OREANDA-NEWS. Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) has been recognized as the “green” building leader among financial institutions in a new report published by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The report recognized the top financial services adopters of Leadership in Energy and Environmental DesignTM (LEED®) standards based on certified square feet of projects. Wells Fargo currently has more than 17 million square feet of LEED-certified projects across 193 locations, ranking first in the industry.

“Environmental leadership is part of our values at Wells Fargo because it directly benefits the well-being of our customers, team members, and communities,” said Richard Henderson, head of Wells Fargo’s Corporate Properties Group. “Transparency and independent verification of our sustainability efforts by organizations like the USGBC are essential to measuring progress towards achieving our goals.”

In supporting the transition to a “greener” global economy, Wells Fargo made a renewed environmental commitment in 2012 that includes the following goals to be achieved by 2020:

  • 35% of properties LEED-certified
  • 35% reduction in absolute greenhouse gas emissions
  • 40% increase in energy efficiency
  • 45% increase in water use efficiency
  • 65% increase in waste diversion

In 2014, Wells Fargo obtained LEED® Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance certification on 91 banking stores, the single largest simultaneous certification in USGBC history.“By holding ourselves accountable to LEED® standards, we are promoting a cleaner, more sustainable environment for the people who work and do business with us,” added Curt Radkin, sustainability strategist with Wells Fargo’s Corporate Properties Group. “LEED® design elements like the use of natural light and construction materials that improve air quality aren’t just good environmental stewardship- they’re good for our business as well.”

LEED® is the world’s leading green building rating system with more than 69,000 participating projects in more than 150 countries and territories worldwide.

“Wells Fargo has long been a leader in sustainability, living those values in the many communities they serve, and the use of LEED® is a fundamental part of its strategy,” said Rick Fedrizzi, CEO and founding chair, USGBC. “LEED® helps the company demonstrate the business value of a high-performing real estate portfolio to the financial community, not to mention the many benefits that come from providing healthier spaces for their employees and customers.  We congratulate Wells Fargo on their leadership."