MetLife’s New Sustainability Goals Include Originating $20 Billion of New Green Investments

Mark Segal September 23, 2020

Insurance and financial services company MetLife announced several new sustainability goals and commitments today, including a pledge to originate $20 billion in new green investments through MetLife Investment Management (MIM) by 2030. The company has also set a 2030 target to reduce its location-based greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 30 percent from 2019 levels.

Mike Zarcone, head of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability at MetLife, said:

“Our commitment to the environment reflects our purpose as a company. Building a more confident future requires us to use natural resources sustainably and help address issues such as climate change.”

In all, MetLife unveiled 11 new goals, aimed at reducing the environmental impact of the company’s global operations and supply chain, while leveraging its investments, products, and services to help protect communities and drive innovative solutions. The new commitments include achieving green or healthy building certification for 40% of its global office portfolio, mobilizing 100 suppliers to set GHG emission reduction targets, and powering all MIM managed and controlled real estate investments with 100% renewable electricity by 2030.

Mark founded ESG Today following a 20 year career in investment management and research. Prior to founding ESG Today, Mark worked at Delaney Capital Management (DCM) in Toronto, Canada, most recently as the firm’s head of U.S. equities. While at DCM, Mark was part of the firm’s ESG team, responsible for evaluating and tracking the sustainability factors impacting portfolio companies, and assessing the suitability of companies for portfolio inclusion. Mark also spent several years in the sell-side research industry, covering the technology and services sectors. Mark holds an MBA from Columbia University in New York, a BBA from the Schulich School of Business at York University in Toronto, and is a CFA charterholder.