Ecological Impact

7/29/2019 Ecological Impact

1/10

Ecological

Impact

goodwi

thmoney

declinedinve

stmentsinfourbusinesses

thatwerefou

ndtobetestingcosmetic

orhousehold

productsonanimals.


2/10

In line with the principles of our

Ecological Mission Statement, we will

not invest in any business whose coreactivity contributes to: global climate change, through the

extraction or production of fossil fuels

the manufacture of chemicals which arepersistent in the environment andlinked to long term health concerns

the unsustainable harvest of natural

resources, including timber and fish.Furthermore, we will seek to support

companies involved in: recycling and sustainable waste

management renewable energy and energy efficiency

sustainable natural products andservices, including timber and

organic produce the pursuit of ecological sustainability.


3/10

Customer support:For no investment in business whose core

activity contributes to: global climate change 70%

persistent chemicals 88% unsustainable harvesting 94%.

For positive investments:

recycling and sustainable waste

management 98% renewable energy and energy

efficiency 98% sustainable natural products and

services, including timber andorganic produce 97%

the pursuit of ecologicalsustainability 97%.


4/10

Background

There are currently more than six billion

people on Earth and, for some time now,there has been compelling evidence ofenvironmental destruction on a global scale,much of which can be put down to humanactivity of one kind or another.

The next 50 years will see the number of peopleon Earth increase 50% to nine billion1, and thecombined economic activity of these individualsis set to increase by a factor of five.

Carrying on as we are, it is expected that

environmental problems will get progressivelyworse. This is the background against whichcommerce and industry will have to conductbusiness in the future.

An internationally-agreed environmental

management tool The Natural Step2 formsthe basis of the banks Ecological MissionStatement.

1 Vital Signs 2003 The Trends That Are Shaping Our Future,

WorldWatch Institute, May 2003.2 www.naturalstep.org.uk
http://www.naturalstep.org.uk/http://www.naturalstep.org.uk/


5/10

Ecological Sustainability

There are three principle ways in which

commerce and industry contribute to theprogressive destruction of Nature and its abilityto create resources.

1.We are extracting vast amounts of materialsfrom the Earths crust which, after use, end upaccumulating in Nature. For example, every year,millions of tonnes of fossil fuels, such as oil, gasand coal are burned producing large volumes ofwaste, such as Carbon Dioxide (CO

2). The

accumulation of CO2

in Nature has beenidentified as the primary factor behind globalclimate change.

2.Commerce and industry are generatingvolumes of waste that far exceed the capacitythat Nature is able to deal with. Nature is unableto break down and render harmless some of thewaste produced. The accumulation of suchartificial materials in Nature is particularlyproblematic, as they are destined to stay with usfor a long time. Pollutants, such as dioxins, arelinked to everything from cancer to abnormalitiesof the human reproductive system.


6/10

3.We are plundering Nature and its livingresources at a rate which exceeds its capacity forrenewal. As a result, natural resources are

disappearing. For example, all major fishingareas in the world have either reached orexceeded their natural limit for replenishment andfish stocks are, as a result, in decline.

On the basis of this policy, we will not invest in:

businesses involved in the extractionor production of fossil fuels

businesses involved in the productionof long lived substances that Naturehas little capacity to break down(e.g., the plastic PVC and refrigerantssuch as HCFCs)

businesses contributing to timber clearanceor over-fishing.


7/10

88% of customers do not support investment

in persistent chemicals.

3 www.defra.gov.uk/environment/statistics/waste/kf/wrkf04.htm4 www.fao.org/docrep/005/y7300e/y7300e04.htm#P5_1115 www.unep.org/geo/geo3

Do you realise?

Global climate change: the 1990s was the

warmest decade since records began. Limitingthe impacts of global climate change will requirea reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of 60%on 1990 levels.

Waste: between 1995 and 2004, household wasteproduced per person increased by 15%, with eachperson generating just over half a tonne on average

per year3. Biodiversity: 65% of the major fish species are

either fully or overexploited4. 24% of mammalsand 12% of bird species are currently regardedas globally threatened5.


8/10

Our mortgage product8

Our homes produce almost a quarter of the

countrys total output of carbon dioxide one ofthe main gases responsible for global climatechange. With this in mind, all bank mortgagesare backed by an annual payment, for as longas the mortgage exists, to climate care9 anorganisation working to reduce the impact ofglobal climate change. This payment is usedto offset 20% of an emissions that are createdin the generation of the gas and electricityused in our homes.

Climate care has developed a range of projectsto help offset these emissions, including theplanting of new forests. One of their currentprojects supports rainforest restoration in KibaleNational Park in Uganda one of the mostimportant wildlife habitats in the world.

8 www.co-operativebank.co.uk/personal/mortgages.html

9 www.climatecare.org
http://www.climatecare.org/http://www.climatecare.org/


9/10

Campaigning for change10

Safer Chemicals Campaign

In 2003, the bank launched its Safer ChemicalsCampaign calling for the phase out of chemicalsknown to be persistent and bio-accumulative andfor their replacement with safer alternatives. Visitour website and read the latest on our campaign.

Our Ecological ImpactIn total, 98% of all of the banks electricity nowcomes from renewable resources, contributing toa 90% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions(per customer account) since 1997. For fulldetails of the banks ecological impact, visit our

Sustainability Report at www.cfs.co.uk

10 The bank campaigns on behalf of customers through its

Customers who Care programme. For further informationon this programme visit www.co-operativebank.co.uk/cwc
http://www.co-operativebank.co.uk/cwchttp://www.co-operativebank.co.uk/cwchttp://www.co-operativebank.co.uk/cwc


10/10

Implementing the policy

For details of investment opportunities declined by the bank,

please see the latest CFS Sustainability Report at www.cfs.co.uk

Case Study

The bank was approached to consider banking

facilities for a furniture manufacturer.Unfortunately, on investigation it transpired thatthe company was using a particular hardwoodwhich was considered to be harvested in anunsustainable manner.

Decision: Acceptable. On certain occasions thebank has been able to work with prospectivecustomers to move them on to a moresustainable path. The bank was able to offer thiscompany banking facilities after successfullynegotiating their move away from this particularhardwood and on to a more sustainable source.

Documents

Ecological Impact