Sustainability Report 2015
Environmental management
We continuously review and reduce our impact on the environment through our environmental management system certified in accordance with DIN EN ISO 14001. Responsibility for the system rests with the full Executive Board of Hannover Re.
The targets and measures pursued in the context of our environmental management system form part of our sustainability strategy and are regularly updated. Under the current Sustainability Strategy 2015-2017 we plan to establish an international network for sustainability issues and we intend to expand the collection of environmental data to international locations of the Group. Reporting directly to the Executive Board, the Environmental Management Officer is responsible for continuous refinement of the environmental management system; he also coordinates and advises on compliance with all legal provisions in Germany relating to the environment and takes responsibility for implementation of the annual audits that are obligatory under the management system.
In November 2015 our environmental management system was recertified according to DIN EN ISO 14001:2009. Our environmental certificate is thus valid for another 3 years. In the course of the current financial year Hannover Re will convert its environmental management system to the revised standard DIN EN ISO 14001:2015. In addition, for the first time in 2016 we shall draw up an environmental statement as per the EMAS Directive and have it validated by an environmental expert. The mandatory energy audits required in Germany since April 2015 will be covered by the validated EMAS environmental statement. The previously existing requirements under DIN EN ISO 14001 will also continue to be surveyed in full as part of the EMAS validation. Furthermore, EMAS is notable for, among other things, a systematic orientation towards continuous improvement of environmental performance, the use of consistent environmental indicators in relation to key environmental aspects as well as the verification of compliance with all legal requirements.
The standards set out in our environmental management manual and in the supplementary instructions are mandatory for all managers and staff. The relevant training documents on environmental conservation and the environmental management system form part of the basic training programme given to all employees by Hannover Re.
Expenditures on environmental protection
Costs of around EUR 15,000 were incurred in the reporting period for the recertification audit of our environmental management system, i.e. the legal check and the internal audit. There are also internal personnel costs associated with ongoing implementation of the environmental management system and a Group policy providing coverage for environmental impairment liability and environmental damage.
The offsets paid to the climate protection organisation atmosfair for our calculated CO2 emissions by our air travel amounted to altogether EUR 211,707 in the year under review and were therefore a major component of our spending on environmental protection. Train travel did not have to be offset because the railway operator has switched to green power and hence no CO2 emissions are incurred.
Our total expenditures and investments for environmental protection measures can therefore be put at a good EUR 300,000 in 2015.