In France, Aviva has brought its teams from the Paris headquarters together on a single site in Bois-Colombes, in a building managed according to environmental standards.
Aviva, a major player in the areas of life insurance and long-term savings, asset management and non-life insurance, has announced its commitment to become the first insurer to neutralise its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions across all of its operations on a worldwide basis.
This is an important step in Aviva’s ongoing programme to limit its impact on the environment, notably by improving its energy efficiency and using "clean" electricity that does not produce greenhouse gases.
Aviva will compensate for the remaining emissions based on the amount of emissions it produced in 2006: approximately 110,000 tonnes. For all of its global operations (offices and business travel), Aviva will offset the carbon emissions linked to its consumption of electricity and gas from non-renewable energy sources.
To achieve that, Aviva will invest in projects that generate carbon credits. Those credits will come from a combination of several carbon mitigation methods, including tree planting and setting up projects that use renewable energies, such as solar or wind power.
Richard Harvey, Aviva group chief executive, said: “Our decision to go carbon neutral is a significant step and one we have not entered into lightly. Climate change will be one of the most important environmental challenges facing the world. As the next phase of our 'Forward thinking' approach, we’re playing our part in addressing this environmental challenge and would encourage other economic actors to follow suit.
“Aviva operates in 25 countries around the world, making us well placed to make a significant positive impact on the environment and to educate others on the importance of this issue and its effects.
“We’re committed to making a positive contribution for the environment and shall continue to focus on reducing our energy consumption and using zero-emission electricity. We’re also looking at ways we can help our customers reduce their carbon emissions, by creating innovative products such as 'Pay As You Drive'. Through Morley, our UK-based fund management company, we’ll continue to encourage other companies that reduce their CO2 emissions.”
Aviva has already made good progress in bringing down its CO2 output. Since 2002, it has cut emissions linked to its offices and business travel by 54%. Over the same period, Aviva’s UK business, Norwich Union, has reduced its energy consumption by 5.5 gigawatts an hour. Vehicles running on alternative fuels have also been added to the Aviva fleet. Aviva neutralises 100% of its CO2 emissions produced by electricity in the UK, Netherlands and Germany, and 20% in Ireland and the Czech Republic. 64% of the electricity used by Aviva globally is produced without generating CO2 emissions.
In France, Aviva has brought its teams from the Paris headquarters together on a single site in Bois-Colombes, in a building managed according to environmental standards. The company opted for gas heating, which further contributes to bringing down CO2 emissions. Moreover, Aviva France is considering stepping up its high environmental quality standards.
Aviva France has worked hard to implement a wide-reaching programme to reduce paper consumption and sort waste at its HQ. The company has switched from a paper-based administrative system, in the long tradition of the long-term savings sector, to an electronic system between the front and back offices, and electronic messaging is now the norm. As a result, Aviva France has improved its customer satisfaction level by reducing errors and response times, while contributing to preserving the environment by dramatically reducing the use of printed documents and paper exchanges between the HQ and the networks.
Some of Aviva’s operating entities have sought solutions to limit the effects of climate change on their customers by mapping flood forecasts and raising awareness of flood protection and areas at risk of flooding. In the UK, Aviva also offers high-end insurance products at reduced rates for drivers of Ford vehicles running on alternative fuels. With more than €247 million (Ł165 million) of assets under management, Aviva is leading the way in socially responsible investment and has long been promoting an effective corporate response to climate change. More recently, Aviva has become a signatory to the UN Principles of Responsible Investment and the Institutional Investors’ Statement on Climate Change.
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Notes to editors:
Press Contacts:
Estelle Joubert
Telephone: +33 (0)1 7662 5786
E-mail: estelle_joubert@aviva.fr
Laurent Gibert
Telephone: +33 (0)1 7662 7088
E-mail: laurent_gibert@aviva.fr
Aviva and climate change
The core of Aviva’s business consists of making provision for future events. Aviva is making provision for the effects of climate change through adapting and creating new products and services to meet this challenge. Aviva is also committed to reducing its own CO2 output and encourages others to do the same through its influence as an investor and purchaser. Aviva will work with others to gain a better understanding of the future implications of climate change and make a contribution that will benefit society. Aviva has been managing and reporting on its environmental performance since 1998. Aviva is a member of the Climate Change Working Group within the framework of the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI). In 2004, Aviva established an internal climate change forum to coordinate its activity on climate change.
About Aviva
Aviva is one of the leading providers of life and pensions products in Europe, with substantial positions in other markets around the world. In terms of gross premiums, Aviva is the world’s fifth-largest insurance group. Aviva’s principal business activities are: life insurance and long-term savings, fund management and general insurance. At 31 December 2005, Aviva had annual premium income* of Ł36 billion and assets under management of Ł322 billion. Press releases are available on the www.aviva.com and www.aviva.fr websites.
Aviva’s corporate social responsibility website provides full details of environmental programme developments: www.aviva.com/csr
*based on PVNBP, total premiums