Sustainability progress made despite Covid challenges
Our 2021 sustainability report highlights our 2030 commitments and the progress we made during the 2020 calendar year, despite the unprecedented challenges brought about by Covid-19.
The annual report is built around six topics: business and product innovation; health, safety and wellbeing; environmental responsibility; resource use and the circular economy; being a good neighbour; and fairness, inclusion and respect.
Highlights include:
- Alternative fuel use within our cement plants increased to 56%
- Abstracted water use down 15.4%
- Lost time injuries down 10%
- Now have 135 mental health first aiders
- 38% of our car fleet is now hybrid or fully electric (up from 29% in 2019)
- 100% of our quarry sites have a biodiversity management plan (BMP)
- Launch of Network of Women in the UK
The report also demonstrates our pledge to reach net zero carbon by 2050 through our involvement in several industry-leading carbon reduction projects, including working on carbon capture and storage at our Padeswood cement works and a net zero carbon fuel mix at our Ribblesdale works.
CEO Simon Willis said: “I am extremely proud of the way we have adapted and performed to make the progress we have towards our sustainability ambitions during an extremely challenging year.
“We took additional steps to make our sites and workplaces safe while continuing to supply essential materials to keep roads, rail and infrastructure maintained and operational.
“We are in our business for the long term, which is why we take our responsibility for sustainability so seriously and we are continuing to make strides in key areas.
The latest report also shows that some 2030 sustainability commitments have already been achieved, including a reduction in Scope 2 emissions which are down 97.3% from 4.95 kg CO2/tonne in 2016 to 0.13 kg CO2/tonne in 2020.
Simon Willis added: “Our long-term success depends on sustainable business practices and the UK executive team has given its full backing to ensure the 2030 commitments are achieved.”