Procurement and environmental protection
Hannover Re is committed to keeping negative environmental impacts of its business operations as low as possible. With this in mind, the focus of our efforts is on reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions as we move towards climate neutrality by the year 2015. A major step towards achieving this goal was the implementation of our Environmental Management System at Hannover Home Office in 2012. Shortly after launch it was successfully certified according to DIN EN ISO 14001.
For several years now Hannover Re has been an active partner in numerous initiatives to protect the climate and the environment, such as the “Ecological Project for Integrated Environmental Technology” (Ecoprofit) and the Climate Alliance Hannover 2020. The latter initiative, which enjoys the support of businesses, organisations, the City of Hannover and the public utility company Stadtwerke Hannover AG, has set itself the goal for 2020 of emitting 40% less harmful greenhouse gases than in 1990 across the municipal area. Under this partnership Hannover Re took part in, among other things, the “multimobil-Tag” day of action held in the year under review, which was intended to raise awareness among both city residents and throughout the Greater Hannover region of environmentally friendly mobility methods.
In addition, we again participated last year in the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) by reporting at length on our consumption of resources that affect climate change – a report which we also published for the first time. This information is taking on growing significance for capital market players when they come to make their investment decisions.
Hannover Re’s carbon dioxide emissions at the Hannover Home Office location amounted to 4,984 tonnes in 2012. Compared to the previous year, CO2 pollution was cut by 3,139 tonnes or 38.6%. This saving was attributable principally to our changeover at the beginning of 2012 to electricity generated exclusively from renewable sources. Furthermore, despite the increased size of its workforce Hannover Re was again able to reduce the number of kilometres travelled on business. This was made possible, among other things, by greater use of video conferences.
In 2012, as in previous years, we also offset our absolute CO2 footprint of 4,743 tonnes caused by airline and train travel by making voluntary offsetting payments to the international organisation “atmosfair” and to Deutsche Bahn AG.
The table below breaks down Hannover Re’s consumption and emissions over the past 5 years.
Resources consumed at Hannover Home Office | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
20124 | 20113 | 20102 | 20092 | 20081 | |
1 Karl-Wiechert-Allee 50 und Roderbruchstraße 26, Hannover 2 Karl-Wiechert-Allee 50, Roderbruchstrasse 26 and infant daycare centre, Hannover 3 Karl-Wiechert-Allee 50, Roderbruchstrasse 21 and 26 as well as infant daycare centre, Hannover 4 Karl-Wiechert-Allee 50, Roderbruchstrasse 21 and 26 as well as infant daycare centre, Karl-Wiechert-Allee 57 (pro rata) Hannover 5 Radiative Forcing Index: 2.7 |
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Electricity (in kWh) |
8,802,262 | 8,214,917 | 8,055,429 | 8,014,946 | 7,624,709 |
Heat (in kWh) |
2,319,854 | 1,859,119 | 2,383,918 | 2,314,009 | 2,051,501 |
Water (in l) |
14,961,000 | 14,464,500 | 14,722,000 | 12,100,000 | 14,505,000 |
Paper (in sheets) |
8,766,000 | 9,172,180 | 9,074,300 | 8,488,368 | 9,174,260 |
Waste (in kg) |
205,790 | 257,400 | 297,000 | 327,000 | no data |
Business trips (in km) |
16,654,504 | 17,658,598 | 16,018,500 | 15,179,745 | 14,766,598 |
CO2 emissions5 (in kg) |
4,984,000 | 8,123,000 | 7,685,000 | 9,005,000 | 9,838,000 |