Our environmental commitments
We aim to reduce our environmental impact whilst minimising the impact of environmental issues on our business. Learn more about it in the Unum Group Impact & Sustainability Report.
At Unum, we are:
- Taking steps to understand and reduce our carbon footprint
- Reducing the environmental impact of resources we consume
- Being a responsible steward of the assets we manage
- Initiating work with our key suppliers, exploring their environmental impact and how this contributes to our carbon footprint
- Helping our employees to make informed choices about their own carbon footprint and environmental impact
- Supporting organisations that positively impact our local environments
- Engaging with local communities
- Providing environmental volunteering opportunities for our employees
Carbon reduction
Unum’s environmental management includes participating in initiatives to reduce our carbon footprint, waste, water use and more. We seek to continuously improve the way that we operate our business to minimise our environmental impact.
As part of Unum Group, we aim to reduce our scope 1 & 2 carbon equivalent emissions by 3% year-over-year. We actively work to reduce our carbon emissions, outperforming the overarching carbon reduction target for Unum Group over the last 3 years, achieving:
- An overall 55% reduction (market-based) and 21% reduction (location-based) between 2021 and 2022
- A further 15% (market-based) and 7% (location-based) between 2022 and 2023.
Whilst we recognise Scope 3 emissions have increased since the easing of lockdown restrictions, we continue to explore and implement changes to reduce our Scope 3 emissions.
Our Carbon EmissionsCarbon offsetting
As part of our commitment to reduce our impact on the environment, Unum UK offsets the entirety of our reported carbon emissions in partnership with Ecologi. The projects we support are gold standard accredited and incorporate both carbon avoidance and removal.
In addition to offsetting, we are actively participating in reforestation efforts worldwide. We’re working to embed Ecologi into business processes to continue these efforts, a few examples include replacing gifts at marketing events and partnerships with brokers, having planted over 100,000 trees to date.
Biodiversity
We are dedicated to supporting local environments and wildlife. We have completed multiple initiatives to improve our onsite biodiversity across our offices.
This includes the installation of two onsite beehives managed by Surrey Bees in the grounds of our Dorking Head Office, plus wildflower meadow planting, and supporting local organisations with hedgerow and tree projects.
Sustainability Champions Network
Our Sustainability Champions are a group of passionate employees who help us promote a culture of sustainability at Unum and champion doing the right thing for our planet by minimising our environmental impact.
The Network’s purpose is to:
- Provide employees with a voice regarding Unum's sustainability initiatives
- Create an environmentally-aware culture where the right people want to work and give their best
- Encourage more of our people to lead more sustainable lives
Responsible investments
Responsible Investments is a focus pillar within our Responsible Business strategy. Our investment philosophy is to deliver consistent long-term returns while keeping risks at appropriate levels so we can deliver on our promises to policyholders and stakeholders. We strive to be responsible stewards of our assets within a framework of strong governance and transparency while also positively impacting our communities.
We consider environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors when analysing the long-term risk-reward characteristics of an investment, which benefits all of our stakeholders. We integrate these factors into our investment decision-making, which is documented in our formal investment research process.