In 2004, Norwich Union switched it’s Norfolk-based buildings to a renewable energy tariff. Nearly 3 years later, their parent company Aviva, has gone carbon neutral. Norwich Union insures one in five households, one in seven motor vehicles and more than 800,000 businesses in the UK, and actively encourages policy holders to help against the effects of climate change.
Richard Harvey, group chief executive, said that the decision to go carbon neutral was significant and not entered into lightly.
“We believe climate change to be the most important environmental issue facing the world,” said Mr Harvey.
“As a forward thinking company we are playing our part in addressing this challenge and would encourage other businesses to follow suit.”
Since 2002, the company says it has cut building and travel related carbon emissions by more than half.
In the UK, 100% of the group’s electricity is sourced from renewable, zero-emission resources.
A spokeswoman said the next step involved offsetting annual emissions by investing in carbon credits such as tree planting, investment in wind turbines and other green projects.
Aviva is lobbying the government to limit the effects of climate change on customers through flood-proof housing.
The group is also focusing on ways of making its products more environmentally friendly.
From The Guardian