Energy Management

The MSD global environmental sustainability strategy strives for efficient operations through energy efficiency improvements, efficient design and reduced impact in our supply chain. We do this for a number of reasons:

  • environmental sustainability
  • cost and risk reduction,
  • customer and investor expectations in disclosure
  • transparency and accountability and
  • driving innovation.

The MSD global target is to reduce CO2 emissions by 15% by 2020 against a 2012 baseline. This has already been delivered. Looking ahead to 2025, we have set new more ambitious absolute Greenhouse Gas (GHG) reduction goals and shared these targets publically. We have set ourselves a 40% absolute reduction target in GHG emissions by 2025 against a 2015 baseline. Additionally, a new Renewable Energy target of 50% of total purchased electricity by 2025 with an aspirational goal of 100% by 2040.

Collaboration Driving Sustainability

Collaboration is one of the key ingredients in the success of the energy programme in MSD globally, as well as in the Irish operation. Senior management support and the support of various energy teams on the sites across the network, has delivered sustained energy and CO2 savings to our operations on our journey towards sustainability.

The Global Energy Centre of Expertise

The Global Energy Centre of Expertise, which I lead for Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) and Asia-Pacific (APAC) regions, ensures an active energy management programme globally. It reports and influences MSD's global energy usage, manages the annual Energy Capital Project Fund and promotes, both internally and externally, the companies' energy and environmental efforts.

I am tasked with coordinating and empowering the GENIUS (Global Energy Network) to ensure that active energy management is embedded throughout the operations. I also support the leadership teams and energy teams on each site in order to maintain a focus on energy management.

Whilst the Global Energy programme at MSD is well established, it is constantly developing. The Energy Pyramid provides the network with direction and helps focus respective energy management programmes for maximum benefit. Supporting the base of the pyramid are the fundamental pillars of people, technology and organisation. The MSD mantra that 'you can't manage what you can't measure' is fundamental to the Pyramid, and monitoring and metering is the basis of measuring progress.

 

 

Energy-Pyramid
Energy Pyramid

Influencing Cultural Change

Part of my focus is co-developing and implementing innovative tools and initiatives that can empower and ultimately change employees' environmental behaviour. These tools are motivators; they break down barriers, increase the profile and importance of energy management within the company, while at the same time adding value. The Global Energy Scorecard is one such example:

This is a balanced dashboard which scores on multiple levels; the company overall, each line of business (LOB) and finally each site on its energy performance. The letter-based, colour-coded overall score is based around submitting bill information, energy consumption change at source and energy intensity data at source.

The scorecard results are distributed monthly across the business at all levels, covering VP and senior management level to site FM/Energy Lead, to highlight performance and promote awareness and action.

Scorecard

There are numerous other Energy Centre of Expertise tools including Enlightened Energy self-assessments across each block of the Pyramid,

  • The Energy Kaizen initiative
  • Merck Energy Awards
  • Eco Smart global newsletter
  • Energy Treasure Hunts
  • The new Energy Calculator tool and
  • The updated Energy Conservation checklist for large capital projects which incorporates elements of Energy Efficiency Design IS399 Standard.

Working together to achieve corporate goals

Global energy goals, subject matter expertise and supporting initiatives are critical to the success of locally driven energy management efforts in MSD. The company benefits from the extensive energy management expertise and experience that exists in Ireland. This experience, informed by a solid foundation that has been supported by SEAI programmes in the past, is directly influencing the global energy programme. Through collaboration and working together, knowledge transfer is being facilitated and best practice shared and standardised, clearly demonstrated by the successes to date by the Ireland sub-regional energy ISO50001 certification effort.

Mark O Connor, MSD Global Centre of Excellence Lead