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Case Study of Achieving Carbon Excellence: A Journey through the Carbon Disclosure Project

Case Studies, Industry Insights

Case Study of Achieving Carbon Excellence: A Journey through the Carbon Disclosure Project

The 2023 Carbon Disclosure Project A list has been announced and 2 of the companies on the List did so with the help of Toitū Carbon Reduce and 1 other made the A-List Leadership Category.

Organisations around the world are coming together to join the race to net zero and play their part in slowing the pace of climate change.

Achilles is proud to work with companies around the world to support them to achieve their carbon reduction goals. The Carbon Reduce programme is automatically accepted by over 100 countries and territories and accredited by the CDP as a verification standard and as a Science Based Targets provider.

As the CDP explains; the CDP and its A List play a key role in keeping companies on a journey of continuous environmental improvement and achieving these targets. CDP regularly raise the bar for what qualifies as environmental leadership in line with emerging science, feedback from stakeholders, and market needs for greater environmental transparency. CDP A List companies are those keeping up with these evolving requirements.

Step forward our Carbon Reduce CDP 2023 A & A- listers:

John Sisk & Son: Leading with Innovation

As Ireland’s largest construction company, John Sisk & Son employs approximately 2,300 people across Ireland, the UK, and Europe. With a turnover of over €1.5bn, Sisk integrates sustainability into its operations, guided by their 2030 Sustainability Roadmap. The company has a legacy of creating sustainable communities for over 160 years, inspired by the values of Care, Integrity, and Excellence.

John Sisk & Son’s adoption of ISO 50001 energy management systems in 2015 significantly enhanced their energy efficiency. They implemented numerous initiatives, such as using Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), employing telematics technology for plant vehicles, engineering their approach to temporary electrical setups, and introducing submetering at sites and continuing to phase out wasteful practices.

Additionally, John Sisk & Son achieved carbon zero certification through the Toitū Carbon Reduce scheme, underscoring their dedication to measuring, managing, and offsetting their carbon footprint.

Sisk is committed to continuously striving for improvement and showing leadership across the industry and supply chain. Sisk’s leadership in sustainability has been widely recognised, enhancing their reputation and regulatory compliance. They have also been active in initiatives like the Irish Supply Chain Sustainability School, promoting free learning and collaborative approaches to tackle key sustainability challenges.

The company has embraced opportunities and innovations to reduce its carbon footprint, achieving its CDP A- list rating for the first time in 2023 within the leadership category.

Morgan Sindall: From Drumbeat to Heartbeat

Morgan Sindall started their journey in 2009 by setting a number of ambitious commitments to reduce their carbon emissions. Initially focused on cost management, they integrated carbon reduction into their core operations, making it a “drumbeat” within their business and supply chain. Upon joining Toitū Carbon Reduce in 2017, they set tangible goals, that through their commitment over the years led to them being placed on the CDP A-list in 2020 – a position they have now held for 3 years running.

The Carbon Reduce auditors have independently verified that the Morgan Sindall Group has consistently reduced its carbon footprint year on year.  Achilles guidance and support through Carbon Reduce has helped Morgan Sindall reduce their operational emissions by 85%, with a goal to achieve operational net zero by 2030. 

Their journey has included planting woodlands that offset 80,000 tonnes of CO2 at Blenheim and saving 170.29 tonnes of CO2 on the M1 Junction 16-19 Project.  Notably, their partnership with the RSPB in projects like the Lakenheath Fen restoration has invigorated their staff and supply chain, fostering a culture change towards sustainability.

Severfield: Striving for ESG Transparency

With multiple sites in the UK and Europe, Severfield plc is a market-leading structural steelwork Group, with a capacity to produce 150,000 tonnes of steelwork per year.

When it comes to ESG transparency, Severfield strives for excellence, aligning their Greenhouse Gas reporting with stringent methodologies and science-based targets. They joined Toitū Carbon Reduce program to demonstrate all requirements for external accreditation are fulfilled and for transparency with stakeholders on their net zero journey. This commitment has resulted in Severfield achieving the Toitū Carbon Reduce Accreditation for three consecutive years.

Participating in Toitū Carbon Reduce Programme provided swift reputation advantages with the assurance that they are verified to the highest standard.  Achilles’ internationally recognized standards brought immediate credibility, and Severfield’s efforts have been rewarded with enhanced stakeholder trust and visibility.

Looking forward, Severfield aims to build on their success as they continue to follow their 2050 net zero roadmap. They understand the need for climate resilience to remain successful and are actively moving forward with their decarbonisation transition plan.

Michaela Lindridge, Head of ESG, advises other companies to integrate carbon reduction into their core strategy, viewing it not just as a regulatory requirement but as a business decision to ensure resilience. They emphasise taking the journey step by step, focusing on small, manageable categories to build a solid foundation for carbon reduction over time.

Sharing Success

The success achieved by these companies’ underline the importance of structured, tailored solutions in the journey to achieving sustainability goals. Achilles Information Ltd’s Carbon Reduce program has played a strong role in helping them to meet and exceed CDP requirements. Their journeys highlight the need for collaboration, continuous improvement, and integrating sustainability into core strategies.

As your company works to become a leader in sustainability, Toitū Carbon Reduce can help. We provide comprehensive science-based guidance, resources, tools, and templates to guid you through carbon reduction management planning and implementation to meet a 1.5 deg C target and achieve ISO14064-1 certification.

 Achilles helps organisations reduce their carbon impact and improve performance.

Contact us to learn how our solutions can help meet your carbon reduction and sustainability goals.

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