We recognise that the Group has a responsibility to act in a way that respects the environment. Environmental best practice, wherever reasonably practicable, is incorporated into our decision-making processes. The Group invests in environmentally-friendly and sustainable products and services where it is practical to do so.

The Group's Environment Policy is implemented in accordance with the Group's Environmental Management System (EMS) The EMS is used as a framework to ensure that we maintain our focus on the environmental stewardship of our buildings, our working environment and the activities of employees and suppliers. Environmental Risk is part of the Group's overall Risk Management Framework, which is managed by the Group Risk Committee.

Operational responsibility for the Environment Strategy sits with a Carbon Management Committee consisting of Senior Managers from the business. In addition to embedding environmental matters within business as usual, the Committee will determine and recommend annual environmental objectives. These objectives will be signed off by Executive Management and cascaded to the appropriate department level to be implemented.

Alliance & Leicester's main environmental impacts are through the buildings we operate, and the resources used by our staff in their day to day work. The Group's environmental activity is, therefore, focused on the key areas of energy and water, transport, waste and pollution and the working environment.

Other indirect impacts arise through the Group’s lending activities. Over three-quarters of the Group's loans and advances are to customers for the financing of their principal residential UK home. Our commercial lending credit assessment processes, where relevant, include a detailed review of the environmental risk in addition to the traditional credit risk associated with each transaction.

To learn more about our EMS please refer to the PDF report.

Verification

Our EMS has been independently reviewed by Bureau Veritas, one of the UK's leading environmental consultancies. Their statement is included in the EMS document but can also be read from the following link:

EMS external statement PDF document.

Benchmarking

A&L 2007 feedback report PDF document.

Our latest results from Business in the Community's Environment Index are highlighted on the feedback report . This provides us with an external view and benchmark of our environmental management activity.

 

Alliance & Leicester May Day Network Membership

Alliance & Leicester is delighted to announce that it has gained membership of the Business in the Community May Day Network.

The network represents the UK’s largest co-ordinated organisational effort to tackle climate change. The purpose of the network is to change the behaviours of employees, shareholders, customers and suppliers to maximise the impact of collectively reducing carbon emissions.

Alliance & Leicester joins 800 other organisations who share our belief that business can be a powerful catalyst for change.

To gain membership we have committed to take action in the following areas;

• Calculate our carbon footprint
•  Publicly report our carbon footprint
• Take action to reduce our company’s emissions
• Encourage employees to reduce their carbon footprint at home and at work
• Mobilise customers to take action
• Work in partnership with suppliers to reduce emissions in the supply chain