sustaINablE growth oN thE polItIcal agENDa Grundfos is involved in the Danish government’s attempt to create sustainable growth in cooperation with leading Danish companies. Grundfos is playing a central part in the danish government’s Growth Team for water, bio and environmental solutions, chaired by carsten Bjerg, Group president of Grundfos. The danish government wants the Growth Team to help ensure sustainable growth and green jobs in denmark. in november 2012, the Growth Team came up with twelve specific recommendations for the danish government, of which four relate specifically to water. “Grundfos is participating in initiatives such as the Growth Team for water, bio and environmental solutions as we would like to share our knowledge and experience with decision-makers. There is a fairly large and growing global need to come up with solutions to impending water shortages. The technologies that are able to meet these challenges already exist to a great extent, but it is important for legislators in denmark and around the world to create the right framework for further innovation. This could create further growth and more jobs in the field,” says carsten Bjerg, Group president of Grundfos. Four specific recommendations for water The Growth Team points out that streamlining the water sector is necessary. for example, governmental regulations have to help ensure that water companies not only focus on prices when buying technology, for it will only be the cheapest Grundfos at the cutting edge The danish government has appointed the Growth Team in the light of global challenges, where population growth and increasing production places put ever greater pressure on the world’s resources. as far as water is concerned, the task is to secure that denmark in the future is a growth centre for water-efficient solutions which meet the world’s water challenges. denmark is already at the forefront of companies, knowledge environments and water in possession of unique knowledge of water management, price in the short run. water companies must value the life circle of the product higher than product price and invest in solutions which will also be effective in the long term in relation to ongoing operations. in addition, water consumption in the sector has to be streamlined. This is being achieved by increasing incentives for reusing water, including rainwater and treated wastewater, among other things. The third recommendation involves creating a full-scale demonstration plant and test facilities in denmark. This is necessary to allow the companies to profile themselves internationally and to attract investors. finally, the Growth Team recommends that the government and municipalities give priority to public investments in adaptation to climate change, thereby ensuring more innovation and market maturity of new technologies in the field of rainwater and wastewater. water infrastructure and biological water treatment. These skills are all compiled to form the Growth Team, which is made up of businessmen and women from a number of leading danish companies in the fields of water, bio and environmental solutions. carsten Bjerg, Group president of Grundfos, heads up the Growth Team. The team also includes steen riisgaard, ceO of the novozymes group, which is a biotechnology company and one of the world’s leading companies in the field of enzymes and microorganisms for industrial use, and Thomas Højlund christensen, director of institute at the Technical university of denmark, which educates the engineers of the future and is one of europe’s leading universities in the field of research into technical science and natural science. and natural science. Increasing demand for efficient water solutions To maintain and extend denmark’s position as a growth centre for efficient and intelligent solutions to the world’s water challenges, the Growth Team’s recommendations have been incorporated in the danish government’s business and growth policy. danish minister of Business and Growth, annette Vilhelmsen, welcomes the 2. Greater water efficiency in connection with production - The market must work for better solutions for water saving and energy-efficient treatment technologies for industrial processes. - smarter setting of water quality requirements and greater cost authenticity in the price of water drainage may provide an important contribution. 3. ‘State of the art’ testing, demonstration, market maturity and global marketing - establishment of full-scale test facilities and demonstration plants. This will promote market maturity of innovative water solutions and will also be an important element in public-private global marketing initiatives. 4. Innovative climate change adaptation solutions when the municipalities raise their investments in adaptation to climate change in 2013, the opportunity to develop and implement new solutions across geographical areas and authorities must be addressed. it will create total solutions on a scale attractive to the global market. in addition, the Growth Team has two cross-functional recommendations for water, bio and environmental solutions: - research at a high international level and a number of candidates in the fields of nature, technology and engineering - Greater intelligent public demand and public investments must be more dependent on total costs rather than purchase price. recommendations: “Thank you to the chairman and the other members of the Growth Team for twelve tangible, growthenhancing recommendations, which i am looking forward to putting into action as soon as possible with the rest of the government. with the finance act for 2013, we have demonstrated our determination to promote the green transformation of society. it is essential for us to leave a better world to our children and grandchildren. we need to boost growth and create jobs here and now. The government has now received part of this recipe from a dedicated, green business”. The Growth Team is predicting increasing demand for efficient water solutions on the world market as more and more countries are discovering that water shortages pose a direct threat to their growth and prosperity. fact boX: 1. Streamlining the water sector The regulation of drinking water supplies and wastewater treatment must be altered so that it: - promotes emphasis on total costs - encourages water companies to participate in development of technology and business with private companies. consolidation into fewer, larger companies will also promote demand for new water technology. mEmbErs of thE growth tEam: Chairman: Carsten Bjerg, Group President of Grundfos A/S Members: Steen Riisgaard, CEO of Novozymes A/S Ole Røsdahl, CEO of Krüger A/S Søren Larsen, CEO of Grontmij A/S Asger Kej, CEO of DHI Vibeke Svendsen, Managing Director of Envotherm Karsten Lindved, Managing Director of Upfront Chromatography Thomas Højlund Christensen, Director of Institute at the Technical University of Denmark Jens Lundsgaard, Business Director at the Ministry of Business and Growth Søren Søndergaard Kjær, Head of Department at the Danish Ministry of the Environment 12 / ceO waTer mandaTe 2012 ceO waTer mandaTe 2012 /13
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