Zurich says it will provide support for suppliers to help decarbonise as part of efforts to “cascade climate action across the supply chain”.

The insurer says it will equip suppliers with access to a Business Carbon Calculator, which will provide information on carbon footprint data and recommendations to reduce the output of emissions.

The group says it collaborated with carbon accounting firm Normative to help provide free access to the program.

“The first step to reducing emissions is calculating them. By providing access to the Business Carbon Calculator, Zurich is empowering its suppliers – especially SMEs – to accelerate the transition to more sustainable business practices,” Normative CEO Kristian Ronn said.

The insurer says the project helps deliver on its commitment to become a net-zero business by 2030, along with other climate-orientated goals.

“This initiative demonstrates Zurich’s commitment to emissions reduction throughout the value chain and illustrates how we use our expertise and resources to support others to transition to the net-zero economy,” Zurich Group Head of Sustainability Linda Freiner said.

Zurich says the calculator will work best for small and medium-sized businesses, which may not often have access to such data.

It says the calculator aims to address excess climate emissions from suppliers, noting CDP data that showed supply chain emissions to be 11 times higher than an individual company.