In 2017, as part of our strategy to measure and manage the environmental impacts of our business operations, we became carbon-neutral for scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Operating at the level termed carbon-neutral means that an institution has net-zero emissions from greenhouse gases. For 2019, we purchased renewable energy certificates (download PDF) (RECs) for indirect emissions equal to 120 percent of our electricity use (scope 2), as well as offsets to compensate for unavoidable direct emissions from natural gas, steam and fleet car use (scope 1). Additionally, since 2007, through real estate portfolio management and energy-efficiency programs, we have reduced our scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 56 percent.