Another charging station is added to the domestic network: the unit was installed in the car park in front of Terminal 2 of Ferenc Liszt International Airport. The installation was implemented with the cooperation of ELMŰ and its partner, ABB. With the state-of-the-art fast charger, vehicles fitted in line with both the Japanese and the European standard can be “filled up” in a short time while you wait for someone in the arrivals hall. Budapest Airport does not charge a separate fee for the use of the station.

The latest development project of the airport car park is a so-called fast charger installed in the Terminal car park in front of Terminal 2. The most modern charger currently available in the market can be used for charging two vehicles at the same time with direct or alternate current; the unit is from the Hungarian production facility of ABB of Switzerland, and the infrastructure required for the installation was put in place by ELMŰ which also assumes the role of operator of the station. The charging progress is easy to follow on the 8-inch display screen of the charging column even in strong sunshine, and no expertise or registration is necessary for using the unit. All you need to do is connect up the vehicle and charging starts automatically.

It is a special feature of the fast charger that a car equipped with a 24-kW battery (e.g. the most frequent Nissan Leaf) can be charged from 30% to 80% in 15 minutes, which will be enough for the next 100-120 kilometers. This time slot is just right when you take someone to the airport or wait for someone to pick up there. Apart from the parking fee, the airport charges no additional fee for the power taken. The charger supports the currently most widespread direct-current standards of CCS and CHAdeMO, but it can also charge with standard alternate current off the grid; in the latter case it is a bit slower, but it is still faster than your wall plug at home.

István Lepsényi, under-secretary of state of the Ministry of the National Economy underlined at the handover of the electric charging station that the handover of the new charging station is an organic component in the implementation of the Jedlik Ányos Plan of the government and said “In order to support the implementation of the domestic e-mobility program we are planning to handover 150 similar charging stations around the country going forward. Our goal is to ensure with this program that the whole country could be driven through in modern electric vehicles. It should be understood that everyone will win with the spreading of such vehicles, as environmental pollution, emission of pollutants, and noise pollution will be reduced. In addition, this will make it possible to implement new innovative developments supporting growth.”

“We hope our passengers will be happy to use our new environmentally friendly service which is one of the most spectacular elements of our e-mobility program commenced in the summer. We believe it is important for us to continue to enhance the level of our services, as this may significantly contribute to preserving our position of best airport in the region,” said Gábor Szarvas, environmental protection and public affairs director of Budapest Airport.

Similarly to recent years, ELMŰ-ÉMÁSZ would like to play a pioneering role in creating the conditions of sustainable transport in Hungary, continuously enhancing its nationwide network which has 41 stations now including the facility just handed over. “The infrastructure set up by us has reached a level of development where it is about time for us to work out the details of the business model that may ensure market-based financing of further extension. The airport may be the most suitable location where charging stations could be operated on commercial terms, as the distance between Ferihegy and downtown can be comfortably covered with electric cars currently in use. The quick charger just commissioned is also a reference for cooperation with ABB. Together with them we are looking forward to participating in fair competition as a result of which we may also contribute to setting up a nationwide network of quick chargers in the framework of the Jedlik Ányos Plan in addition to extending our existing city infrastructure of chargers,” noted Dr. Friedrich Wilhelm Knebel, a member of the Board of ELMŰ-ÉMÁSZ responsible for networks.

“We were very happy to receive the request from Budapest Airport to install the quick charging station. ABB has significant international and domestic experience in installing and operating quick charger infrastructure including the manufacturing of charging columns as well as rolling out nationwide networks,” said Attila Balogh, an e-mobility expert of ABB. “The quick chargers of ABB can be found in more than 25 countries already, including e.g. the USA, Chile, Holland, Great Britain, Austria, Switzerland, Estonia, and Hungary. One of our largest assignments was granted by the government of Estonia where ABB installed 165 quick chargers ensuring full coverage of the Baltic state. At the beginning of 2014, ABB entered into a partnership with Shenzhen BYD Daimler New Technology Co. Ltd. of China, in the framework of which ABB can supply the direct current quick chargers for the new DENZA electric car in China over the next six years.”

The innovative bus charger technology of ABB was also introduced at the climate conference in Paris last week that is capable of supplying power for the world’s first high-capacity electric bus system without overhead cables. This technology was first used on electric buses carrying 135 passengers in Geneva.

“The first quick charging station in Hungary was commissioned by our company on Istenhegyi Road in 2012, and we installed additional units since then. We hope that we can contribute to the spreading of green technologies in the country and also to the successful implementation of the environmental program of Budapest Airport,” added Mr. Balogh.

The new electric charging station is a logical element in the e-mobility development program of Budapest Airport, commenced at the beginning of the year. Via this program, the airport would like to support and motivate its partners to use environmentally friendly electric vehicles. In this framework, Budapest Airport also procured a fully electric Smart, implemented new charging stations for electric towing vehicles increasingly used in airport ground handling, and made it mandatory in its last passenger transportation tender for its contracted partner to also procure electric taxis.

Our food rescue program, which runs since years successfully, reached its next level, with providing 1.000.000 kg of food, value of nearly 900 m HUF, helped 150.000 people in need.

Our partner in this project is the FoodBank; the aim of the organization is to collect food from the wholesale stores that has aesthetic failure or close to its best-before date and to give it to the needy.  The novelty in our program that we give the daily surplus every evening to civil organizations, which are ultra-fresh and fresh products( fish, meat, processed meat, fruit and vegetables, dairy and bakery) in the contrary to edible products, these products are more healthy, containing more vitamin and usually containing special products as well: bio, lactose free, gluten free etc.). This fully implemented program (all stores involved, daily distribution) existed first in Hungary and Europe with FoodBank.

Beyond this donation in 2015 many other topics were in the limelight of our interest. We have added to our cooperation with Pál Heim Foundation a nationwide AlcoholSTOP roadshow in 6 of our stores. In this program series (Nyíregyháza, Kecskemét, Szeged, Pécs, Győr and Budaörs) we offered many interactive programs to all visitors. The aim of the series was to start an intense and genuine social dialogue, where instead of complaints plans and ideas were created in order to promote responsible alcohol consumption among the population. METRO not only ensured the venues but promoted the events in all its communication channels.

The event series’ closing event was held on 29^th August 2015 at Budaörs store, where Pest county police traffic safety games could be tried out, Hungarian Blood Donation Service hosted a blood donation and offered first-aid training.

In the summer of 2015 launched METRO Community Stars (Adnijó) Program, where METRO awarded and honored independent business owners whose outstanding commitment contributes to the well-being in their community. Because they are going the extra mile, they act as role models to their respective communities. It is METRO Cash & Carry’s goal to focus on these people and their small independent businesses and put the spotlight on those usually not getting the recognition that big companies gain. The prize honors the immense importance of entrepreneurs in supporting community development. With the award we have created a platform to position METRO Cash & Carry as a touch point within the community at local level that pursues the same objective as the independent local businesses.  The winner, Hatpöttyös restaurant from Székesfehérvár employing disabled people won the recognition.

Close to the year-end METRO organized for its employees a Sustainability day, where all our 2600 employees were invited and involved to various interactive sustainability programs. Via these activities we highlighted the water-, energy- and material saving ideas, also highlighting how to save food, recycle, reuse or count your own eco footprint.

Christmas period is always about charity , next to METRO’s normal charity activities this year we joined the nationwide campaign called “Jónak lenni jó”, where the beneficiary in 2015 the International Children’s Safety Service, where METRO donated 7 mio HUF, and in the events of the organization 3000 food packages and 1500 kg fruits were distributed thanks to METRO. This cooperation will continue in 2016 with supporting various other events of the organization.

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Henkel’s Sustainability Ambassador program won the Hungarian Business Responsibility Award, during the initiative volunteers from the company held playful classes on sustainability to nearly 1,900 students. The employees – or Sustainability Ambassadors – taught students how to live environmentally consciously, how to save water and electricity during an interactive lesson. The initiative aims to educate children from an early age on environmentally responsible habits.

The most outstanding responsible and sustainable initiatives, products, services and projects were awarded with the Hungarian Business Responsibility Award by the CSR Hungary, a professional forum. At the awards ceremony, Henkel’s Sustainability Ambassadors program won in the Junior category. Special feature of the initiative is that it covers the complex topic of sustainability in the language of children, the volunteers held understandable and interesting classes for the students.

As part of the program, the Henkel voluntary employees complete a training to become Sustainability Ambassadors, and visit school from the capital and the countryside, where they show the children in playful, interactive classes how they can act environmentally consciously in their everyday life.

“This award is a great pleasure for us, as it is a special project. Our volunteer employees held playful sustainability classes for young students. We believe that if we speak to the young generation, and teach them the importance of environmental awareness, then growing up, environment protection will be important to this generation. This knowledge will be passed down to their own children as well “– said dr. Ágnes Fábián, CEO and volunteer sustainability ambassador of Henkel Magyarország.

Henkel employees visit elementary schools and held sustainability lectures since 2013, the program has reached around 60 thousand children across the world. The volunteers of the Hungarian subsidiary, the Henkel employees drew the students’ attention on the importance of green thinking during 70 extraordinary lessons, in which almost 1900 students have participated so far. During the special classes, students can learn tricks and tips, which can help them to protect the environment, save water and electricity. The experiences prove that a comprehensive, amusing and understandable environmental education is really needed in elementary schools.

Henkel is confident that the students will remember what they have learned as adults and green thinking will be natural for them. The Henkel Sustainability Ambassador Program won the “The corporate volunteer program of the year” award at the tender of Önkéntes Központ Alapítvány (Volunteer Centre Foundation) in 2014.