Sampo Group’s environmental impact in 2020
The Sampo Group companies work to reduce the environmental impact of their own operations. Each Group company has its own environmental principles and targets related, for example, to reducing energy consumption, increasing recycling, and working with suppliers and other stakeholders to contribute to the sustainable development of society.
GHG Emissions
Group-level GHG emissions have been calculated and disclosed since 2019. The emissions are reported in accordance with the Green House Gas Protocol. Scope 1 includes direct emissions from operations that are owned or controlled by the reporting company such as fuel in company-owned or leased vehicles, Scope 2 includes indirect GHG emissions from the generation of purchased or acquired electricity, heating, or cooling consumed by the reporting company, and Scope 3 includes indirect emissions that occur in the company’s value chain.
In 2020, Sampo Group’s total GHG emissions from own operations were 11,326.8 tCO2e, which equals 1.26 tCO2e per employee. Scope 1 emissions were 13.4 per cent, scope 2 emissions were 25.5 per cent, and scope 3 emissions were 61.1 per cent of the total. Most of the emissions originate from business travel, electricity, and IT and cloud services, with the shares being 31.4 per cent, 18.8 per cent, and 14.5 per cent, respectively. The carbon footprint of investments is calculated separately, more information can be found here.
GHG emissions decreased by 31 per cent in 2020, mainly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The biggest impact was on Scope 3 emissions, as business travel was reduced to a bare minimum.
Carbon Offsetting
If, Mandatum Life, and Sampo plc offset the GHG emissions arising from the companies’ own operations by supporting Gold Standard VER projects that enable global collaboration in funding and implementation of GHG emission reduction projects in developing countries.
In 2020, the companies offset the GHG emissions arising from their own operations through a project focusing on access to safe water in Cambodia. The project sells locally made ceramic water purifiers, providing clean water to communities in Cambodia. With a purifier at home, families no longer need to boil their water to make it safe to drink. This reduces indoor air pollution from wood burning, decreasing household fuel costs and reducing pressure on Cambodia’s vulnerable forests. The project supports UN Sustainable Development Goals 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 13, and 15.
More information is available in the corporate responsibility reports at www.sampo.com/year2020.
Sampo Group’s efforts to promote sustainable consumption and environmental actions in its operations contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals 12 and 13.