PwC Meets 20 Percent Carbon-Reduction Goal Two Years Ahead of Schedule

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Sep 20, 2010, 10:00 ET

NEW YORK, Sept. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- At the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) event that opened 2010 NYC Climate Week, PwC LLP announced that it met its 20 percent carbon reduction goal in FY09, two years ahead of schedule. PwC is the global advisor and global report writer to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP).

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Through a two-fold strategy, consisting of solutions around workspaces, air travel and commuting, as well as through the engagement of its people to make behavior changes, the firm has reduced its carbon emissions by more than 62,000 CO2 metric tons since FY07, its baseline emission levels.

The carbon reduction announcement was made by Mitch Cohen, PwC's U.S. strategy leader and vice-chairman at the CDP launch event. Cohen addressed senior executives about the commitment that today's business leaders must make to reduce their carbon footprint and the need for transparency in reporting carbon emissions.

"A strategic response to climate change means a company will do more than manage its own carbon footprint," said Cohen. "As companies evaluate sustainability trends together—such as competition for natural resources, economic globalization, greater connectivity and climate change—the likely outcome is a fundamental shift in strategy."

PwC's carbon-reduction goal is just one part of the firm's overarching environmental and sustainability strategy. As a result of its real estate strategy, which consists of performing energy audits and remediations on its top 29 offices, the firm is expected to yield an annual savings of $1.9 million over three years and reduce its energy consumption by 18 percent. The firm also made a significant investment in constructing a state-of-the-art Tier 3 data center that is one of the most environmentally friendly in the nation. The data center opened in March 2010 and received a LEED gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council for its environmentally-sustainable construction.

"Environmental sustainability is a long-term strategic goal for our firm," continued Cohen. "This commitment underscores the importance for our firm, our clients, and the marketplace at large to be prepared to compete in an increasingly carbon-constrained economy."

Through its S&CC practice the firm also works with leading Fortune 500 companies to provide a range of sustainability services to help companies become more environmentally efficient and financially effective. From advising on carbon mitigation and reduction strategies to enhancing the quality of reporting and recommending the level of financial reserves needed to address environmental issues, the firm's S&CC practice is helping companies manage risks and create new business opportunities around the environment.

"At PwC we take an integrated approach to reducing our waste, emissions, and discharges by elevating our green efforts and embracing new business practices," said Shannon Schuyler, corporate responsibility leader, PwC. "We will continue to work toward sustaining the reduction we have already made, as well as partner with our experts in the S&CC practice to set new goals and targets in the future. To us, supporting a healthier and more sustainable environment is part of being a responsible leader."

Already, the firm has been recognized for its approach to environmental sustainability and has taken visible action to be a leader in this space, including:

Recognition by Computerworld magazine as one of the top green information technology (IT) companies for its investment in constructing a data center, which is one of the most environmentally friendly in the nation.
Received 2010 Honorable Mention from Uptime Institute's Green Enterprise IT Awards, which recognizes organizations pioneering energy efficiency improvement in their data centers, for the firm's case study on Joint IT and Facilities innovation.
Joining 70 top companies as a signatory of the United Nations Global Compact and its CEO Water Mandate.

For more information about the PwC's corporate responsibility commitment, visit:

http://www.pwc.com/us/en/about-us/corporate-responsibility/index.jhtml

About PwC

PwC (www.pwc.com) provides industry-focused assurance, tax and advisory services to build public trust and enhance value for its clients and their stakeholders. More than 163,000 people in 151 countries across our network share their thinking, experience and solutions to develop fresh perspectives and practical advice.

© 2010 PwC. All rights reserved. In this document, "PwC" refers to PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, a Delaware limited liability partnership, which is a member firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited, each member firm of which is a separate legal entity.

SOURCE PwC