Zeist,
11
October
2019
|
13:30
Europe/Amsterdam

Achmea to be fully climate neutral in 2030

Achmea’s ambition is for its operations to be fully climate neutral in 2030 and it is taking real steps to achieve that target. Consequently, installation of 3,200 solar panels above the car park at the Apeldoorn office site started today. As a result, Achmea will soon be autonomously generating 15% of its electricity needs in Apeldoorn. This figure includes the more than 600 solar panels already in place.

Apeldoorn is one of five key Achmea sites. There are plans to accelerate the greening of the others. For example, work is under way to connect another site to geo-thermal heating and a green roof was installed on the building in Tilburg last year. Achmea’s mobility policy is also focused on expanding the number of electric company cars and reducing the number with internal combustion engines.

Achmea identifies the CO₂ footprint of its entire business each year, looking at heating, lighting, water and paper consumption, waste, coolants, servers and mobility. In the past five years, total CO₂ emissions have fallen by 30%. As we decided we wanted to be CO₂ neutral as early as 2011, since then we have offset our emissions by purchasing VCS certificates. That policy will not be necessary after 2030. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations have been at the heart of our strategy for some time. SDG 13 Climate action is a priority.

Willem van Duin, Chairman of the Executive Board of Achmea: “Achmea wants to contribute to a healthy, safe and future-proof society. Part of that is combatting the effects of climate change. We are operating under an ambitious sustainability plan that will result in climate-neutral operations in 2030. We are working actively with other parties, for example in local and regional networks, and in co-operation with suppliers we are looking for innovative solutions. We are of course also identifying how we can make the products and services we provide to our customers greener. For example, Interpolis is offering its customers environmentally-friendly, insulating green roofs and Centraal Beheer is supplying solar panels to customers.”

A further 30 electric vehicle charging points are being installed in Apeldoorn. The first fully green electricity is due to be generated in February 2020.