What does Baloise do for the Environment?

Kim Berrendorf
June 5, 2020
Even in the midst of the coronavirus crisis, sustainability remains one of the cornerstones of our long-term corporate governance policy. Today on World Environment Day, we highlight the daily contribution we make to the protection of the environment and the climate, and why this is the key to long-term corporate success.

The environment – what does that actually mean?

The environment is everything that surrounds a person. It’s everything that impacts them and their living conditions, more specifically: nature, from the biosphere right to the atmosphere. Environmental protection is therefore deemed as all measures aimed at preserving the environment on a sustainable basis e.g. climate, species and water conservation.

value-creation-model_EN

For Baloise, the environment is one of six resources we use to generate value and over which we have a considerable impact. For instance, we avoid greenhouse gases that are harmful to the climate and protect our atmosphere on a sustained basis by constructing our office buildings in line with sustainability standards. We have had our own environmental policy in place since as far back as 1999. Here it was important to integrate sustainability throughout the company as a whole right from the outset. Our value-added model launched in 2019 reflects this holistic view. In order to enact positive change in our actions, we follow the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations (UN SDGs). To achieve this, corresponding value-added processes were allocated to the goals over which Baloise has the greatest influence. In our operations we have a particular impact on UN SDG 7 (Affordable and clean energy), 9 (Industry, innovation and infrastructure), 12 (Responsible consumption and production) and 13 (Climate action) when it comes to the environment as a resource.

The environment amid the coronavirus crisis – a little side note

heart saying planet earth first

The long-term protection of the environment must not be forgotten, especially during the coronavirus crisis. There are great hopes that 2020 will at least be good for the climate: more and more flights have been grounded, cars left in garages and factories are producing less. All of this is contributing to a reduction in the consumption of fossil fuels and thus emissions of harmful gases. To meet the United Nation’s maximum global warming target of around 1.5°C, global emissions of greenhouse gases must fall by approximately 45 per cent by 2030 and by 100 per cent by 2050. The easing of measures and the associated gradual return to normality is already showing that the drop in emissions during the coronavirus crisis is likely to be short-lived: The virus will ease and governments, companies and people will start to make up for lost time in order to minimise the economic effects of the pandemic.

As an illustration

Baloise’s environmental policy

Our environmental policy combines the responsible use of resources, energy efficiency and CO2 reduction in our business with a responsible investment policy that focuses on climate-friendly industries.

Direct emissions – our life cycle assessment

As an insurance company, we do not manufacture goods. Our greatest energy requirements at our sites come in the form of electrical power and heating energy consumption. As we spend a lot of our time at work and also travel for business purposes, we as a company are committed to reducing our CO2 emissions on an ongoing basis, doing everything in our power to optimise our material life cycles.

Our direct CO2 emissions have fallen continually by 74.4 per cent since 2000, with just 2.46 tonnes of CO2 emitted per employee in 2019. This is also due to the fact that Baloise maintains a focus on energy efficiency in its IT infrastructure and its buildings. This reduction is documented in our life cycle assessment (Article in German only). Per capita emissions are to be cut to 1 to 1.5 tonnes of CO2 by 2050 in order to help defuse the climate crisis. Doing so will involve focusing on raising awareness and providing background information and tips on a range of issues relating to sustainable development, some of which can also be applied to our home lives.

Climate-friendly employee mobility

Further initiatives at our locations

Climate-friendly company buildings

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Indirect emissions – responsible investment and employment principles

Climate protection is equally important to us when it comes to investments and the procurement of products and services too.

Responsible Investment Policy

real estate

Working together with our customers to protect the environment

Commitment to a more sustainable future

In future, we aim to set ourselves ambitious goals for the protection of the environment and to continue to expand our activities. That’s because it’s clear to us that only by taking into account all the resources in our value-added model can we generate long-term value.

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