Carbon neutrality

Taking responsibility for climate is part of our approach to environmental management. Wherever possible we reduce greenhouse gas emissions through systematic environmental management.

The unavoidable CO2 emissions are offset retroactively by the majority shareholder Rabobank. In 2012, the CO2 emissions were offset by a wind energy project in Jiangsu province in China: a high-technology wind energy park generates electricity, which is fed into eastern China’s power grid. The project cuts greenhouse gas emissions by replacing fossil fuels with renewable power in a region in which large amounts of coal are burnt.

Total CO2 emissions rose slightly by 2% in 2011 from the previous year to 2427 kg CO2-equivalent per employee.

The largest sources of emissions are power consumption and air travel. In 2011, power consumption per employee also rose slightly by 2%.

All offices are equipped with telephone and video conferencing systems to avoid unnecessary business travel and the related emissions.

Greenhouse gas emissions
Carbon dioxide equivalent per FTE (kg CO2 per FTE)

1 Flights adjusted due to a data error (plus 1,300,000 km).

Proportion of greenhouse gas emissions 2011 by source
(%)