Reuters Group PLC
From Lauraibm
Contents |
MI Summary
Global Environmental Policy
Reuters as a leader in the provision of business information and related systems, recognises its corporate obligations to; and the commercial sense of, a sound environmental management policy for the benefit of all its stakeholders.
Reuters acknowledges that, however marginal the direct and indirect impact of our business activities might be on the environment, there is the need constantly to consider ways and means of conserving energy and minimising all waste and pollution in our business processes.
In addition to complying therefore with all relevant legislation and regulations, Reuters undertakes to take positive measures where appropriate to achieve standards of environmental management that reflect its corporate commitment.
Reuters aims to reduce the company’s environmental impact in the following key areas through a sustained measured programme, focused on best practices.
- 1. Suppliers
To work in partnership with our suppliers to seek to promote, where practicable, best environmental practice by suppliers of goods and services to Reuters and by contractors working on our sites.
- 2. Energy efficiency
To manage electricity, gas and water supplies with a view to reducing our impact on the environment.
- 3. Waste Management
To endeavour to minimise waste production wherever possible, utilising environmentally friendly and economical disposal methods.
- 4. Recycling and use of recycled material
To utilise and to promote the use of recycled materials wherever practicable, ensuring that materials are also disposed of in an environmentally safe manner at the end of their useful life.
- 5. Environmental management awareness
Whenever reasonably practicable, to raise and maintain a high level of understanding of and participation in, environmental best practices by staff and suppliers in conducting Reuters business. (1)
Reuters and the Environment
Reuters tackles environmental responsibility in two ways: 1. Through the information our journalists provide on environmental issues 2. The measures we have in place to REDUCE the impact our employees and facilities have on the environment
Using our skills As a media organisation, the most valuable way of conveying our support for the protection of the environment is through the provision of information.
Environmental journalist network Coordinated by Reuters Chief Environment Correspondent, Reuters environmental journalist network is an authoritative source for environmental issues. Aimed at both specialists and a wider audience, our environmental coverage goes beyond the gloom of many studies about climate change to explore possible solutions, such as more efficient energy use or clean solar, wind or hydropower.
Reuters Foundation and Partners Reuters Foundation continues to raise standards in the way environmental issues are reported through running journalist workshops focussed on writing environmental news. Courses have taken place in countries including Colombia, Mexico, Germany, Lebanon, Vietnam, the UK and South Africa. In the past, three fellowships in environmental studies have been provided at Oxford University, with sponsorship from The Bellagio Forum for Sustainable Development.
Reuters Foundation works in partnership with the Com+ Alliance, of communicators Sustainable Development, a group of international organisations committed to using communications to advance sustainable development projects. Courses funded by the Alliance range from reporting on water in Costa Rica to the importance of ecosystems services to development, and a programme preparing journalists for coverage of the G8+ Climate Change Dialogue.
The Foundation also continues to sponsor the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources media award for Excellence in Environmental Journalism. The 2006 Reuters-IUCN prize was awarded to Marina Walker Guevara of Argentina for her story “The children of lead” (Los niňos del plomo). Minimising our impact
While our products have a low environmental impact, our employees and facilities have an impact at work, at home and in the commute to work.
- We held our Green Week event, designed to inform employees about environmental issues, in 18 locations in 2006.Events included presentations by external speakers, exhaust emission testing and fundraising for relevant causes. In response to Green Week, taskforce teams have been set up in London and New York to promote local initiatives.
- Reuters staff continue to undertake a variety of environmentally-related projects during the annual Community Events Week. Teams from London, Frankfurt, Tiverton, Hong Kong, Moscow and Missouri worked with local groups to develop and improve their local neighbourhoods by clearing parkland and rivers and maintaining gardens.
- During 2006 we worked with an independent environmental consultancy to identify the indicators we should track in order to measure our environmental impact. They highlighted measures relating to electricity and water consumption, waste and carbon dioxide production, and paper buying. In 2007 we are implementing an environmental management system to monitor data from our key office and data centre locations.
(2)
News Article
Reuters News Forum underscores investor interest in climate change
Last week saw the first Reuters News Forum dedicated to Environmental Markets, one of our New Asset Classes and a key component of the Core Plus growth strategy. "Investing in Climate Change" was organised by newly appointed Senior Environmental Markets Correspondent Gerard Wynn and attracted an audience of more than 100 including analysts, investors, traders, energy groups and green lobbyists to our London headquarters.
All were keen to hear from keynote speaker Sir David King, who is chief scientific adviser to British Prime Minister Tony Blair, along with a panel of five other speakers including the Chief Investment Officer of fund management group Schroders and the UK head of German power giant E.ON.
King, an eminent scientist, painted a dramatic picture of the consequences of global warming if drastic action is not taken to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere around the globe. He brought the impact close to home for the audience in London by explaining how the Thames Barrier, which was built to prevent the capital flooding, is having to be used more often as sea levels rise.
But King was also positive about the effects that efforts to reduce carbon emissions can have, saying: "If we manage it, it would be the biggest transition in the biggest world industry (energy) there is. There are massive investment opportunities in this process."
This was echoed by the other main speaker at the event, Henry Derwent of the UK's Department of Environment and Rural Affairs, who stressed that the problem was too big for governments to deal with on their own. "There is no hope for us it seems to me to rely on government money alone to finance the changes in (clean energy) technology that we need to see. Private finance is the key to our achieving what we want to achieve."
Anthony Ling, Head of European Research at Goldman Sachs, said the investment bank had more interest than the carbon market could absorb at present, and the more renewable energy investment opportunities the bank found the more it would invest.
"It's a source of frustration to us that the carbon market is not more developed because we simply cannot get enough money into that market at the moment for our own needs," Ling said.
This was a view supported by James Cameron of Climate Change Capital who gave the audience an insight into the size of opportunities thrown up the carbon market, describing one project which generated enough tradable "carbon credits" to satisfy the Kyoto obligation needs of a medium-sized European country.
The event drew praise from panellists and audience alike and yielded several news stories. Stefan Reichenbach, head of environmental markets said “this event represents an important first step in establishing Reuters at the centre of the environmental markets community”. (3)
