VEKS’ mission is:
”Procurement, water-based transport and the sale of flexible energy on commercial terms for the benefit of the customers and in consideration of the environment.”

One of VEKS’ visions is to focus on the environmental impact resulting from VEKS’ activities. The aim of this vision is to increase the comprehension of the environmental advantages associated with using district heating as well as to reduce environmental impact inside the organisation by influencing VEKS’ staff and outside the organisation by influencing collaboration partners to exercise environmental consciousness.
The aim is to retain the current EMAS and ISO 14001 certification, which is only possible if ongoing improvements of environmental activities are performed.

Based on the above mission and vision, VEKS’ management has formulated the following environmental policy which is coordinated with the policies of the company in general:

 
VEKS’ environmental policy:

• VEKS will work actively on gaining full control of all significant environ-mental factors.
• VEKS is committed to carrying out ongoing improvements by reducing negative environmental impact and preventing against pollution.
• VEKS will actively influence its collaboration partners and see to it that they control their most essential environmental factors.
• VEKS is committed to complying with relevant legislation and relevant regulatory requirements within environmental issues.

VEKS will prioritise its environmental activities on the basis of the following principles:

• environmental activities that reduce environmental impact considerably
• environmental activities developing the environmental consciousness and skills of the staff
• environmental activities resulting in economic savings

These efforts are meant to lead to ongoing improvements by reducing the negative environmental impact and prevention of pollution at VEKS and the company’s closest municipal partners by virtue of

• environmentally conscious behaviour (new work routines)
• reconstruction of facilities (cleaner technology)
• changes in products or processes (substitution)

By applying cleaner technology and changing products and processes, the most suitable technology is likely to be chosen in accordance with the economic frame-work (EBAT)
 
The environmental policy formulates the work to be done and is concretized in the form of environmental objectives. Each environmental objective is broken down into specific environmental goals, ie realistic and measurable goals that must be achieved within a limited period of time.

The environmental objectives include focus areas identified by geography, distri-bution of responsibility, type of facility and daily operational routines. The work with the focus areas is controlled in action plans.

The environmental policy and its consequences are explained to the employees as part of their education and training. VEKS’ environmental policy is published in the Annual Report and in the Annual Environmental Declaration.