Update to ASX CHESS holding statements

During FY20, we refreshed our approach to Sustainability and have begun a process to better understand our own carbon footprint. In FY21, we will continue to assess what we can do to manage the carbon footprint of our operations.

As the market operator, ASX supports the important work of the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). We are reviewing how the TCFD recommendations may apply to ASX and whether we will report under the recommendations.

Managing our consumption of natural resources is an important aspect of operating our business, given the economic and environmental benefits to be gained from optimising our consumption.

Approximately 30% of ASX’s reported electricity usage relates to our direct operations. The balance is consumed by the customers at our data centre, the Australian Liquidity Centre (ALC), which offers ALC customers productivity efficiencies by being co-located with ASX and each other.

In FY20, the electricity used by ASX's operations was largely unchanged. The vast majority of ASX's own electricity usage relates to the operation of the technology that powers Australia's financial markets infrastructure.

ASX uses diesel to power the back-up generators at the ALC, our primary data centre. These generators are utilised when there is a power disruption to the ALC and as part of monthly back-up testing procedures.

Since 2015, ASX’s own paper usage and the paper CHESS statements are printed on, have been carbon neutral. In FY20, with the majority of ASX's workforce working from home since mid-March 2020, ASX's paper consumption declined 38% on the previous year.

Over the past 12 months, ASX has made significant progress towards developing the ability for issuers to offer their shareholders the option of electronic CHESS statements. This will create an opportunity for the entire industry to reduce its paper consumption.