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When Society and the Environment Benefit, Your 401(k) Can Too
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The value we place on today and tomorrow requires a commitment to environmental sustainability. We manage our day-to-day facility operations to reduce our climate impact through energy efficiency, water conservation, waste management, and a continued focus on our carbon footprint. Our environmental sustainability commitment carries through to our investment strategy and to the investment products we offer consumers.
We continue to improve operations and focus on our carbon footprint.
Energy efficiency
We're expanding the metrics we use to measure our exposure to climate risk, finding new ways to increase facility energy efficiency, and using more eco-friendly refrigerant options.
Focus on carbon footprint
We're accounting for our scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions consistent with Greenhouse Gas Protocol guidelines.
Water and waste management
We engage our employees and use technology to conserve water, increase recycling, and divert waste from landfills.
Climate Risk Stakeholder Group
We're identifying emerging climate risk expectations and coordinating assessments of climate risks and opportunities. For more information about how Northwestern Mutual assesses and manages climate-related risk, see our annual Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) filing.
In 2023, we launched a $500 million investment in our North Office Building at our downtown Milwaukee campus. Extensive renovations to the 1990 building will mirror the award-winning Tower and Commons and emphasize sustainability—reducing the project's embodied carbon, diverting at least 75% of construction waste from landfills, and implementing high-efficiency energy and water management.
Northwestern Mutual aims to use its best efforts to invest at least 5% of general account assets in socially and environmentally responsible investments without compromising return objectives. It's good for business—and the right thing to do. We've consistently exceeded our target; such investments today total more than $24.8 billion. For retail investment clients interested in this focus, we offer a variety of responsible investment options.
Read more about responsible investing