Symantec has announced it is one of 21 technology companies stepping up to rapidly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across all sectors of society. The company joined the Step Up Declaration, a new alliance dedicated to harnessing the power of emerging technologies and the fourth industrial revolution to ensure a climate turning point by 2020.

Symantec has focused efforts around energy efficiency in its buildings as electricity use in its data centers, labs and offices account for more than 90% of these emissions. Buildings account for around 40% of global energy consumption, producing more than one-third of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.

The company uses the US Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, an internationally-recognized green building system, to guide the design, construction, fit out and operations of its buildings. Symantec pursues LEED certifications for major renovation projects for its owned and long-leased facilities and achieved LEED Platinum (the highest rating) at four facilities in India (EON Pune, Mumbai, Gurgaon and Bangalore).

The company is working to deliver meaningful GHG reductions through a combination of energy efficiency, space consolidation and clean power sources.