GUELPH, ON – The Co-operators Group Ltd., a Canadian-owned, multi-product insurance company, announced it is reducing greenhouse gas emissions from its vehicle fleet. Greenhouse gas emissions are the leading cause of human-induced global warming.

The Co-operators is beginning its sustainability journey and, as one of its first steps is seeking to reduce emissions from its fleet of more than 400 vehicles throughout Canada. Vehicles are a significant source of global warming gases because they emit more than two kilograms of these gases for every liter of gasoline they consume. The PHH GreenFleet program was developed by PHH Arval and Environmental Defense to guide organizations through choosing more efficient vehicles, upgrading vehicle maintenance programs and providing additional training to drivers.

Through PHH GreenFleet, The Co-operators expects to improve its fuel economy and cut emissions. After rolling out PHH GreenFleet to its entire fleet, the organization expects to improve fuel economy by over 20 per cent, without increasing fleet costs. All fleet vehicles The Co-operators group of companies acquires will now meet their new fuel economy requirements and help achieve their goal of significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

“We are committed to protecting the health and welfare of our communities and our planet – this includes recognizing and reducing the impact of our vehicle emissions on the climate,” said Kathy Bardswick, The Co-operators president and CEO. “As an organization that insures more than a million vehicles in Canada, we felt it was important that we assess our own fleet and do what we can to minimize the impact our vehicles have on the environment. Implementing PHH GreenFleet will help us do just that.”

None of the organizations belonging to The Co-operators group of companies will order any new trucks, vans or eight-cylinder vehicles, and every driver in its fleet program will have the option of selecting a hybrid vehicle.

“We are excited to have our first Canadian partner in the PHH GreenFleet program,” said Jim Halliday, senior vice president and general manager of PHH Arval’s Canadian operations. “The Co-operators is leading the way by demonstrating a cost-effective method to minimize the impact of fleet vehicle emissions.”

“There’s an exciting buzz and a lot of momentum around improving the environmental performance of vehicle fleets," said Environmental Defense Project Manager Jason Mathers. “We applaud The Co-operators for taking a comprehensive approach to measuring and reducing emissions that will produce real, measurable results for their business and the environment.”