Asia Pacific
Reducing paper use at Eagle Insurance Sri Lanka
In early 2007, Eagle Insurance Sri Lanka launched an initiative to develop a more environmentally sound office environment. The project was launched with a company-wide drive towards the efficient use of paper, led by a cross functional project team. Emphasis was placed on raising employee awareness and generating support through a company-wide campaign.
Several changes were implemented across the head office and the regions to minimise printing and paper waste, including:
- setting all printers to default to double-sided printing
- revising the purchasing policy to stipulate that only duplex (double-siding) printers should be bought
- converting most life and general insurance policy documents and quotations to duplex
- sending weekly messages to staff about saving paper
- introducing a session into the induction programme for new staff on using paper efficiently
- switching from issuing printed schedules and other documents to sending them electronically
The project was a success both in terms of increased employee awareness and direct cuts in the volume of paper purchased.
Case study
Biogas
The biogas project that Aviva sponsors is located in a rural community in Sri Lanka, and run by the charity Practical Action.
The project replaces wood, a fuel source that is becoming increasingly expensive and scarce, with biogas, which is generated from cow manure and water. The fermentation process releases methane, which is then stored and piped to homes to be used as a free, sustainable source of energy for cooking and lighting.
The biogas also reduces the risk of indoor air pollution, one of the biggest killers in the world, and enables the women usually responsible for collecting wood to spend more time on new, income-generating activities.
Aviva’s involvement in the project generates 3,000 tonnes of carbon credits.
Case study
Treadle pumps
In Uttar Pradesh, northern India, a large percentage of the population live below the poverty line. Irrigation is vitally important to crop production in the area, but fuel for diesel pumps is both expensive and polluting, and the pumps themselves cost 70-100 Rs per hour to rent. Aviva is involved with a project that promotes the use of human-powered treadle pumps, a cost-effective and non-polluting alternative.
The treadle pumps are usually operated in the early morning and in the evening to avoid the scorching heat of the day, and for three to seven hours a day, depending on the season. The pump can be operated in shifts by entire families, and can form the centre of social activity.
Being able to use treadle pumps at any time, and irrigate their fields daily, has had a spectacular impact on the income of farmers in the region. In one sample, rural households more than doubled their income, from an average 15,000 Rs per household per year to 35,500 Rs per household per year.
Case study
Wind turbines
The growth in the economies of China and India are having a rapidly growing impact on climate change, and although China is still building coal-fired power stations, it is also using hydro-electricity stations and wind turbines to help meets the growing demand for energy. In fact, it is expected to reach its 2010 wind power capacity target of 5GW by the end of 2008.
Aviva sources credits from a wind turbine project located in Hebei Province, 250 kilometres north of Beijing. It is one of the windiest places in the country, and also the latest province that we have won a licence to operate in, under the Aviva-COFCO partnership. As China is an emerging market for businesses and many of the products we source are manufactured there, it is an ideal way of supporting a drive to a low-carbon economy.
The majority of electricity in India is generated from coal and oil, which carry the associated problems of air pollution and emissions. Our wind turbine project is on a smaller scale and is situated in Tamil Nahdu state. The turbines are manufactured in India, and Indian investors and engineers are driving the project forwards.
Between the two projects, Aviva has sourced 59,000 carbon credits.