For its actions to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate the business risks of climate change, SGS has been awarded a position on The A List: The CDP Climate Performance Leadership Index 2014.
The index presents 187 listed companies identified as demonstrating a superior approach to climate change mitigation. It has been produced at the request of 767 investors who represent more than one third of the world’s invested capital by CDP, the international NGO that drives sustainable economies.
Information provided by nearly 2,000 listed companies has been independently assessed against CDP’s widely-respected scoring methodology and ranked accordingly. SGS is one of the 187 that has been awarded an A grade for its climate performance, earning a position on this global ranking of corporate efforts to mitigate climate change.
“This recognition in the CDP’s Climate Performance Leadership Index sends a strong message to our stakeholders that we remain committed to leading efforts towards better disclosure and responsible climate action. This is the second year that SGS has been recognized for its leadership in climate change mitigation and disclosure, which is a significant achievement. It acknowledges our own efforts to remain carbon neutral through ambitious energy reduction and offsetting strategies, as well as our expertise in delivering innovative solutions to our customers. This award, combined with SGS achieving Sector Leadership in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices, underlines our dedication to using our scale and our expertise to deliver innovative sustainability solutions, while upholding the highest standards in disclosure and transparency,” said Chris Kirk, CEO of SGS.
Climate performance leaders of The A List index are investing to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and collectively have reduced their total (absolute) emissions by 33 million metric tons in the past reporting year, whilst also achieving impressive financial results. In this way, the leaders illustrate that a low carbon future does not mean low profit.
CDP performance scores provide a tool for institutional investors and stakeholders to evaluate and track corporate efforts to mitigate climate change. Scores are communicated to investors and other decision makers through various channels, including Bloomberg terminals, to help them assess corporate preparedness for changing market demands and emissions regulation.
Paul Simpson, chief executive officer of CDP, comments: “Global greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise and we face steep financial risk if we do not mitigate them. The business case for action to mitigate climate change has never been stronger or more urgent. For this reason we congratulate those businesses that have achieved a position on The A List: The CDP Climate Performance Leadership Index. These companies are responding to market demand for environmental accountability and at the same time are making progress towards the realization of sustainable economies.”
The A List: CDP Climate Performance Leadership Index 2014, along with the climate disclosures of all companies publicly taking part in CDP’s climate change program this year, is available on CDP’s website.
For further information, please contact:
Daniel Rüfenacht
Corporate Sustainability
Group Vice President
SGS Group Management Ltd
1 place des Alpes
CH - 1211 Geneva 1
t: +41-22 739 91 11
f: +41-22 739 98 86
www.sgs.com
About CDP
CDP is an international, not-for-profit organization providing the only global system for companies and cities to measure, disclose, manage and share vital environmental information. CDP works with market forces, including 767 institutional investors with assets of US$92 trillion, to motivate companies to disclose their impacts on the environment and natural resources and take action to reduce them. CDP now holds the largest collection globally of primary climate-change, water and forest risk commodities information and puts these insights at the heart of strategic business, investment and policy decisions. Please visit CDP website or follow us @CDP to find out more.
About SGS
SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 80,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 1,650 offices and laboratories around the world.