Madison,
21
October
2020
|
14:19 PM
America/Chicago

American Family pledges carbon neutrality by 2030

Company urges industry peers to join in addressing climate change

Summary

American Family commits to addressing climate change through direct mitigation strategies and advocacy.

American Family Insurance recognizes climate change is causing broad environmental, social and economic impacts that put our customers, communities and industry at risk.

We believe it’s our corporate responsibility to take on climate change through both advocacy and direct mitigation strategies. To directly reduce and offset our impact on the planet, American Family is committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2030. (See our Corporate Responsibility Report) Among other things, we’re committed to continuing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase on-site renewable energy production and renewable energy purchased and divert waste from the landfill.

In recent months, we've seen extreme weather-related events like hurricanes and wildfires are becoming more frequent, more severe and more normal. Such severe weather has a significant effect on our customers and our industry as we respond to help our customers recover from these devastating events. We believe it’s important that we – and the insurance industry as a whole – take a leadership role on an issue that has such impact.

We support the goals of the 2015 Paris Agreement, which committed 197 countries, including the U.S., to work together to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius by limiting greenhouse gas emissions and investing in renewable energy. Through “We are Still In,” we have joined more than 3,800 mayors, county executives, governors, tribal leaders, college and university leaders, businesses, faith groups, cultural institutions, healthcare organizations, and investors to declare that we will continue to support climate action as outlined in the Paris Agreement, even if the U.S. is no longer part of it.

The diverse entities supporting “We are Still In” represent more than 155 million Americans and $9 trillion of the U.S. economy.

“Climate change is harming the communities and customers we serve, and disproportionately people of color, in addition to the impacts on our industry. We urge our peer companies to join us in this declaration and in other efforts to mitigate its effects, including by reducing their carbon footprint,” said Business Workplace Vice President, Kari Grasee.

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About the American Family Insurance group
Based in Madison, Wisconsin, American Family Insurance has been serving customers since 1927. We inspire, protect and restore dreams through our insurance products, exceptional service from our agency owners and employees, community investment and creative partnerships to address societal challenges. We act on our belief in diversity and inclusion by constantly evolving to meet customer needs and preferences. American Family Insurance group is the nation’s 13th-largest property/casualty insurance group, ranking No. 254 on the Fortune 500 list. The group sells American Family-brand products, primarily through exclusive agency owners in 19 states. The American Family Insurance group also includes CONNECT, powered by American Family Insurance, The General, Homesite and Main Street America. Across these companies the group has more than 13,500 employees nationwide.