Climate Action 2009-2010

© WWF Italy Archive
UniCredit addressing
the challenge of
climate change
© Océ
SPECIAL FEATURE 76
UniCredit Group has acknowledged fundamental value
to developing a sustainability approach and to tackling
climate change. In this context, it has recently signed
with WWF, the leading conservation organisation,
a strategic international partnership aimed at
integrating these issues into the banking business in
accordance with Group CEO Alessandro Profumo’s vision
of making the Group the European leader in sustainable
development. The first ambitious goal set by UniCredit
is to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 30
per cent by 2020, thus supporting the EU energy goal
defined in the ‘Climate & Energy Package.’
INTRODUCTION
The Group’s environmental commitment has a long
history, being a member of the United Nation’s
Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP
FI) and having obtained Eco-Management and Audit
Scheme (EMAS) registration back in 2002, but the
launch of the Environmental Sustainability Programme
clearly sets the stage for an advanced approach in
the industry. In recent years, as with other banks,
UniCredit acknowledged the relevance of public
attention towards the role of the economic players
and particularly the role of the banking industry in
addressing environmental issues like biodiversity,
fresh water supply and, obviously, climate change
– currently in the spotlight after the Kyoto Protocol
was ratified and entered into force, and ahead of
the key COP15 in Copenhagen and the negotiations
for the post-Kyoto agreement. In 2007, UniCredit
was among the signatories of UNEP FI Declaration
on Climate Change ahead of the G8 to call for strong
support on abatement measures.
UNICREDIT’S ENVIRONMENTAL
SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAMME
Our climate change strategy, developed with WWF,
is based on the introduction of specific policies
integrated into the banking business, as well as on
the development of our Environmental Sustainability
Programme along three main paths: the reduction in
internal emissions resulting from the Group’s banking
activities, the reduction in financed emissions related
to lending activities, and the implementation of specific
initiatives and projects aimed at strengthening the
environmental identity of all Group employees. In
addition, we will also support sector initiatives and
international protocols focused on the same goals.
This is the programme that UniCredit Deputy CEO
Paolo Fiorentino announced to the public in May,
when the Environmental Sustainability Programme
was launched. The Programme comprises several
initiatives encompassing all the environmentally
sensitive businesses in which the bank is involved. The
formal commitment undertaken by UniCredit Group is
facilitated by Group Environmental Governance involving
VISIT: WWW.CLIMATEACTIONPROGRAMME.ORG