NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET) today announced that it has received the 2022 ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year Sustained Excellence Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy.
The Sustained Excellence award is the highest honor bestowed by the ENERGY STAR program. It is awarded to ENERGY STAR partners that have made a long-term commitment to fighting climate change and protecting public health through energy efficiency and have demonstrated leadership year over year. This is the fourth consecutive year that MetLife has been named an ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year, and the second year the company has been recognized with the Sustained Excellence designation.
“Ensuring resilient operations and reducing emissions are key components of MetLife’s long-term climate commitments,” said MetLife Chief Sustainability Officer Jon Richter. “Our partnership with ENERGY STAR has been instrumental in how we’re driving the sustainability of MetLife’s real estate and enhancing operational performance across the company.”
MetLife has been a member of the EPA Green Power Partnership since 2011, procuring green energy for 100% of MetLife’s domestic energy, with over 87,000 MWh of green power usage in 2020. By continuing to utilize ENERGY STAR resources, MetLife is making progress on its 2030 Climate Goals, which include reducing location-based greenhouse gas emissions by 30% and powering all MetLife Investment Management (MIM)-owned and controlled assets with 100% renewable electricity by 2030.
Through its expanded partnership with ENERGY STAR, MetLife has identified opportunities to implement energy saving measures at its corporate offices and MIM-owned properties. In 2021, MIM reduced energy consumption across its real estate equity portfolio by 7.6%. That same year, MetLife also achieved ENERGY STAR certifications for 24.5 million square feet of real estate, with 3.5 million square feet attributed to the corporate office network and 21 million square feet attributed to portfolios managed by MIM.
Using a Carbon Cascade™ approach that leverages ENERGY STAR’s data and benchmarking, MIM’s MetZero™ program reduces carbon through various programs including energy efficiency, on-site and off-site renewables, and the purchase of renewable energy credits (RECs) and offsets. MetLife has achieved carbon neutrality annually for its global offices, fleet, and business travel since 2016.
“Sustainability principals are deeply ingrained in our investment processes due to their demonstrated impact on investment performance and role in managing risk for clients,” said Robert Merck, global head of Real Estate and Agriculture for MetLife Investment Management. “Having data and tools to help us carry this out is vital in building an even more sustainable real estate business, and we have used ENERGY STAR’s platform to build customized plans across property types, which has helped us reduce our carbon footprint.”
Last year, MetLife hosted its sixth annual EcoChallenge, a two-week campaign that encourages employees to adopt eco-friendly habits, including conserving energy through ENERGY STAR best practices. More than 3,100 participants from 39 countries took part in the program, resulting in 2,000 lightbulbs being replaced with ENERGY STAR models, and an estimated 34,000 pounds of carbon dioxide saved.
To learn more about MetLife’s commitment to sustainability, visit MetLife.com/Sustainability. For more information about ENERGY STAR, visit EnergyStar.gov/about.
About MetLife
MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET), through its subsidiaries and affiliates (“MetLife”), is one of the world’s leading financial services companies, providing insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management to help individual and institutional customers build a more confident future. Founded in 1868, MetLife has operations in more than 40 markets globally and holds leading positions in the United States, Japan, Latin America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. For more information, visit www.metlife.com.
About MetLife Investment Management
MetLife Investment Management, the institutional asset management business of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET), is a global public fixed income, private capital and real estate investment manager providing tailored investment solutions to institutional investors worldwide. MetLife Investment Management provides public and private pension plans, insurance companies, endowments, funds and other institutional clients with a range of bespoke investment and financing solutions that seek to meet a range of long-term investment objectives and risk-adjusted returns over time. MetLife Investment Management has over 150 years of investment experience and as of December 31, 2021, had $669.0 billion in total assets under management.1
Forward-Looking Statements
The forward-looking statements in this news release, such as “continuing,” “ensuring,” “reducing,” “powering,” and “2030” are based on assumptions and expectations that involve risks and uncertainties, including the “Risk Factors” MetLife, Inc. describes in its U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings. MetLife’s future results could differ, and it has no obligation to correct or update any of these statements.
1 Total assets under management is comprised of all MetLife general account and separate account assets and unaffiliated/third party assets, at estimated fair value, managed by MIM.
