HSBC Climate Partnership review highlights environmental and commercial benefits
HSBC has published the 2010 Annual Review of the HSBC Climate Partnership, a pioneering programme creating long-term environmental and commercial value.
Simon Martin, HSBC’s Head of Group Corporate Sustainability said “Solutions to climate change require collective action involving governments, NGOs, the public and the business community. The scale of the achievements announced today by the HSBC Climate Partnership shows that tangible results can be achieved by going beyond corporate sponsorship and adopting a more collaborative approach.
 Simon Martin, Head of Group Corporate Sustainability for HSBC |
“HSBC has seen direct commercial benefits from the Climate Partnership through a number of initiatives implemented by our employees. To date more than 100,000 colleagues have actively taken part in the Climate Partnership, creating a more engaged workforce.” |
Since 2007, the innovative Climate Partnership programme with The Climate Group, Earthwatch, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute and WWF has:
- Helped secure the long-term viability of the Panama Canal and its vital role in global trade by researching the factors that control seasonal water flows, and the role that different types of trees and vegetation play in regulating these flows;
- Increased the income of 56,000 fish farmers in China by encouraging them to employ sustainable aquaculture techniques;
- Involved more than 100,000 HSBC staff in primary field research into the effects of climate change; local climate-related mitigation and adaptation projects; and online learning modules about climate change;
- Invested 75,000 staff hours in field research, contributing to scientific understanding about the role of forests in climate change and increasing organisational commitment among employees;
- Worked to embed sustainability across HSBC’s global operations by implementing sustainable business projects. One such project saw the introduction of automatic shutting down of PCs overnight. Since 2008 this has saved over 4.5 million kilowatt hours of electricity and 907 metric tonnes of CO2, equivalent to taking 363 cars off the road for a full year; and
- Enabled the Partners to work with government bodies. Research data gathered for Earthwatch by HSBC Climate Champions has been used by the Indian Government in a submission to the United Nations.
Read the full 2010 Review
Related:
The Guardian - HSBC to report results of Climate Partnership
The FINANCIAL - HSBC announces continued success of Climate Partnership