Environmental policy

Context and Objectives

Realising that the world’s natural resources are limited and fragile, AFC considers environmental protection to be an important component of its corporate responsibility and consistent with its overall goals and values. We are committed to providing quality services in a manner that ensures a safe and healthy workplace for our em­ployees while minimizing potential harmful environmental impacts.

Protecting the natural systems upon which all life depends, lifting people out of poverty and advancing economic development are among the greatest challenges con­fronting humanity. These three pillars of sustainable development are central to our work to contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals formulated for post-2015 development. We recognise that preventing environmental degradation is essential to alleviating poverty and ensuring sustainable development. AFC acknowledges that a healthy environment benefits everyone. With this in mind, our commitment to environmental stewardship will be a long-term one.

Basic Principles

We are committed to:

  • integrate the consideration of environmental concerns and impacts into all of our decision making and activities;
  • promote environmental awareness among our employees by training, sensitizing and informing them about environmental issues and encourage them to work in an environmentally responsible manner;
  • promote responsible and efficient use of office materials and resources through­out our facilities including paper, water, electricity, and other re­sources - particularly those that are non-renewable. We will also give prefer­ence to renewable over non-renewable energy sources when feasible;
  • reduce, and where possible, eliminate waste to conserve natural resources. This will be done - inter alia - by promoting recycling and by purchasing recy­cled, recyclable or re-furbished products and materials where these alterna­tives are available, economical and suitable;
  • handle and dispose of all waste through safe and responsible methods (including waste separation and recycling), as well as, reduce, and where possible, eliminate waste to conserve natural resources. This will be done - inter alia - by promoting recycling and by purchasing recycled, recyclable or refurbished products and materials where these alternatives are available, economical and suitable;
  • strictly avoid domestic flights and only flying in economy class;
  • aspire for carbon neutrality in the long-term by compensating CO₂  emissions stemming from employees’ flights;
  • encourage employees to use the most environmental-friendly transport by providing incentives to use alternative options such as public transport or bicycle;
  • purchase and use energy saving appliances (LCD screens with the ‘Energy Star’, Compact Fluorescent Lamps, intelligent heating/cooling control systems, etc.);
  • regularly communicate our environmental policy to our clients, customers and the public and encourage them to support it;
  • minimise the environmental risks to our employees and the countries where we operate and provide a safe and healthful workplace;
  • be environmentally responsible wherever we operate and act promptly and responsibly to correct incidents or conditions that endanger health, safety, or the environment.

Implementation and Coordination

It is essential that employees are involved and understand the implementation of this environmental policy. Every employee has access to this policy through AFC communication tools and is regularly informed about our company’s efforts to improve our environmental performance. Employees at all levels of the company are involved in supporting our goals.

AFC will operate in compliance with all relevant German federal, state and municipal environmental legislation and the relevant legislation in place in the countries where it carries out its services. In doing so, AFC will provide a mechanism for self-monitoring to ensure compliance and continual improvement of our policy. As part of our internal environmental management system, we will conduct regular audits and self-assessments of AFC’s compliance with this policy, measuring progress and reporting regularly to the company’s executive management.