GHG Reductions, LEED Certifications

Chubb, the world’s largest publicly traded P&C insurance company and the largest commercial insurer in the U.S., announced the achievement of significant milestones in its sustainability efforts, including Greenhouse gas emissions reductions and LEED certification achievements.

The company announced that it has cut GHG emissions by 22% from its 2016 baseline, several years ahead of its target to reduce by 20% by 2025. The company’s long-term goal to reduce absolute GHG emissions by 40% by 2035 remains in place, representing a reduction equivalent t0 45,000 metric tons of CO2 per year. Both science-based goals are aligned with the two-degree Celsius limit outlined in the

Chubb accomplished its goal through a combination of real estate portfolio optimization and energy-efficiency projects. Chubb has focused on reducing energy consumption at the facility level, primarily in owned buildings and larger, long-term leased spaces. 

Evan G. Greenberg, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Chubb said,

“Chubb has been working to reduce GHG emissions in our operations since we launched our corporate environmental program more than a dozen years ago. We are pleased to meet our latest target – and our first science-based goal – ahead of schedule. Our initiative to reduce Chubb’s environmental footprint is one way we demonstrate our commitment to respond to climate change. Through our philanthropy and public advocacy, we also support efforts that strengthen the resilience of communities and protect biodiversity.”

Chubb also announced that it has achieved Platinum LEED and Gold LEED Green Building certifications in Philadelphia and New Jersey.

LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) is the U.S. Green Building Council’s rating system and globally recognized symbol of achievement in environmental sustainability.  Leed Platinum, achieved by the Chubb building in Philadelphia, is the highest level of recognition in the LEED green building certification program that recognizes best-in-class building strategies and practices. The building is the oldest in Philadelphia to achieve this recognition. Chubb’s twin office buildings in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, achieved LEED Gold certifications for the first time.

Commenting on the achievement of the LEED milestones, Paul Krump, Executive Vice President, Chubb Group and President, North America Commercial and Personal Insurance, said,

“Chubb is dedicated to continuously enhancing the environmental performance and sustainability of our offices. These certifications reflect who we are as a company, both in the care we take in achieving our environmental goals and in applying our expertise in green consulting services to our own properties.”

The Philadelphia office has continually improved its energy, water and waste management since being certified LEED Silver in 2009. The company has increasingly utilized energy efficient lighting, supported alternate employee commuting methods and implemented other green building initiatives, such as food composting. 

In Whitehouse Station, efforts to maximize the buildings’ energy efficiency included replacing all lighting with LED bulbs and the use of environmentally conscious cleaning supplies. The Whitehouse Station buildings also boast acres of human-built wetlands featuring local vegetation and wildlife that local universities and schools visit to study. Green Business Certification Inc., the organization that administers LEED certification assessments and credentials, stated in its report that Chubb’s Whitehouse Station buildings are “a showcase example of sustainability and demonstrates Chubb’s leadership in transforming the building industry.”