Our commitment to the environmentAmericas Corporate Responsibility

Top five environmental risks These five risk areas are shaping the environmental sustainability strategies at EY and other leading companies.

Strategic The world is in the process of fundamentally re-envisaging key aspects of the built environment, and any company not factoring this into their planning and asset allocation risks being left behind.

Operations Freshwater shortage, desertification, and short- and long-term climate events will create risks for price shocks and supply disruptions as the global population continues to increase over the next 50 years.

Compliance Many companies face new and expanding compliance risks resulting from an increasing number of international, national and regional regulations pertaining to environmental performance.

Reporting As stock exchanges prepare to react to environmental and social issues playing out in the marketplace, companies face mounting pressure to disclose their sustainability performance and therefore become capable of producing investment-grade information.

Reputation The globalization of the sustainability challenge poses enormous reputational risks to companies identified as unwilling to adapt to this new reality.

It’s a business imperative As consistent economic growth is slowly restored across the world, businesses face a significant challenge: maximizing market opportunities without further exceeding the world’s environmental carrying capacity. This will require an unprecedented level of innovation, cooperation and political will and a fundamental re-examination of the global economy’s relationship with energy, water and biodiversity, not just in terms of how they are consumed but also how they are renewed. EY’s Climate Change and Sustainability Services team is working with companies around the world to help develop and drive strategies to incorporate sustainability into every aspect of their business. And they are also helping us raise the bar on sustainability within our own organization.

At EY, we believe we’re responsible to our people, our clients and our communities for reducing our impact on the environment. We’re implementing measurable actions to reduce our waste, increase energy efficiency in our offices, reduce the impact of business travel and promote responsible treatment of the environment within our communities.

We also believe that climate change is a business imperative. Worldwide, our clients turn to us to guide them through significant challenges related to climate change, whether it’s by transforming business processes, changing purchasing patterns, recognizing incentives for greater responsibility or responding to policy risk. Our professionals in Climate Change and Sustainability Services bring a business-based perspective to the challenges our clients face. Across industries, we believe we all must do our part.

And that starts with us. With more than 175,000 people globally providing services in more than 140 countries, everything we do — regardless of how small it may seem — helps. But we’re not content merely to focus on our own operations; our commitment to sustainability crosses over into the lives of our people.

Together, we believe that this effort will make us a stronger organization, operating in united communities on a healthier and cleaner planet.

Sustainability strategies Greening our own organization

Reducing our carbon footprint begins within our officesAs a professional services organization, nearly all of our carbon dioxide comes from energy consumption in our leased offices and business travel. In the past five years in the Americas, we’ve reduced our carbon footprint from utilities by 15% by making our buildings more energy efficient and using our space more effectively.

Although our travel emissions continue to rise (18% since our 2008 baseline), we’re taking steps where appropriate to reduce business travel. Overall intensity (emissions per person) has been reduced by 14% in the last five years.

In addition, we’ve:

• ► Earned the US EPA’s ENERGY STAR rating for our data center and purchased green power for it and other key offices

• ► Continued to realize energy savings in our New York City headquarters from a retrofit of 15,000 lighting fixtures that has reduced overall energy consumption by 19% in that facility

• ► Increased our LEED-certified space in the US to more than 50% of our portfolio, with more than 20 offices meeting the standards

• ► Upgraded videoconferencing capabilities and implemented telepresence in 15 locations across the globe to help reduce air travel

• ► Begun deploying a new print management process across Brazil, Canada, Israel, Mexico and the US to promote more responsible printing practices and reduce our waste stream

• ► Reduced disposable cup usage and expanded recycling efforts and environment-oriented community engagement

• ► Reduced our waste stream by upcycling disposable coffee packets in our US offices

• ► Continued to purchase recycled paper for the US offices

• ► Ensured that waste paper is shredded and recycled

• ► Submitted our progress to the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP)

Turning our people into green thinkers and doersWe also believe lasting change comes when we adjust daily habits to be more environmentally responsible, and we extend that value into our communities.

Our EcoCare volunteers lead green teams to support national initiatives around Earth Day, America Recycles Day and other eco-related activities in their communities. More than 40 of our offices across the Americas participated in Earth Hour in 2014.

Through our EY Earthwatch Americas Ambassador Program, we’ve sent more than 130 early-career EY professionals to Brazil, Costa Rica and, beginning in 2014, Mexico, to promote economically and environmentally sustainable business practices and conduct field research.

About EYEY is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities.

EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.

© 2014 EYGM Limited.All Rights Reserved.

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This material has been prepared for general informational purposes only and is not intended to be relied upon as accounting, tax, or other professional advice. Please refer to your advisors for specific advice.

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For a broader view of EY’s investment in our clients, or people and our communities, read the EY Americas Sustainability Report 2013 at www.ey.com/US/en/About-us/Corporate-Responsibility