IAG CEO Michael Hawker has been named by the NSW Government as “2003 Sustainable Energy Ambassador”. Frank Sartor, NSW’s Minister for Energy, Utilities and Sustainability, said the award is in recognition of Mr Hawker’s outstanding leadership in environmental initiatives.

“The insurance industry is at the frontline in dealing with the impacts of rising levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and IAG [is] carving a niche in corporate Australia by helping us understand the risks that more frequent extreme weather events pose to our everyday lives,” he said.

Mr Sartor said IAG has “made it a core business strategy to encourage and value sustainable behaviour to advance mitigation and adaptation to climate change impacts”. IAG has not only incorporated climate change considerations into business processes and purchasing policies, but it has improved performance and profit through these policies.

Apart from group-wide energy efficiency initiatives, IAG is also purchasing 11.5% “green power” in NSW, the ACT and Victoria.

The NSW Government’s Sustainable Energy Ambassador Award was established in 2000 to recognise the significant achievement of an individual in furthering measures to tackle climate change.