Carbon-neutral green entrepreneurship trophies, Thursday, were awarded by the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency (FIPA) to foreign and Tunisian companies based in Tunisia. They all adopted ecological approaches or developed effective solutions to the climate change threats.
They are Timelec, Entreprise Hicha “Desert Joy”, Tunicotex Group and Start-up Kumulus, four companies which respected the environment and helped mitigate the impacts of climate change, including the scarcity of water resources.
“Timelec”, is a French multinational company based in Ben Arous for 20 years and employs nearly 500 people. Subsidiary of the French group Socomec, specialised in the manufacture of electrical equipment, it will launch a new factory in Mghira (southern suburb of Tunis) by the end of 2023.
‘Timelec’ was awarded for following a circular economy approach based on sorting and recycling waste (recycling 75% of its waste), reducing energy consumption (12% despite increase in its activity by 30%), composting and the use of local suppliers to reduce and avoid carbon emissions related to transport.
The second company, Hicha “Desert Joy”, active in the production of greenhouse tomatoes in Gabes, is a Dutch company founded in 2021. It produces tomatoes on an area of ??20 hectares by optimizing the use of energy and materials water resources already in critical situation in the south of Tunisia, through the use of photovoltaic energy (PV) and the desalination of sea water.
The company which also plans to set up a desalination station in 2025 to irrigate greenhouses with a production capacity of 10,000 m3 per day, is also a certified producer for fair trade and increasingly recognized for its commitment to the well-being of local communities.
The third award-winning company is Tunicotex, active in textiles and based in Soliman (Cap bon), for 30 years. The prize rewards its commitment and its reputation as a “Green Factory”, with good societal and environmental practices.
The fourth company is a Tunisian start-up “Startup kumulus”, which successfully developed a solution for the water shortage.
Speaking at the award ceremony, organized as part of the “International Investment Conference for the implementation of Tunisia’s NDC,” FIPA Director General Jalel Tebib stressed the importance of concerted climate action between the State and the private sector, including foreign companies based in Tunisia.
“Foreign investment is very important in the national economic sphere,” he pointed out, adding that in 2022, international investments exceeded 2200 million dinars.”
“We are optimistic about our ability to reach a value of 4 billion dinars annually and regain Tunisia’s place on the world stage of investment, production and wealth creation,” he indicated.
The official added that he is convinced that the objectives of Tunisia’s NDC in the energy field (energy efficiency and renewable energy) can be achieved. “Tunisia has all the necessary ingredients to achieve these goals considering its geographical proximity to Europe, its skills and the favorable climate for investment and the advantages and incentives granted to investors,” he said.
Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse