Operational ecology

Operational ecology comprises the operational environmental management of the Swiss Life Group at its own locations and the emissions arising from its business behaviour and own employees.

A company-wide working group is responsible for designing the appropriate measures, setting the objectives and monitoring them. All divisions are represented by experts in this working group. The working group’s responsibilities and duties are set out in a Group-wide directive.

Swiss Life aims to reduce its CO₂ emissions per FTE by 35% by the end of 2024 compared to 2019, primarily by cutting emissions from travel and obtaining electricity from sustainable sources. As part of its investment cycles, Swiss Life also intends to further reduce fossil fuel use for heating company buildings. These targets are also part of the Group-wide “Swiss Life 2024” programme.

Operational activities at Swiss Life have been net zero since 2022. The measured, unavoidable CO₂ emissions from operational ecology are neutralised by certified projects in the core European markets (Switzerland, France and Germany). Further information about these projects is available in the Swiss Life section of the First Climate website. Swiss Life supports projects that contribute not only to reducing CO₂ but also to preserving biodiversity, for example through forest conservation/reafforestation, biochar and the restoration of moorland areas.

Swiss Life is also sensitised to this issue in the field of investments. In 2022, the company joined the Net Zero Asset Managers initiative (NZAMi) (more on this in the chapter “Sustainability as an Asset Owner and Manager”).