Royal and Sun Alliance Insurance Group PLC
From Lauraibm
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MI Summary
As a group Royal Sun and Alliance have been active in tackling environmental issues through new product development and environmentally friendly office buildings, etc, to help with this they have launched a global environmental program.
The group strives to continually improve their environmental performance, they also support environmental charities in the community for example they are in partnership with the international charity “Trees for Cities”.
With regards to products and green issues, R&SA were the first insurer in the UK to offer a discount for eco car drivers; this discount was extended in March 2007 to cover alternative fuel vehicles.
The launch of the Global Renewable Energy Division is helping to support the growth of the renewable energy sector, this is an area R&SA has been a leader in for over 25 years.
In a recent press release it was stated that R&SA reduced their UK carbon footprint by more than 50% since 2000 (which involved undertaking a range of actions e.g. using "green" electricity in more than 90% of offices), and that they were also the first UK insurer to go carbon neutral.
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Environmental Programme
Emerging environmental issues are an area of increasing concern. As a Group we've been active in tackling some of these issues through new product development, environmentally friendly office buildings, investments in technology and our lobbying activity. To help drive this work forward we've launched our global environmental programme.
As part of this we have set some challenging targets for the Group to minimise it's environmental impact.
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Environment Principles
As part of our commitment to our environmental programme, we've revised the Group's business principle and commitment to the environment. This is aimed at supporting the Group's environmental targets and products while allowing each region to set their own priorities that reflect their local issues.
Commitment
We believe in continuous improvement of our environmental performance and in taking action around emerging environmental issues. Wherever we operate we will seek positive engagement with local communities. We are committed to:
- As a business we have a responsibility to manage our impacts on the environment through out use of resources such as energy, paper and water and the investment of our assets.
- We also have a responsibility to take proactive action on environmental issues that are likely to affect our business and the community at large.
- In each of these areas we will look to make continuous improvement and actively monitor our performance.
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Community Engagement
As part of our broader community engagement programme, we support environmental charities giving opportunities for employees to get involved on an individual or team basis.
R&SA have been involved in a partnership with the international charity 'Trees for Cities'. Each year we remove trees as a result of subsidence claims. Being involved with 'Trees for Cities' allows R&SA give those trees back through encouraging responsible tree planting. More trees help soak up the CO2 we emit as a company, replace the paper we consume and reduce the risk of flooding.
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Products
By developing environmentally friendly products we're meeting our customers' changing needs while benefiting society as a whole.
Personal products
In the UK we were the first insurer to offer a discount for eco-car drivers. Around 22 million people in the UK would consider switching to a hybrid car if they were cheaper to run. We're trying to help make the environmentally friendly option a little easier to choose.
In March 2007 we extended the discount to cover alternative fuel vehicles including manufactured or professionally converted LPG vehicles, bi-fuel, FFV, biopower, dual-fuel and electric cars.
On the 23rd April, as part of the consumer initiative 'We're in it together', we annouced two further green insurance products. Carbon offsetting for the first 3,000 miles of our eco-car discounts and a telematics based insurance policy using GPS technology to help people drive in a greener way and save money on fuel. More details of these policies will be available soon.
Commercial products
We're helping support the growth of the renewable energy sector through the launch of our Global Renewable Energy Division.
R&SA has been a leader in the renewables sector for over 25 years providing solutions for Wind Energy, Solar, Hydro, Biomass and Waste to Energy businesses and projects. The new Global Renewable Energy offering is being launched to support each of these industries as they evolve, by providing a one-stop insurance solution for clients, backed by R&SA’s specialist market knowledge. The Company is one of the few insurers to offer both On-Shore and Off-Shore cover and is the largest insurer of wind turbines in Scandinavia as well as having the fastest growing wind energy insurance offering in the Canadian market.
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Targets and Reporting
As part of our commitment to the environment and continuous improvement in reducing our impact, the following targets have been set in October 2006. The targets have been signed off by the regional CEO's and Andy Haste. These are set against the reported data in the 2005 Corporate Responsibility report and are to be achieved by the end of 2007.
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Press Release:R&SA is Carbon Neutral in the UK (Dec-06)
- R&SA has reduced UK carbon footprint by more than 50 per cent since 2000
- First UK insurer to go carbon neutral
- Insurers’ environmental standing important to consumers
Royal & SunAlliance (R&SA), and its direct operation MORE TH>N, announced that from today it is the first insurer in the UK to be carbon neutral. The move is part of R&SA’s long-term strategy to reduce its environmental impact. Today’s announcement comes following research that shows over 75 per cent of consumers think insurers should take climate change into account in their business.
“Climate change is one of the biggest threats we face and legislators around the world have been charged with reducing carbon emissions by 60 per cent in the next 30 to 50 years. This can only be achieved if businesses and individuals all play their part, and we recognise that we have a responsibility to minimise our impact on the environment. Today’s announcement that R&SA in the UK is carbon neutral is the result of a long-term carbon reduction programme, which we will continue and expand. This is an important step, but it’s the start not the finish line for us,” said UK CEO Bridget McIntyre.
R&SA has been reporting publicly on its impact on the environment since 1999, and has undertaken a range of actions to reduce its carbon emissions by more than half since 2000, including:
- Setting targets to reduce its impact on the environment
- Using ‘green’ electricity in more than 90 per cent of its offices
- Working with the Carbon Trust to identify energy savings
R&SA’s carbon footprint is now 31,000 tonnes CO2 emissions, down from 63,000 tonnes CO2 emissions in 2000-2001. Today’s move has seen the company offset its remaining carbon footprint by purchasing voluntary carbon reductions through The CarbonNeutral Company2. R&SA is supporting the following projects to achieve carbon neutral status:
- Methane capture in Germany
- Solar lighting in rural India
- Wind farming in India and New Zealand
One third of consumers regularly buy energy efficient products, and 73 per cent recycle as much as possible, according to a study commissioned by MORE TH>N. Nearly 60 per cent of consumers say that an insurer’s environmental standing is important.
“Research tells us that consumers think insurers should take climate change into account in terms of their operations, so we believe this is an issue close to the hearts of our customers. We will continue to research products and services, like our hybrid car discount, that reward customers who reduce their own footprint,” said McIntyre.
In addition to tracking CO2 emissions, R&SA also monitors a number of other environmental outputs, including waste, energy and water consumption, and employee travel globally. The Group has set a number of environmental targets for 2007 for the UK business:
- Reduce travel emissions by 10 per cent
- Reduce electricity use by 5 per cent
- Reduce waste by 10 per cent and establish targets for recycling
- Reduce water use by 10 per cent
- Reduce air travel by 20 per cent
MORE TH>N currently offers a discount for motorists who drive hybrid cars, and is working to expand this principle into other product lines.
Commenting on R&SA’s announcement, Dr. Sally Uren, Director of Forum for the Future's Business Programme, said: “R&SA has been a Forum for the Future business partner for over seven years. We view the announcement today of carbon neutrality as a hugely positive step, particularly as the business has, and is set to continue, to make substantial reductions in its carbon footprint. We look forward to seeing R&SA continue to educate its customers on reducing their carbon footprints, and develop a wider range of products which promote low carbon living.”
Jonathan Shopley, CEO of The CarbonNeutral Company, added: “It’s a privilege to be appointed as the carbon partner to R&SA, knowing the importance they place on the integrity of the programme. We bring a rigorous quality assurance process, which ensures that R&SA is supporting a programme and carbon offsetting projects that make a real difference towards tackling climate change.”
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