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  • Environment
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Ecological responsibility

Ecoprofit operation

In 2007 Hannover Re joined the "Ecological Project for Integrated Environmental Technology" (Ecoprofit) of the city of Hannover and Greater Hannover region. The basic idea underlying this project is to combine economic profit with ecological benefit through preventive environmental protection. The energy-saving successes already achieved by our company are regularly publicised in the relevant project publications.

Climate protection

Hannover Re plays its part of the "Climate Alliance Hannover 2020" to accomplish the state capital's goal of cutting climate-threatening greenhouse gas emissions to levels 40% lower than in 1990 by the year 2020. Our specific contributions will be regularly checked every two years from 2011 onwards.

2009, we took the following climate protection measures:

• Power consumption of our computer centre was cut
• A videoconferencing concept was approved to reduce the carbon emissions caused by business trips
• Since 2008 we have compensated for the CO₂ pollution caused by business travel through voluntary offsetting payments to the international organisation "atmosfair"
• We have purchased RECs (Renewable Energy Certificates) from our electricity supplier to promote the use of renewable forms of energy
• Within the German Insurance Association (GDV) we are participating in a working group to develop a method of CO₂ accounting for insurance undertakings
• Attendance at a number of conferences, including the one organised as part of the "Climate and Insurance" initiative.

Hannover Re reviews other activities that contribute to the conservation and sustainable preservation of resources within the scope of regular Business Excellence assessments.

Carbon emissions

in 2009 the carbon emission of 9,000 tonnes (Home Office Hannover) was 98% offset. For a number of years Hannover Re has participated in the survey conducted as part of the "Carbon Disclosure Project" (CDP). The CDP serves to gather and publish qualitative data on the subject of climate change in order to motivate investors, businesses and countries to contribute actively to climate protection. Through our involvement we receive information on where we stand with our efforts to economise – especially as regards carbon emissions – relative to international standards.