Reducing energy consumption

In parallel with our switch to using renewable power, we have made continuous efforts to lower the actual amount of energy consumed per employee, ie to reduce our energy intensity. For this, we also established a Group-wide goal: Measured in kWh per employee (FTE), we committed to reducing energy intensity by 20% compared with 2003 levels. Through many small measures to improve energy efficiency and by concentrating back-office tasks in fewer and more energy-efficient buildings, we met and clearly exceeded this goal. At the end of 2013, energy intensity across the Group was 46.5% lower than in 2003.

For the second phase of our Greenhouse Neutral Programme (base year 2013) we committed ourselves to reducing energy intensity by 2% per year. In 2014, we exceeded this goal and reduced our energy intensity by 7.6%. The main reason for this was an 18.4% decrease in energy used for heating. While the unusually warm winter in Switzerland and our expansion into warmer regions with less demand for heating contributed to this achievement, we also continued to decommission existing office buildings and move into new ones equipped with more efficient heating systems, eg heat pumps.