Is There Real Value in Corporate Environmental Management Systems: A Case Study

Swiss Re, the largest property & casualty and life & health global reinsurance company has long been an advocate for environmental sustainability. According to the corporate sustainability mission statement “A company’s sustainability practice and its reputational value are increasingly perceived as important drivers of business success. Swiss Re has firmly integrated sustainability practice into its corporate framework, thus creating economic value by improving its environmental and social performance beyond mere compliance with laws and regulations” To achieve the goals of the mission statement Swiss Re focuses on effectively and efficiently managing its own internal operations with respect to the environment. This master projects examines the resources required to implement an ISO 14001 certified environmental management system (EMS)in the North American headquarters of Swiss Re, and assesses the system’s environmental performance.The headquarters is located 25 miles north of New York City in Armonk, NY and consists of a 400,000 sq. ft office building and an 850 car parking garage situated on 127 acres of property. The EMS was certified to the ISO 14001 standard in February 2006. The costs and benefits of the system’s implementation including those incurred in achieving corporate environmental performance goals and recognition for the effort were reviewed and documented as a case study.