Climate Change Data

Definity Financial Corporation

Climate Impact & Sustainability Data (2023)

Reporting Period: 2023

Environmental Metrics

Total Carbon Emissions:30,833 tCO2e (net of reductions from GNG and RECs)
Scope 1 Emissions:1,691 tCO2e
Scope 2 Emissions:177 tCO2e (market-based)
Scope 3 Emissions:29,560 tCO2e (excluding investments)

ESG Focus Areas

  • Climate Change
  • Workforce Diversity & Inclusion
  • Business Ethics
  • Community Investment
  • Responsible Investment

Environmental Achievements

  • Reduced Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 25% relative to 2019 baseline levels
  • Launched Sonnet Shift, a usage-based insurance product incentivizing less driving

Social Achievements

  • Contributed $2,350,000 to the Definity Insurance Foundation
  • More than doubled employee volunteerism year-over-year
  • Launched initiatives to advance Indigenous reconciliation
  • Developed practical tools to assess and mitigate bias in machine learning models

Governance Achievements

  • Established a Climate Centre of Excellence
  • Published a Human Rights Policy Statement
  • MSCI ESG Rating upgraded from BBB to AA

Climate Goals & Targets

Long-term Goals:
  • Achieve net-zero emissions in operations and investment portfolio by 2040 or sooner
Medium-term Goals:
  • Reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50% by 2030
  • Reduce Scope 3 (investments) emissions intensity by 65% by 2030
Short-term Goals:
  • Reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 30% by 2025
  • Reduce Scope 3 (investments) emissions intensity by 30% by 2025

Environmental Challenges

  • Increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events impacting claims and operations
  • Transition risks associated with a low-carbon economy
  • Maintaining competitive pricing and coverage options in a changing market
  • Managing climate-related risks in investment portfolio
Mitigation Strategies
  • Integrated climate risk and opportunity considerations across the business
  • Developed relationships with reinsurers to manage catastrophe loss exposure
  • Incorporated climate risks and opportunities into capital and operating budget planning
  • Adopted targets to reduce emissions intensity of equity and corporate bond investments
  • Enhanced modeling capabilities to understand climate-related risk exposures

Supply Chain Management

Responsible Procurement
  • Supplier Code of Conduct
  • Pilot project introducing electric vehicles into fleet

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Physical Risks
  • Flooding
  • Wildfires
  • Extreme wind events
  • Sea level rise
  • Extreme temperatures
  • Water stress/drought
  • Ice storms
Transition Risks
  • Regulatory intervention
  • Stakeholder action
  • Carbon pricing
  • Market contraction
  • Liability
Opportunities
  • Operational efficiency improvements
  • Renewable energy development
  • Building retrofits
  • Electric vehicles
  • New product and service development
  • Climate-smart investments
  • Community investment for climate resilience
  • Advocacy for climate solutions

Reporting Standards

Frameworks Used: GRI, SASB, TCFD (implicitly), PCAF

Third-party Assurance: Ernst & Young LLP (EY)

Sustainable Products & Innovation

  • Sonnet Shift
  • AgriEnhance

Awards & Recognition

  • Forbes Canada’s Best Employers for Diversity
  • Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures
  • Best Workplaces™ in Canada
  • Guidewire Software Innovation Award