Focus: Ten years of the CO_you2 Programme

In 2017, our successful CO_you2 Programme had its ten-year anniversary. Between its launch in 2007 and the end of 2017, it chalked up the following impressive statistics:

• Over 15 000 Swiss Re employees and their families took part in the programme, investing in advanced green technology and renewable energy products;
• In this way, they helped avoid roughly 70 000 metric tonnes of CO₂ emissions;
• This amount is equivalent to an average passenger car driving over 265 000 000 kilometres, enough to circle the Earth 6 620 times;
• It is also equivalent to the carbon sequestration effect of growing 1 800 000 trees for ten years.

Celebrating the programme’s ten-year anniversary, we held a competition for our employees. We asked them to create a personal message on how they have made use of the programme and to provide a photograph, video or other illustration.

Below you can read two of the winning entries:

Alvaro Leiva Rincon, Bratislava

In April, I injured my knee playing football for the Swiss Re team. 1st diagnostic: surgery. 2nd option: get the leg very strong and avoid surgery. Thanks to the CO_you2 Programme I bought a new bike … The result: I avoided the surgery.

On average, I do three weekend trips per month, covering more than 200 km on each. Of course, I also go to the office by bike.

CO_you2 Programme = Bikes > cars

Thomas Artho, Zurich

Since yesterday, we have been proud producers of clean energy. CO_you2 has supported me and (indirectly) my small family in our aspiration to live without a car. Besides being more environmentally friendly, we were also able to save up some of our own money, which we have now invested in harvesting the power of the sun. A big THANK YOU from myself, my wife and my little daughter who will hopefully grow up in a more sustainable future.