Veolia: Your glocal environment partner

Veolia, a global leader in resource management, has been helping companies to make the most of their resources

Veolia, a leading global resource management company, is building a legacy by helping customers worldwide manage, optimise, and make the most of their resources. By offering an array of solutions related to water, energy and materials, the company focuses on waste recovery and promotes transition toward a circular economy.
Its presence in the Gulf is invaluable for many such reasons. In the Middle East, Veolia is working with industries, governments and communities as well as retail and commercial businesses to deliver innovative and sustainable solutions. "Veolia aims at providing public authorities and industries with a range of water, energy and waste management services that are vital to human development and sustainable growth. We continue to focus our efforts on continuously adapting and innovating in tandem with the economic growth and human development by designing and implementing solutions that will have a positive impact on the environment and resources in the Middle East," says Xavier Joseph, CEO, Veolia Gulf Countries, Veolia.
The French company has been present here for three decades and employs 3,000 people. It has a strong local network with 10 offices across the Gulf countries.
"Our vision is to become a key 'glocal' environmental partner in the Gulf and our mission is to deliver innovative, cost effective and sustainable waste, energy and water solutions to our clients, to enhance their performance while contributing to resourcing the world," he says.
Veolia has been actively contributing to the development of the cities through public-private partnerships and contractual schemes. Its expertise has led to optimisation of industrial cycles through the management of the environmental resources cycle.
"We develop solutions that enable customers to focus on maximising the performance of their core business, i.e. help cities to enhance customer experience and improve the knowledge of their needs with a city dashboard, while we address the water, waste and energy operations and management needs," adds the CEO.
One of the prime examples of its innovative approach is the Energy Saving Centre. Through a complete review of existing buildings energy infrastructure Veolia implements a specific plan to upgrade, manage and maintain energy systems. Combined with constant monitoring either on-site or through Veolia's Energy Saving Centre, it keeps energy equipment operating at peak efficiency, delivers secure energy supply and adds the strongest guarantee on energy savings, paying the difference if the targets are not achieved. "Our Energy Saving Centre has recently been recognised as a COP21 solution by Veolia Group. Through our subsidiary Enova - a joint venture created in 2002 between Majid Al Futtaim Ventures and Veolia - we will deliver savings in the first Energy Savings Performance Contract for DEWA buildings. Following our accreditation as an ESCO and the launch of our Energy Saving Centre in April 2014, this appointment reaffirms our commitment to sustainability and energy management in the Middle East," says Joseph.
Veolia's ingenious approach is also reducing the cost and price for desalination of seawater. In the future town of Masdar, Abu Dhabi, Veolia is promoting the use of new HiprodeTM technology for the reverse osmosis seawater desalination programme and the renewable energy programme. This allows desalination through smaller units, and hence reduces costs. "The results obtained using this 300m3/day demonstrator will confirm plans to construct a large-scale reverse osmosis desalination plant. HiprodeTM technology had already been tested and confirmed using a prototype installed at Veolia's seawater desalination plant in Gibraltar."
The global leader has completed work on two wastewater treatment plants in Abu Dhabi (Al Ain and Al Wathba) in collaboration with its partner Besix.
In the coming years, it has defined three pillars of growth and development for the region:
Support infrastructure needs: Develop waste treatment capabilities and generate leads on district cooling with relevant partnership.
Circular economy and smart models: Promote waste to energy and recovery of waste materials; Smart cities offering in water, waste and energy efficiency; Focus on building energy services.
Oil & Gas services: Hazardous waste and multi-utilities offers. 
"We put a lot of effort in building a more efficient and agile organisation that enables our team to tackle complex environmental challenges with the most pragmatic approach. In the Gulf, we have defined three focus areas, which include being closer to the communities; engage employees; and raise awareness on environmental protection and biodiversity. We take our role in the local community seriously," says Joseph, concluding that the company's achievements are a result of its commitment to developing, preserving and replenishing resources, across the region.