New York/London – Building on its commitment to drive positive change through its data and insight, Refinitiv today announced a series of global sustainability pledges to help reflect and support local communities and combat climate change. The company has committed to three core pledges on environment, diversity and inclusion and sustainable solutions that support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
On the environment, Refinitiv aims to continuously lighten its environmental footprint to achieve carbon neutrality by end of 2020. Refinitiv expects to be powered by 100% renewable energy by end of 2020 and is committed to reducing annual carbon emissions every year by an average of 10% over the next five years, becoming a more sustainable business longer term.
“Global carbon dioxide emissions are accelerating at their fastest pace in seven years and hit a record high of 2.7 percent in 2018. Addressing the world’s biggest sustainability issues requires collective leadership that exemplifies the behaviors that will bring about change and empower others to do the same,” said David Craig, CEO of Refinitiv. “As well as driving changes in investment behaviour through our data and insights, this also means caring about our own operational footprint, being open with our environmental commitments and disclosures and promoting a culture of transparency and inclusion that leverages the skills of our people to drive positive impact in our communities. As global citizens we need to act swiftly and decisively to help combat rising carbon dioxide emissions. We need to urgently do so not only for our futures, but for the future of our planet.”
Refinitiv is also committed to reflecting and supporting the communities in which it operates by reaching a minimum of 40% female representation in senior leadership roles globally, whilst continuing to support and promote an inclusive workplace that embraces diversity of every kind. This commitment will further be demonstrated by doubling engagement with community investment programmes by end of 2020.
After its launch last year, Refinitiv re-signed the Women in Finance Charter and is committed to putting sustainability at the core of its product offering, as demonstrated by its Diversity & Inclusion Index which ranks the top 100 most diverse and inclusive organizations globally and was used to create the financial industry’s first Inclusion & Diversity ETF fund in partnership with Blackrock.
“Refinitiv’s mission is to lead the way as a sustainable, responsible business and use the power of its data and insights to help the global investment community shift towards sustainable investments,” said Luke Manning, head of Sustainability and Strategic Initiatives for Refinitiv. “We are increasingly harnessing our core capabilities to drive positive social impact, being smarter with our resources and footprint, and balancing short-term considerations with long-term progress.”
Refinitiv has been serving the financial industry with ESG data and solutions for over 15 years and offers one of the richest ESG databases in the industry – a fully transparent resource that is trusted by investors and corporates to drive positive impact and provide comprehensive analysis. As members of the UN Global Compact, Refinitiv is part of a community of 9,000+ businesses across 135 countries that are committed to operating with responsible business practices at its core.
Refinitiv further plans to expand its suite of sustainability-related propositions by evolving existing capabilities, working with partners and innovating in new areas.