Sustainable Success
How small steps toward sustainability can create global impact
If there’s one thing the world has learned in the fight against climate change, it’s that the most impactful changes often begin with one small choice. It’s diverting garbage to compost and recycling, volunteering with a community organization to plant trees, switching to an electric vehicle, and so on.
It’s these small but consistent changes that Zurich North America takes as it seeks to lead its insurance industry peers in sustainability. The company’s goal is to empower its 56,000 employees to take steps toward a greener future—and create a long-lasting impact.
At Zurich, we strive to be one of the most responsible and impactful businesses in the world. Our commitment to sustainability is a big part of that—not only for our organization, but also for our customers. That’s why, in addition to reducing our own environmental footprint, we are developing products and services to help our customers transition to a low carbon and more climate-resilient society.”
Mark Way
Head of Sustainability Underwriting, Zurich North America
Businesses will play a critical role in mitigating climate change. As a global organization with 128 office locations and 56,000 employees, Zurich North America understands that decarbonizing its operations is an important step in reducing its carbon footprint.
Adapting to climate change
Green operations
Commitment to decrease paper consumption by 2025
80%
Reduction in air travel-related emissions as
of 2022
70%
Reduction in emissions per full-time employee since 2015
28%
Drop in energy consumption per full-time employee since 2015
31%
Decrease in energy and water consumption since Zurich moved its new headquarters in 2016
30%
of company restaurants will serve seasonal and regionally sourced food and introduce food waste-management programs by December 2022
100%
Single-use plastics at Zurich North America operations
~0
SOURCE: Zurich North America
The pandemic has created a unique set of challenges that Zurich, its employees, and the Z Zurich Foundation are helping communities navigate. Through its local disaster relief initiatives, Zurich works with organizations to provide urgent medical support, alleviate food shortages, offer mental health support, and donate technology for virtual schooling.
Responding to the COVID-19 crisis
Helping communities during the pandemic
Charities across
35 countries helped by Zurich donations
220
People the Z Zurich Foundation has
helped worldwide
2.4 M
Spent in donations
to provide COVID-19 disaster relief
$15 M+
SOURCE: Z Zurich Foundation
People who received two doses of COVID-19 vaccine from UNICEF through the COVAX Facility as a result of Zurich’s fundraising efforts.
1.7 M
Number of people positively impacted worldwide by the Z Zurich Foundation
3.2 M
Zurich is helping show the world that
small steps can lead to worldwide impact. For example, Zurich North America has partnered with Arcadia Energy to help
U.S. employees switch to 100% clean renewable energy, and they’re covering membership fees to make the transition free. They’ve also created an employee climate interest group, open to
employees and managers at all levels,
that will meet regularly to discuss and engage on climate issues.
Empowering employees
Zurich employees are making an impact
Percentage of employees who volunteered in 2020
~10%
Community Hero
Awards presented to
Zurich employees
18
Employee donations
in 2020
(matched by Zurich)
$1 M+
Lives positively impacted through local grant programs
100,000
kWh of clean energy used
by employees since
partnering with Arcadia
1.05 M
SOURCES: Zurich North America, Z Zurich Foundation Impact Report 2020
Zurich is committed to taking bold action to ensure it reaches net-zero emissions by 2030.
Sustainability achievements and goals
Making progress
The year an internal carbon fund was launched to support Zurich’s carbon neutrality commitment
2021
Countries where Zurich offices moved to 100% renewable power in 2020
9
The year Zurich became a carbon neutral business
2014
SOURCE: Zurich North America
Percentage of other companies
Zurich outperformed, in the insurance industry group, per the 2021 Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) Review
99%
Zurich’s 2029 targets
Reduction in absolute carbon emissions
70%
Global car fleet transition to electric vehicles
100%
Reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions
80%
Reduction in Scope 3 emissions
65%
100%
Certified renewable electricity across all operations by the end of 2022
SOURCE: Zurich North America
Learn more about Zurich
North America’s sustainability efforts.
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