MBF Australia Limited ("MBF") marks World Environment Day 2008 with its carbon reduction strategy

MBF today announced that it has become the first private health insurance fund in Australia to have its property-related carbon footprint officially measured, and has also created an action plan to reduce its carbon emissions.

The announcement was made on the eve of the United Nations' World Environment Day, June 5, which has as its theme "Kick the Habit! Towards a low Carbon Economy."

MBF's property-related carbon emissions from energy use have been measured at 3,700 tonnes in 2006, with air travel estimated to add another 1,000 tonnes to that.

"The first step in managing a company's carbon emissions, and its contribution to climate change, is to create a baseline year," said Mr Eric Dodd, Managing Director MBF.

"We've now done that, but we've also had our carbon consultants identify a first round of the most cost-effective ways to reduce it."

"Our operations were pretty efficient, but of course there are always new energy efficient technologies coming on the market, and with electricity prices rising fast, they're becoming increasingly viable. This is an important part of our business' continued focus on containing costs. In this case though, we look forward to a real environmental dividend too," said Eric Dodd.

Sydney-based energy and carbon consultants Big Switch Projects created a database of energy efficiency projects identified in the major MBF offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide to cut energy use by 12 per cent through more efficient lighting, advanced lighting controls, and managing energy use in data centres better. The projects would cut greenhouse emissions by 450 tonnes a year.

As well, the four offices have been benchmarked on the NABERS energy rating scheme, and a review of opportunities to save energy in MBF Centres has been completed.

MBF employees were also involved in the project. They were surveyed for their views on MBF's priorities in the corporate responsibility space. In total, 88% of respondents said it was important or very important for MBF to be committed to reducing its impact on the environment.

"Australia recognises that the private health insurance sector, like all sectors of the economy, needs to measure then reduce its energy use and carbon emissions," said Eric Dodd. "We're in the business of creating healthy communities and we recognise that our organisation can play its part in creating a healthy planet. On World Environment Day, that's the habit every business should endorse".