Energy use is a significant part of our Greenhouse Gas (GHG) profile.
We report on climate-related risks and opportunities as part of our annual Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) submission, and we have informed our reporting with the recommendations of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).
GHG footprint
Our latest emissions data was reported to CDP in July 2020. It comprises FY2019, summarized below:
As we grow our operations and real estate portfolio, energy management is essential to driving down our emissions footprint. We are taking actions to reduce our direct and indirect emissions, including exploration of the following:
- Transitioning to renewable energy sourcing, particularly for our largest sites
- Implementing energy-efficiency measures like LED and motion-sensor lighting, replacing electric kettles, and upgrading HVAC systems
- Minimizing the environmental impact of our buildings through alignment with LEED standards
- Reviewing location-based energy management improvement programs
- Working with key suppliers to determine opportunities to reduce Scope 3 impact
- Continuing to promote flexible and remote work initiatives
- Accelerating the adoption of immersive and collaboration technologies following the COVID-19 pandemic
- Implementing energy re-education initiatives to reduce travel
Managing our operational footprint
Since expanding our site selection process to consider sustainability differentiators, 50 percent of our largest real estate properties have a LEED design or equivalent, more than 50 percent of our locations have easy access to public transportation, and 53 percent of our sites have state-of-the-art building management systems to control resource consumption. In all newer locations, we incorporate healthy building design elements as defined by the International WELL Building Institute.
We have on-site solar photovoltaic (PV) plants generating renewable energy, leading the way to a more sustainable operational footprint.
Our people are the front line of our sustainability efforts. That’s why we promote waste reduction and energy conservation strategies and provide options for alternate work settings, including work from home. We are increasingly pursuing immersive collaboration and augmented reality technologies, which we expect to provide a sustainable alternative to traditional site visits with customers or suppliers. We encourage sustainable behavior through incentives, such as preferred parking for ridesharing, and have implemented several passive programs, including single-stream recycling, print default protocols to reduce paper consumption, and biodegradable utensils and food-service products.
| Energy generated from solar PV plant | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Month | KWH generated | ||
| January, 2020 | 1,651.37 | ||
| February, 2020 | 2,211.12 | ||
| March, 2020 | 2,604.00 | ||
| April, 2020 | 2,035.81 | ||
| May, 2020 | 2,158.73 | ||
| June, 2020 | 2,056.74 | ||
| July, 2020 | 3,576.18 | ||
| August, 2020 | 1,505.56 | ||
| September, 2020 | 1,661.58 | ||
| October, 2020 | 1,981.39 | ||
| November, 2020 | 1,698.80 | ||
| December, 2020 | 1,773.05 | ||
| Total | 24,914.33 KWH | ||
| Total energy consumption (in MWh) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2019 | FY2018 | FY2017 | ||
| Renewable sources | 8.825 | 0 | 0 | |
| Non-renewable sources | 84,644.67 | 54,462.60 | 64,332.26 | |
Total | 84,653.495 | 54,462.60 | 64,332.26 | |
Water usage
Because our water use is principally within our offices, both for ensuring clean drinking water and for sanitary purposes, our materiality assessment concluded that it is not considered a significant aspect of our environmental footprint.