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Our achievements in 2007
Our achievements in 2007

The section describes our achievements with regard to the 2007 Environmental Group Priorities.
The section describes our achievements with regard to the 2007 Environmental Group Priorities.

Our achievements in 2007

Management system

Pass 2007 ISO 14001 surveillance audit

  • UBS successfully passed the annual surveillance audit of its environmental management system. The auditors from SGS Société Générale de Surveillance confirmed that a well-performing environmental management system is in place – integrated in the normal organization, and suitable to manage environmental risks and to improve environmental performance on a continual basis.

Risk management

Develop and test sector guidelines for assistance and guidance when doing business with clients in environmentally and socially sensitive industry sectors.

  • A pilot metals & mining sector guideline has been developed and tested with sample transactions. Guidelines for other sensitive sectors, e.g. chemicals, oil & gas, infrastructure and timber will be developed in 2008

Market opportunities

The business groups each identified areas for action in 2007. These areas include further awareness-raising among client advisors to help them leverage the product shelf (UBS Client Experience); product development in selected areas; and expansion of cross-business group interactions to maximize synergies.

  • In 2007 UBS's SRI invested assets increased by 116% (to CHF 38.9 billion). UBS launched new SRI products in Japan and Taiwan and launched strategy certificates for climate change, water and demographics.

  • Global Wealth Management & Business Banking has decided to integrate SRI into the UBS Client Experience framework by adapting relevant client profiling tools, adding new proprietary and selected third-party products to its SRI offering and enhancing internal platforms that provide information and sales documentation. After a successful pilot in Switzerland in 2007, which contributed to the overall increase of SRI invested assets, this approach will also be rolled out to the other regions.

  • For 2007 the Investment Bank focused on increasing environmentally related products and services to our client base. The UBS Greenhouse Index, the UBS Global Warming Index and the UBS Europe Carbon Optimized Index were released to our clients as well as integrating aspects of SRI into mainstream research.

In-house ecology

Continue to implement measures (energy efficiency, renewable energy, offset air travel) towards achieving groupwide CO2 emission reduction target of 40% below 2004 levels by 2012

We continue to reduce UBS's own CO2 footprint by increasing in-house energy efficiency whenever possible, purchasing more green energy, and offsetting emissions. In 2007 our total footprint decreased by 3% from 2006 levels, or 22% overall compared to the 2004 baseline:

  • Energy efficiency: while FTEs increased by 10%, energy consumption rose at a lower, 3% rate. This can be partly attributed to the effect of in-house energy efficiency gains. Going forward, UBS has adopted a technical standard supporting worldwide oversight of measures taken to improve energy efficiency in fields such as building operation, replacement investments and rehabilitations.

  • Green energy: The share of renewable energy increased from 34% to 45% due to shift to hydro in Switzerland and a new renewable contract in the US.

  • Offsets: Air travel increased by 12% compared to 2006, emitting 113'000 tons of CO2. 100% of UBS's air travel was offset by purchasing carbon offsets from projects in Brazil, India, China and Germany.

Start implementation of 2009 targets for paper and waste.

Indicator

Target 2009

Results 2007

Waste per FTE

-10% below 2006 level

-1%

Waste recycling ratio

70%

56%

Paper consumption per FTE

-5% below 2006 level

+1%

% of recycled paper

20%

10.5%

  • In 2007 the share of recycled paper increased from 6.2% in 2006 to 10.5% in 2007, FSC paper accounted for 10.7% of total paper consumption, and waste per FTE decreased by 1%. Paper consumption per FTE increased by 1% and the waste recycling ratio decreased from 58% in 2006 to 56%.

Supply chain

Develop and test groupwide guidelines to further incorporate environmental and social issues into procurement.

  • UBS has developed a supply chain guideline that provides guidance for identifying, assessing and monitoring environmental and human rights risks of suppliers and in support of consistent decision-making throughout all business groups and regions. This guideline focuses on suppliers that are more likely to be exposed to human and labor rights, environmental and corruption issues.

Communications & Training

Enhance awareness of UBS employees about our environmental policy and objectives.

  • Significant specialized training and awareness raising was conducted in all business groups (6,000 employees trained in 2007).

Page last updated: June 12, 2008, 10:04 AM

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