Aviva to be the first insurer to carbon neutralise its operations worldwide
28 December, 2006
Aviva, the international savings, investment and insurance
group, has announced its commitment to become the first insurer to
carbon neutralise its operations on a worldwide basis.
This is an important step in Aviva's ongoing programme to limit its
environmental impact following its progress on energy efficiency
and sourcing of zero emission electricity.
Aviva will offset the remaining emissions – approximately
110,000 tonnes annually - on a retrospective basis starting with
emissions generated in 2006. Aviva will compensate for the carbon
output of its consumption of non-renewable sourced electricity and
gas from buildings and business travel, including air, car and
train, across all of its global operations.
In order to neutralise the carbon impact of the whole of the
business, Aviva will invest in projects which generate carbon
credits. The credits will come from a combination of carbon
mitigation methods such as tree planting and renewable energy
generation projects which do not release carbon to the atmosphere
such as solar or wind power.
Richard Harvey, group chief executive, Aviva said: "Our decision to
go carbon neutral is a significant step and one we have not entered
into lightly. We believe climate change to be the most important
environmental issue facing the world and as a forward thinking
company we are playing our part in addressing this challenge and
would encourage other businesses to follow suit.
"Aviva operates in 25 countries around the world making us well
placed to make a positive impact on the environment and educate
others on the importance of the issue and its effect.
"We are committed to making a positive contribution to the
environment and shall continue to focus on reducing our energy use
and attempting to source zero emission power where we can. We are
also looking at ways in which to help our customers reduce their
CO2 emissions through the provision of innovative products such as
'Pay-As-You-Drive' and we continue to encourage other companies to
reduce their CO2 emissions through Morley, our fund management
company."
Aviva has already made good progress in reducing CO2 output. Since
2002, Aviva has cut building and travel related CO2 by 54%. Over
the same period, Aviva's UK business, Norwich Union, has reduced
energy consumption by 5.5GWh across its locations. Alternative fuel
vehicles have also been added to Aviva's car fleet.
Aviva uses 100% zero emission electricity in UK, Dutch and German
businesses and 20% in Ireland and the Czech Republic. Currently 64%
of electricity used by Aviva globally is obtained from zero
emission sources.
Aviva's general insurance operations have been seeking solutions to
limit the effects of climate change on customers through its flood
mapping and lobbying on the issue of flood defences and floodplain
planning. It also offers reduced premium insurance products for
drivers of flexi-fuel Ford cars.
With more than Ł165 billion assets under management through its
fund management business Morley, Aviva has been a leader in
socially responsible investment and has long been promoting
effective corporate response to climate change. More recently it
has become a signatory to the UN Principles of Responsible
Investment and the Institutional Investors' Statement on Climate
Change.
-ends-
Enquiries:
Media:
Sue Winston, head of group media relations +44 (0)20 7662
8221
Vanessa Booth, group media relations manager +44 (0)20 7662
2482
Notes to editors:
- Aviva's statement on climate change: "The core of our business is making provision for future events. As a forward thinking insurer we are making provision for the effects of climate change through adapting and creating new products and services to meet this challenge. We also seek to reduce our own CO2 output and we encourage others to do the same through our influence as an investor and purchaser. We will work with others to better understand the future implications of climate change and play our part in helping to develop and deliver society’s continuing response."
- Aviva has been managing and reporting on environmental performance since 1998.
- Aviva is a member of the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) Climate Change Working Group.
- Aviva established an internal Climate Change Forum in 2004 to coordinate activity on climate change.
About Aviva
- Aviva plc is the world's fifth-largest insurance group and the UK’s largest insurance services provider (based on gross worldwide premiums at 31 December 2005), and is one of the leading providers of life and pension products to Europe, with substantial positions in other markets around the world.
- Aviva's principal business activities are long-term savings, fund management and general insurance, with worldwide total sales of Ł36 billion and assets under management of Ł322 billion at 31 December 2005.
- The Aviva media centre at www.aviva.com/media includes images, logos, company and product information and a news release archive.
- Visit Aviva's CSR website for full details of environmental programme developments within the CSR programme at www.aviva.com/csr.
