Metlife has reached its 2015 goal of becoming carbon neutrality, the first US insurance company to do so. Announced on February 22, Metlife says it hit its target by integrating sustainability and energy efficiency best practices across the company’s global operations, and then offsetting the remainder of emissions through investments in carbon mitigation projects around the world.
“MetLife is committed to being a responsible corporate citizen and driving sound environmental stewardship across our business globally,” said Marty Lippert, executive vice president and head of MetLife Global Technology and Operations. “Sustainable business strategies not only reduce our environmental impact but also underscore who we are as a company.”
The company achieved carbon neutrality through a number of programs. This includes the adoption of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum at its Washington DC office and global technology campus in Cary NC. Metlife has 19 LEED certified offices around the world.
Other initiatives include:
- Energy reductions of nearly 30% across US owned and operated offices.
- Green investments of $9.7 billion which include ownership stakes in 37 wind and solar farms, equity stakes in 48 LEED-certified properties and $3 billion in renewable energy projects.
Metlife’s 2015 goals had additional elements. They are reducing energy consumption by 10% from a 2012 baseline by 2020; reduce location-based greenhouse gas emissions by 10% by 2020; and require 100 of its top suppliers to publicly disclose GHG emissions and reduction activities by 2020.
For more information on MetLife’s commitment to the environment and other corporate responsibility activities, visit www.metlifeglobalimpact.com.