Exelon’s early commitment to responsive, low-carbon energy investment has enabled us to create advantages for our stakeholders while minimizing our impacts on the environment. We have been able to improve our energy efficiency and that of our customers; drive increased use of renewable sources of energy; maintain the quality of our air, land and water resources; and minimize our impacts on diverse species and habitats, all while meeting the energy needs of our society in a sustainable manner. We diligently manage our environmental impact on the air, land and water we use while respecting the bio-diverse habitats in which we operate.
Goals
Our vision includes the following environment goals.
“Addressing climate change and embracing corporate sustainability are not only socially and environmentally beneficial, they are business imperatives.”
1. Capitalize on environmental leadership
Climate change presents a significant leadership opportunity for Exelon, and we have started reducing our carbon footprint ahead of federal legislation. Our voluntary action to reduce our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions has built credibility with regulators and other stakeholders, providing us an opportunity to influence emerging public policy.
- Chairman and CEO John Rowe who first testified to Congress on climate change in 1992, co-chairs the National Commission on Energy Policy (NCEP), a commission to develop bipartisan recommendations on climate change.
- As an early participant in the U.S. EPA’s Climate Leaders Program (and one of only eight electric utilities to join the program), Exelon has surpassed our commitment to reducing GHG emissions 8% below 2001 levels.
“Time is not our friend with respect to global climate change. We must begin a long journey to address climate change and the usual approach - doing too much, too late - will not work.”
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2. Adapt and advance Exelon 2020
The principles of the Exelon 2020 plan include providing more low-carbon electricity, helping our customers reduce their GHG emissions and reducing the overall GHG emissions in the markets in which we operate. We are making tangible progress in meeting our Exelon 2020 goals, and each of the Exelon companies is wholly committed to the roadmap.
- Exelon has relied on greening our operations to achieve the bulk of its emissions reductions to date. As of December 31, 2008, our GHG emissions were more than 35% lower than they were in 2001—which means we’ve already achieved annual reductions of nearly 6 million metric tons. From our facilities and vehicle fleet to our data centers and desktop equipment, we are reducing our own internal energy consumption with higher standards for ourselves and our suppliers.
- We have announced plans to offer substantial new low-carbon electricity in the marketplace by raising the output of Exelon nuclear plants, investing in wind and solar energy and purchasing other renewable energy.
- We are increasing our investment in customer energy efficiency. ComEd and PECO will spend more than $350 million through 2011 on energy efficiency and demand response programs that will help residential and business customers reduce their energy consumption by more than 1.6 million MWh and reduce peak load by 226 MW.
- Exelon’s delivery companies are also making substantial investments in advanced metering technology and new pricing programs to help customers use energy more efficiently, reduce costs and improve system reliability.
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3. Drive the organization to the next level of performance
We generate sustainable value for our stakeholders through the Exelon Environmental Strategy and culture rooted in integrity, accountability and a drive for continuous improvement. We diligently manage our environmental impact on the air, land and water we use while respecting the bio-diverse habitats in which we operate. Our ability to capture—and share with our stakeholders—the advantages of sustainable business practices is tied inextricably to our economic health.
- We have received recognition from organizations that assess corporate governance, effective management, sustainable practices and reporting transparency including additional ISO:14001 2004 environmental management system (EMS) certifications; listing in the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index; and inclusion in the Sustainable Asset Management and Pricewaterhouse Coopers Sustainability Yearbook.
- In 2009, the Corporate Governance Committee of the Board of Directors revised its charter to include responsibility for overseeing Exelon’s policies and practices to protect and improve the quality of the environment, including climate change and sustainability policies and programs and the Exelon 2020 strategy.
- In 2009, Exelon engaged with Ceres to convene an independent stakeholder team comprising individuals from a range of constituencies that have expertise in environmental, social and governance issues. The team has provided extensive feedback on the adequacy of our sustainability reporting—including performance, goals, targets, systems, impacts, data and initiatives.
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