Old Mutual cuts carbon emissions by almost 13% in two years

Global investment services firm Old Mutual has reduced its overall CO2 emissions by almost 13% since 2010 but due to a fall in employees the company increased its emissions per employee.


Releasing its 2012 responsibility report today, Old Mutual reduced its Scope 1 and 2 CO2 emissions from 764,000 tonnes in 2010 to 666,000 tonnes in 2012.

The company achieved the reduction largely on the fall in air travel between Johannesburg and Cape Town and the UK and South Africa, switching to online conferencing as an alternative meeting option.

However, because of a drop in staff numbers the company increased its CO2 emissions by 4.6% to 3.98 tonnes of CO2 per full-time employee, up from 3.80 tonnes in 2010.

The company also states that in its investment properties it decreased carbon emissions by 8% to 0.22 tonnes of CO2 per metre squared from 0.24 tonnes in 2010. This is largely due to improving the management and development of its properties.

Old Mutual Namibia, properties executive, Scott Richards, said: “Consolidating and updating our existing buildings continues to play an integral role in ensuring we meet our 20% by 2020 carbon reduction target”.

In 2012, the company undertook a full internal audit of its environmental data for the first time to improve the data of it reports.

Leigh Stringer

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