Life on Land
Protecting, restoring and promoting the sustainable use of Earth’ ecosystems, protect forests, combat desertification, reverse land degradation, and stop the loss of biodiversity.
Protecting, restoring and promoting the sustainable use of Earth’ ecosystems, protect forests, combat desertification, reverse land degradation, and stop the loss of biodiversity.
One of NIS’s strategic priorities is environmental protection. The Company strives to implement the best available practices in investment projects and continuously improves the environmental performance of processes, while actively contributing to improving environmental awareness among both employees and the wider community through education and volunteer activities.
In 2024, in Sales and Distribution Block of NIS, and to the end of improving employees’ competencies, the Company organised three campaigns: “Disposal of Oily Sand as an Adsorbent”, “Construction and Demolition Waste – Handling” and “Procedure in the Event of an Emergency and Traffic Accident”.
Last year, eight existing PSs were demolished and the same number of new ones were built, with new separators, piezometers, double-jacketed tanks with leak signalling, and vapour recovery systems, phases I and II. The reconstruction of the Niš petroleum products and LPG depot has been completed with the construction of three new 5,000 m3 tanks (with a cup-in-cup system), two 100 m3 tanks for bioethanol and two 500 m3 tanks for biodiesel. VRU units have been installed at the truck and railcar transfer stations, which will contribute to reducing emissions of volatile organic compounds into the air.
At “HIP-Petrohemija”, 2024 was marked by activities related to the disposal of historical waste. Waste from the Ethylene Plant was disposed of and a contract was signed with an operator for the disposal of mercury (Hg). In addition, a contract was signed, an export permit was issued, and the client began the disposal of liquid hydrocarbon residue from the Synthetic Rubber Plant. Activities have begun on the implementation of the polypropylene factory construction project, within which, in order to clean the site for the construction of the future factory, waste concrete and brick, as well as building materials containing asbestos, were disposed of.
During 2024, the good practice of exporting waste catalyst from the Pančevo Oil Refinery to the Netherlands for permanent disposal continued, with a total of 288.48 tons of waste catalyst being delivered.
THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE VOLUNTEER CLUB TO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
The Company also cares about the environment in synergy with its employees, who regularly participate in the Volunteer Club’s environmental actions. Educational workshops and campaigns are also conducted to increase the environmental awareness of employees. By implementing such initiatives and actions, we continuously contribute to the preservation and improvement of the environment.
One of the activities of the NIS Volunteer Club in recent years has been the traditional support for the global initiative “Earth Hour”, the basic idea of which is to encourage the general public to use resources rationally and the necessity of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing energy efficiency and taking urgent action in the fight against climate change and preserving biodiversity. Like numerous companies and millions of people around the world, during the event, the Company took part by symbolically turning off the illuminated advertisements in business centres in Belgrade and Novi Sad for an hour.
On the occasion of World Environment Day in 2024, an ecological cleaning campaign was traditionally implemented, which NIS organized in partnership with the City Administration for Environmental Protection of the City of Novi Sad, all with the aim of cleaning and beautifying the Officers’ Beach in Novi Sad. In addition, volunteers implemented the campaign of planting 100 ornamental tree seedlings in a public area in Kikinda. The traditional, fourth internal volunteer competition of the Company was focused on environmental protection and was conducted under the slogan “Change, Go Green, be someone”. Four actions were implemented within the competition, and the Company’s volunteers planted flowers and installed a solar bench in the yard of the “Aleksa Šantić” Primary School in Sečanj, while in the “1. Oktobar” Primary School in Bašaid they installed a solar charger, a press and ecological containers for collecting plastic packaging and waste paper, painted the protective fence around the sports field with ecological paints and, in cooperation with members of the ECO Junior section of this school, held an ECO class to explain the process of separating raw materials, the benefits of recycling and demonstrate the use of a press. The remaining two actions were aimed at supporting preschools, so volunteers at the kindergarten in Gajdobra prepared and cultivated the soil for planting indigenous fruit varieties, whitewashed the walls and painted the fence using ecological paints, and installed composters for organic waste. By implementing these activities, a mini garden was created that contributes to the education of children about natural cycles and the care of local plants, while also promoting environmental awareness and a sustainable environment. As part of the fourth action, volunteers planted 70 thuja seedlings and 60 flower plants in the yard of the “Paša i Nataša” Primary School in Nova Varoš. In addition to the Company’s volunteers, children attending supported institutions and community members also participated in the above actions, which is a practice that the Volunteer Club will continue to foster in the future and thus, in synergy with the community, contribute to the preservation of environmental protection as a common goal and obligation.
