BrazilPwC Singapore achieves total air travel emissions offsetting
PwC Singapore has achieved a pair of significant sustainability milestones over the past year: offsetting 100 percent of its air travel emissions and sourcing all of its electricity from renewable sources.
In an industry particularly prone to a heavy international travel schedule, professional services and consulting firm PwC Singapore has managed to offset 100 percent of its air travel emissions over the past twelve months. In addition, as highlighted in its environmental, social and governance (ESG) sustainability report the 2019 financial year, the firm has fulfilled its commitment to purchase all of the electricity used in its offices from renewable sources.
The environmental sustainability component of the report details a huge overall drop in PwC Singapore’s net carbon emissions – from 5,376 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent last year to 1,406 tonnes in 2019. One contributing factor was the firm’s relocation to new offices in Marina One at the start of last year, which delivered a 30 percent reduction in electricity consumption – while the electricity used is now 100 percent attributable to renewable sources via certificates.
“We celebrated PwC Singapore’s 20th anniversary last year, which prompted us to reflect on the past and our future contributions to the community and environment,” commented PwC Singapore Executive Chairman Yeoh Oon Jin, who would have no doubt seen many changes during his more than 30 years at the firm. “As we forge ahead in this fast changing world of business, sustainability is central to our ability to ensure continued growth.”
The annual Sustainability Report looks at the PwC Singapore’s ESG strategy, policies and performance over the prior year, with other environmental highlights including the elimination of single use plastics in its pantries – in line with Singapore’s ‘Year Towards Zero Waste’ as declared by The Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources. The firm has also installed centralised recycling bins on every office floor, including an electronic-waste collection point.
As for the firm’s air travel offsetting programme – with air travel producing by far the bulk of its carbon footprint – PwC sticks to projects in Asia to maximise local impact, with the firm’s employees given a say in the projects selected. Currently, they include the Danjiang river solar cookers initiative to distribute free cookers to low income Chinese households, a similar scheme in India, and a mangrove re-planting project in Indonesia’s Rimba Raya biodiversity reserve.
According to the report, PwC employees also contributed over 6,000 hours of skill-based volunteer work in 2019, along with nearly 10,000 hours of general volunteering. “As a firm, we believe in fulfilling our corporate responsibilities and in giving back to the society by helping the community and environment at large,” said PwC’s CSR leader Charlotte Hsu. “We are committed to making a positive, lasting impact in our communities by sharing our time, knowledge and resources.”
