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The World Sustains Us All – Here’s How We’re Sustaining It

One of the most significant ways we can back our stakeholders is to do our part to protect and sustain the environment on which life depends. Because climate change represents one of the biggest challenges of our time, we are committed to limiting our greenhouse gas emissions in support of the recommendations of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Sustainability

In 2018, we became a CarbonNeutral®1 company through renewable energy credits, carbon offsets, and reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and powered our operations with 100% renewable electricity. We are committed to maintaining these efforts moving forward.

Our environmental focus areas include energy and emissions management, waste management, third-party green building certifications, and responsible sourcing. In addition to our commitments to reduce energy use, water consumption and waste within our operations, we’re also developing more environmentally friendly products within our business, including through our partnership with Parley for the Oceans to develop a credit card made from reclaimed marine plastic. Finally, we strive to source environmentally and socially responsible products and services from approved third-party vendors.

Environmental Highlights

To learn more about our sustainability efforts, download our 2018-2019 CSR report

1CarbonNeutral® certification is granted to businesses or organizations that have reduced their carbon emissions to net zero in accordance with The CarbonNeutral Protocol.
2Achieved zero net carbon emissions for scope 1, 2 and 3 (employee business travel and waste) through renewable energy credits, carbon offsets and reduced GHG emissions.
3Green building certified square footage is total square footage of leased or owned facilities actively occupied by American Express (excluding parking lot square footage) certified under a global or locally recognized third-party environmental building rating system as meeting their performance criteria (LEED, BREEAM, NABERS, and GreenMark).
4 Zero net carbon emissions for scope 1, 2 and 3 (waste and employee business travel, including third-party air, rail and rental cars).
5 Measurement is based only on managed facilities where metered data is available.
6 Single-use plastics is defined as plastic items that are used only once before they are thrown away or recycled. These items are things like plastic bags, straws, coffee stirrers, soda and water bottles and most food packaging. Materials that are plastic, yet designed to be reusable (i.e. reusable plastic food containers or water bottles) are out of scope.
7 Measurement is based only on managed facilities where metered and/or measured data is available; per employee goals based on number of employees located in such managed facilities.
Measurement is based only on managed facilities where metered and/or measured data is available; per employee goals based on number of employees located in such managed facilities.
8 Measurement is based only on managed facilities where metered and/or measured data is available; per employee goals based on number of employees located in such managed facilities.
9 Green building certified percentage is represented by the total square footage of leased or owned facilities. actively occupied by American Express (excluding parking lot square footage) certified under a global or locally recognized third-party environmental building rating system as meeting their performance criteria (LEED, BREEAM, NABERS, and GreenMark).

Statements herein that are not historical facts, including statements regarding our commitments, goals, expectations, intentions, projections or strategies for the future, may be forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ from those set forth in the forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, including those described in the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 and the company’s other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements.