Contact us

Signify

Carbon neutrality by 2020


In 2017, Signify (formerly Philips Lighting) financed six carbon offset projects with South Pole to compensate for unavoidable company emissions and further their journey towards carbon neutrality by 2020. In total they sourced 235,000 metric tons of carbon credits, offsetting 42% of their 2017 operational carbon footprint.

Signify's 2020 carbon neutral commitment

"Everyone at Signify is enthusiastic to play their part in making our company as sustainable as possible. We're well on our way to becoming carbon neutral in all our operations by 2020, saving energy in factories and offices, optimizing our logistics and supply chain, and reducing business travel. We've already reduced our carbon footprint by 54% since 2007 and increased our use of renewables globally to 67%. By showing leadership on our journey to carbon neutrality, our employees are becoming ambassadors for sustainability."
Nicola Kimm,
Head of Sustainability, Environment, Health & Safety

Signify declared its intention to become carbon neutral at the UN Climate Change Conference COP21 in late 2015. The commitment includes the operational carbon footprint as defined in the Signify annual report. It covers full scope 1 and scope 2 emissions, and emissions from both logistics and business travel. As we draw closer to their target of 2020 visit Signify's sustainability programme home page to learn more about how they are ramping up ambitions to achieve carbon neutrality.


What projects does Signify support?

Kariba Forest Protection and Community Empowerment

Kariba Forest Protection and Community Empowerment

Forest Protection

Following decades of political and economic turbulence, the people of Zimbabwe are now feeling the effects of a changing and more unpredictable climate. Largely due to subsistence farming and firewood, over a third of Zimbabwe's forests have been lost, further destabilising the climate and precious ecosystem services. Since its launch in 2011, the Kariba project has protected nearly 785,000 hectares from deforestation and land degradation by supporting regional sustainable development and the independence and wellbeing of local communities.

South Pole Kariba Project
image: Huóshui Clean Hydropower for Remote Mountain Communities

Huóshui Clean Hydropower for Remote Mountain Communities

Run-of-river Small Hydropower

The Huóshui hydro project groups 95 small-scale hydropower plants that are generating renewable electricity across rural southwestern China. The project reduces global greenhouse gas emissions by providing hydroelectric power to communities that previously depended on burning coal to meet their energy needs.

Before the project was started, the needs of the local residents were often overlooked by the local governmental as they lived in remote, hard to reach places. Now, the project ensures these communities receive support to improve their livelihoods, for example by funding sustainable agricultural workshops and a disaster relief fund.

Everbright Landfill Gas into Clean Electricity

Landfill Gas To Energy

In China, more than 80% of total electricity is generated from coal-based power plants. With expanding cities and industries, not only is the production of goods becoming a logistical challenge, but disposing of them in growing landfills needs to be carefully managed. When organic materials breakdown without oxygen in landfills large amounts of methane, a greenhouse gas 25 times stronger than carbon dioxide, is released. Now, thanks to the project, the methane released by the Everbright land-fill is used to generate renewable electricity rather than escaping freely and heating up the atmosphere. The generated electricity is fed into the grid, supplying the inhabitants of Suzhou with clean energy.

image: South Pole Kariba Project
image: Mitcon Wind Power for Rural Villages

Mitcon Wind Power for Rural Villages

Wind Power

India is modernising rapidly, but to keep up with growing energy needs and support further sustainable development the country needs more investment in clean energy technologies. The Mitcom project builds and runs 100 wind turbines located in 72 small wind farms scattered across isolated rural areas where unemployment, low standards of living and other economic hardships are prevalent. This project delivers emission free energy to the local grid, while also facilitating sustainable development in areas surrounding the wind farms.

Gunung Salak Renewable Geothermal for Sustainable Development

Geothermal Energy

With over 150 active volcanoes, Indonesia has huge potential for geothermal energy production. In fact, 40% of the world's geothermal reserves are located underneath it, however it remains a largely untapped source of renewable energy. This project upgrades an existing geothermal plant to increase its capacity to generate more clean electricity from the same source of geothermal steam. As well as supporting Indonesia's clean energy transition, the project promotes sustainable development by supporting regional educational programmes, and running activities such as book donations at local schools. The Gunung Salak project improves employment opportunities by offering vocational training classes for finding work in the garment industry to unemployed local community members, and improves local transport by upgrading roads and bridges.

image: Gunung Salak Renewable Geothermal for Sustainable Development - South Pole Project
image: Nam Chien Hydropower for Remote Communities
  - South Pole Project

Nam Chien Hydropower for Remote Communities

Run-of-river Hydropower

In this mountainous region, until recently light and heat came from burning wood, which lead to deforestation and soil erosion, or from dirty and inefficient diesel generators. Now, the locally produced and stable renewable energy supply supports sustainable development; infrastructure has been improved; almost 50 jobs have been created, 32 reserved for locals; and the project owner has supported the local authorities with technical equipment including computers.

Cáceres and Cravo Norte Restoration of Degraded Land

Sustainable Forest Management

Years of gold mining and over grazing has left severe scars on land in the remote Colombian regions of Cáceres, Antioquia, Cravo Norte and Arauca. This pioneering project reforests, with over 20 different local tree species, and sustainably manages the area to restore this important tropical rainforest region to its former glory and bring back an abundance of wildlife. Approximately 150 people were employed to establish the project, and a further two have received permanent jobs; a vital employment alternative in a region that has long depended on illegal and heavily destructive activities.

image: Cáceres and Cravo Norte Restoration of Degraded Land - South Pole Project
Available Languages