In its environmental and energy management work Commerzbank with its employees aims at making its operations more sustainable by systematically promoting all aspects of environmental protection in the bank. The main objectives include optimising resource consumption, increasing the use of renewable energies and consequently reducing direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions. Another important aspect is to ensure sustainable procurement. Since 2009 Commerzbank AG in Germany has an externally certified environmental management system according to ISO 14001 that supports us to systemize, manage and control the various environmental activities. 2015, we have also introduced an energy management system according to ISO 50001.
Commerzbank's new climate target is to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by additional 30% by 2025 compared to 2018. For the first time, this target also applies to Commerzbank’s international locations in around 20 countries. Previously, greenhouse gas emissions in Germany were already reduced by 70% between 2007 and 2018. This was largely achieved by switching to green electricity: since January 2013, electricity supplied to all bank buildings in Germany came from renewable energy sources. Since 2015 we offset all CO2 emissions that cannot be avoided.
Apart from that Commerzbank has introduced two new energy targets in 2020. One aimes at reducing Commerzbank's total energy consumption by an average of 2 % per year until 2025 compared to 2018. In addition, power consumption per full-time employee should be kept constant by 2025 compared to the base year 2018 - despite increasing digitization.
As Commerzbank regards environmental protection as a managerial responsibility, all managers – top-down, beginning with the Board of Managing Directors – are accountable for the implementation of the environmental targets we have agreed. Environmental and energy management falls within the remit of the Group’s Organisation & Security unit, which reports directly to the Board of Managing Directors. This unit controls the processes of major relevance to the environment, such as energy management, waste management and group procurement, and business travel management.
Operational environmental protection is also closely connected to many other departments to ensure that Commerzbank’s environmental guidelines are applicable to all areas of the Bank and to influence the Bank's business activities. Jörg Hessenmüller, member of the Commerzbank Board of Managing Directors, is responsible for environmental matters within the Board of Managing Directors.
