Joins EPA Green Power Partnership 100% Club
HARTFORD, Conn., Sept. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ING announced today
the next phase of its worldwide sustainability commitment by agreeing to
purchase clean, emission-free wind energy credits for its U.S. operations.
The purchase is equal to 100 percent of its electricity usage at ING
locations throughout the U.S. The global financial services company is
seeking to become carbon-neutral by the end of 2007.
"ING is committed to conducting its business responsibly around the
globe and Environmental protection
(http://www.ing.com/group/showdoc.jsp?docid=147266_EN&menopt=ins|crp|evc)
is a fundamental part of this commitment," said Tom McInerney, ING
Executive Board member, chairman and chief executive officer, ING Insurance
Americas. "We make decisions about sustainability every day at ING, which
is why we are part of a worldwide dialogue that addresses climate change
and why we focus on developing strategies to mitigate ING's impact on the
environment."
With this commitment, ING joins the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency's Green Power Partnership 100% Club
(http://www.epa.gov/grnpower/partners/partner100.htm). Marcus Peacock,
EPA's deputy administrator, commented, "America is shifting to a 'green
culture,' with more and more businesses understanding that environmental
responsibility is everyone's responsibility. EPA commends ING for making a
long-term commitment to protecting the environment by purchasing green
power."
In January 2007, ING Group announced its intention to become carbon-
neutral by the end of the year, through the reduction and/or compensation
of all its global carbon emissions that result from energy usage and
travel. As part of these efforts, the ING plan called for continuing
efforts to increase energy efficiency, expanding the purchase of green
energy, and offsetting all remaining CO2 emissions through reforestation
projects.
ING already offsets all of its global business travel by supporting the
planting and rehabilitation of 300 hectares of degraded tropical rainforest
in Malaysia. For the fourth year in a row, the company has been listed as a
'best-in-class' company in the Carbon Disclosure Project's
(http://www.cdproject.net/) Climate Disclosure Leadership Index (CDLI). The
CDLI comprises 68 of the FT (Financial Times) 500 companies that show
distinction in their responses to the Carbon Disclosure Project survey
based on their reporting of greenhouse gas emissions and assessment of a
company's climate change strategy.
Building with the environment in mind
The company's most visible commitment to environmental responsibility
in the U.S. is its new 500,000-square-foot office building under
construction in Windsor, Connecticut. ING's design team worked with local
energy distributor Connecticut Light & Power (CL&P) to infuse the
building's design with energy- efficient products and systems. For example,
sensors turn off lights in unoccupied spaces, and dim lights on the
building's perimeter to compensate for sunlight already flooding a
particular area. The facility's rooftop air conditioning system is also
highly efficient, as are control and air-handling units.
According to CL&P, the energy savings over the life of these measures
will equal 1.87 million gallons of oil, or enough to provide 3,376 homes
with electricity each year. Over the same time period these efforts will
avoid generation of 31 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions, among
other environmental benefits. This new building will be the largest ING
facility in the country.
ING will buy 70 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of clean wind energy from
leading wind energy marketer and developer Community Energy, Inc.
(http://www.newwindenergy.com/). The initial two-year purchase will power
major sites for its approximately 10,000 U.S.-based employees in Atlanta,
Denver, Des Moines, Iowa, El Segundo, Calif., Hartford, Conn., Minneapolis,
Minot, N.D., New York, Scottsdale, Ariz., St. Cloud, Minn., and West
Chester, Penn., along with nearly 100 smaller regional offices throughout
the United States. The estimated environmental benefit from this purchase
alone is equal to offsetting more than 43,270 metric tons of carbon dioxide
per year, the impact of which is equivalent to planting more than 38,981
acres of trees or removing over 9,057 cars from the road each year. ING's
online banking unit, ING DIRECT, will join the effort to purchase renewable
energy in January.
Brent Alderfer, president of Pennsylvania-based wind energy marketer
and developer Community Energy, said, "ING, an industry leader in securing
the financial future of its customers, now extends that leadership to a
secure environmental future for everyone. We commend ING on its commitment
to environmental integrity with its clean energy purchase and for setting
the standard for corporate leadership on the environment."
Part of the purchase through Community Energy, Inc., includes
participation in a Connecticut green power program through the local
utility. The commitment of one million kilowatt hours of eligible
CTCleanEnergyOptions* supply entitles ING to designate a free solar energy
system to a local community.
About ING
ING (NYSE: ING) is a global financial institution of Dutch origin
offering banking, insurance and asset management to more than 75 million
private, corporate and institutional clients in more than 50 countries.
With a diverse workforce of over 120,000 people, ING comprises a broad
spectrum of prominent companies that increasingly serve their clients under
the ING brand.
In the U.S., the ING family of companies offer a comprehensive array of
financial services to retail and institutional clients, which includes life
insurance, retirement plans, mutual funds, managed accounts, alternative
investments, direct banking, institutional investment management,
annuities, employee benefits, financial planning and reinsurance. ING holds
top-tier rankings in key U.S. markets and serves over 14 million customers
across the nation. For more information, visit http://www.ing.com.
About Community Energy:
Community Energy, Inc. (CEI) is a marketer and developer of wind energy
generation founded in 1999 and headquartered in Radnor, Pennsylvania. CEI
is a wholly owned subsidiary of IBERDROLA -- one of the largest owners and
operators of renewable energy facilities in the world. CEI cites its
utility partners and customers as the reason for its success in bringing
wind energy to market in new regions of the country. CEI developed and
jointly owns wind farms in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and has wind
projects under development in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Midwestern and
Rocky Mountain states. For more information, visit http://www.newwindenergy.com.
*Correct spelling
Contact: Phil Margolis
ING U.S. Financial Services
860-723-4783
Paul Copleman
Community Energy, Inc.
215-416-9656
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