Environmental & Social Information • Mar 26, 2014
Environmental & Social Information
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Sustainability Report 2013
54 Objectives and targets 2014
The sustainability agenda within Morgan Sindall Group continues at a pace. The governing principles set out in our Roadmap and Total Commitments have continued to drive us forward in improving our sustainability performance.
Drawing on the widely accepted model of People, Planet and Profit, our six Total Commitments addressing safety, developing talent, reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions, reducing waste, improving sustainable procurement and enhancing local economic growth remain as our focus.
During 2013, we have taken stock of our strategy and plans and taken the opportunity to review our approach.
As part of this review, we decided to engage more widely with our stakeholders and sought the views of over 2000 internal and external parties – our first-ever comprehensive consultation exercise.
The results of this consultation have been reassuring in that they have confirmed our original Total Commitments as valid for the Group.
In addition to these areas, we have decided to address eight additional material issues that are set out in the Objectives and Targets section presented later in this report.
A further improvement in our approach to sustainability is in the development of this report. Having completed the stakeholder engagement exercise and determined what is important and material for our key stakeholders and the Group, we have adopted the principles of the Global Reporting Initiative and the new G4 guidelines and this report has been prepared with reference to G4.
Our divisions continue to deliver performance improvement. The Group achieved top ranking in the CDP's UK Climate Change Report 2013 with an improved score of 91 B and as a result were reconfirmed as the first non-FTSE 350 company listed in the Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index.
Following external certification by Achilles against the Certified Emissions Measurement and Reduction Scheme (CEMARS), the Group has been able to demonstrate a continued reduction in its carbon emissions, a decrease of 28 percent against the 2010 baseline.
We recognise that there are areas of our performance that need further action. While there are individual projects achieving excellent levels of waste management and reuse, our Group waste performance has remained static.
The Group has continued to play its role as one of the founding members investing in and supporting the Supply Chain Sustainability School. The continued uptake and use of the School will help our supply chain address sustainability to the overall benefit of the industry.
We are pleased to report that the Supply Chain Sustainability School was recognised at the Institute of Purchasing & Supply's Supply Management Awards 2013 with awards of 'Best Contribution to Corporate Responsibility' and also the 'Best Overall Entry'.
Having the right structure and people to deliver improvement is essential in delivering a commercially sustainable business. The Sustainability Steering Group has taken the decision to create stakeholder panels made up of clients, supply chain partners, divisional representatives and graduates employed by the Group with a mandate to provide challenge, advice and intelligence to the sustainability agenda. Our strategy will develop and be supplemented through use of the Group's sustainability risk and opportunity register.
In developing its sustainability strategy, the Group is extending its strategic outlook. We recognise the longer-term challenge relating to people and the skills crisis in the industry and retaining talented employees in any future period of growth. Wider issues of resource criticality, climate change and population growth also require addressing so that the Group is best placed to maximise any opportunities while minimising the impact of its activities.
This report presents our performance during the past year, showcasing where we have done well. It also highlights areas where we recognise improvement is needed. We will continue to focus on the Total Commitments and those areas that our stakeholders have told us are important. This approach will mean we also deliver the Group's strategy through being a responsible and economically sustainable business.
Sustainability and Procurement
TOP: Our Construction & Infrastructure division's Market Street project in Maidenhead is designed to achieve BREEAM 'Very Good' MIDDLE: Our Urban Regeneration division's Barbirolli Square office and leisure development in Manchester BOTTOM: An Affordable Housing installation of solar panels
We help keep traffic flowing on the UK's
highways. We carry out 50% of
environments.
We work in the education market by designing, building and fitting out education facilities.
projects in live working We complete fit outs including the nine
for half of the FTSE100 largest companies.
We help maintain and improve the UK's water networks.
We won 36 Considerate Constructors awards, in 2013.
We revitalise derelict dockyards into vibrant waterside residential districts.
We offer opportunities to circa 300 apprentices each year.
We partner with local authorities to deliver positive change and economic growth.
We relocate staff to new offices with minimal downtime.
We complete over 200,000 home repairs every year.
We fit out office environments for 18 of the top 20 UK law firms.
We have delivered 37% of all the SKA gold and silver accreditations awarded.
Revenue
£2,095m
2012: £2,047m
Operating profit - adjusted*
£33.6m 2012: £48.1m
Directors' portfolio valuation
£14m 2012: £32m
Investments carrying value £12.8m
2012: £18.2m
Revenue
£1,234m 2012: £1,168m Operating profit - adjusted* £12.7m 2012: £19.7m Revenue £381m 2012: £386m Revenue £427m 2012: £437m Operating profit - adjusted* £10.9m 2012: £11.3m
Operating profit - adjusted* £8.6m
2012: £11.5m
Revenue £62m
2012: 62m Operating profit - adjusted*
£1.0m 2012: £2.7m
Realises the potential for under-utilised property assets and promotes economic growth, primarily through strategic partnerships with the public sector, by providing flexible structuring and funding solutions and development expertise. The division covers a wide range of markets including asset backed, education, health care and social care, residential, student accommodation, leisure
and infrastructure.
Investments
INVESTMENTS
Offers national design, construction and infrastructure services to private and public sector clients. The division works on projects, and in frameworks and strategic alliances of all sizes, across a broad range of markets including commercial, defence, education, energy, healthcare, industrial, leisure, retail,
transport and water.
Construction & Infrastructure
Specialises in the design and build, refurbishment and maintenance of homes and the regeneration of communities across the UK. The division operates a full mixedtenure model creating homes for rent, shared
ownership and open market sale..
Affordable Housing
Specialises in fit out and refurbishment projects in the commercial, central and local government office, further education and retail banking markets. Overbury operates as a national fit out company through multiple procurement routes and Morgan Lovell specialises in workplace consultancy and in the interior design and build of offices.
Fit Out
Works with landowners and public sector partners to unlock value from underdeveloped assets to bring about sustainable regeneration and urban renewal through the delivery of mixed-use and residential-led projects. Typically creates commercial, retail, residential, leisure and public realm facilities.
Urban
Regeneration
Morgan Sindall Group is a leading UK construction and regeneration group employing circa 5,700 people. By focusing on delivery the Group is able to offer innovative and cost effective solutions to clients. Construction is offered through a network of offices to deliver projects of all sizes with skills that provide clients with a complete design, construction, refurbishment and maintenance service for their property and infrastructure assets. Working in long-term trusted partnerships, the Group's expertise in mixed-use and housing-led regeneration is creating large-scale economic and social renewal throughout the country.
Six Total Commitments continue to underpin our approach to sustainability. Against these, the Group has made continued progress, most notably in terms of health and safety, carbon and procurement. We have adopted a new commitment to support local economic growth.
15 RoSPA occupational health and safety awards
36 Considerate Constructor Scheme national site awards
The Group has seen challenging conditions predominate across most of its markets, with competitive pressures impacting on margins and profitability. The Group's track record and integrated offer of design, construction, development and funding solutions has enabled it to win significant construction and regeneration projects and long-term frameworks this year.
* Adjusted is defined as before intangible amortisation of £2.7m (2012: £2.9m, 2011: £3.9m), exceptional operating items of £14.7m (2012: £10.0m, 2011: £1.4m) and (in the case of earnings per share) deferred tax credit £2.5m (2012: £1.5m, 2011: £2.8m).
Score of 91B in Carbon Disclosure Project
Sustainability Supply Chain School named as overall winner at the 2013 CIPS Supply Management Awards
a safe work environment
developing talented employees
reducing waste
reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions
supporting local economic growth
improving sustainable procurement
Our approach to corporate sustainability is consolidated by 'Total Commitment', the name given to our Group Roadmap for Sustainability. Developed in 2011, Total Commitment is built around the PEOPLE-PLANET-PROFIT model of sustainability that we have used successfully for many years. Total Commitment provides us with a high-level plan of action for progressing and embedding sustainable practices, as well as a framework for measuring, communicating and reporting progress, both internally and externally. It helps us embed a standard approach to sustainability across each division, whilst affording them some freedom and flexibility to meet the challenges of their own markets.
Total Commitment is focused around six key areas of strategic improvement. We selected these six topic areas because, from regular interactions with our stakeholders, they were felt to be relevant and appropriate to Morgan Sindall Group as a whole and were issues where we can make the greatest impact. The Roadmap is reviewed regularly to ensure that it remains relevant and continues to match our priorities and those of our stakeholders.
Being sustainable is fundamental to way we create value, both in terms of the way we operate as a Group and in terms of the projects that we deliver. In practice we must balance the need to deliver a solid financial return in the short term with the requirement to understand and take responsibility for our wider social, environmental and economic impacts over the longer term.
As a leading UK construction and regeneration group, we adopt a precautionary approach to sustainability challenges. This means recognising that it is typically more cost-effective to take advance action to prevent negative impacts than it is to deal with the consequences after they have occurred. We also believe that many of the challenges associated with sustainable construction actually represent significant business opportunities when anticipated and managed correctly.
There are many people and organisations that have an interest in the Group and its activities. It is important that we engage with all stakeholders on a regular and ongoing basis so that we can maximise the value that we deliver to them.
Gain buy-in. Planning a future sustainability strategy without engagement only leaves us with the option to offer limited choices. Engagement provides us with a way to educate stakeholders about options and perspectives they 2 might be missing as well as giving them the chance to provide feedback.
Keep up with best practice. Global reporting standards now stipulate that stakeholder engagement should be an essential part of any good sustainability strategy. As a Group, we are committed to implementing 5 best practice.
Shared ownership. We want to give our stakeholders the opportunity to 4 develop our Roadmap with us.
Foster active support. Our stakeholders are important to us. By engaging 3 with them regularly we can continue to build strong, lasting relationships.
Discover missing pieces. Asking for feedback from our stakeholders can help us to identify the blind spots, rectify any issues and make the most 1 of the opportunities.
The way we manage sustainability reflects the decentralised divisional structure of Morgan Sindall Group.
It is the role of the Group to coordinate and facilitate progress on sustainability - and specifically to oversee development and implementation of our sustainability Roadmap – by ensuring that appropriate systems and procedures are in place. New policies and initiatives are also developed at Group level if we believe there is benefit in a standardised approach.
Starting in 2013, we brought together our Group procurement and sustainability functions to create a new central team headed by the director of Group sustainability and procurement, Graham Edgell. The closer alignment of sustainability and procurement will enable the Group to drive further improvements in its sustainability performance as a significant proportion of its expenditure is on goods and services procured through our supply chain partners. During 2013, we appointed Brian Handcock, formerly Head of Sustainability and Environment for our Construction & Infrastructure division, as Group Head of Sustainability.
Risk registers document those risks and controls at different levels within the organisation: Group, division and project. The Group and divisional risk registers are reviewed and updated at least every six months to ensure that risks are properly evaluated and that controls remain appropriate (further details can be found in the Group annual report).
We have also mapped and updated risks and opportunities related specifically to sustainability. Our sustainability risk and opportunity register considers the risks and/or opportunities related to meeting (or failing to meet) the objectives laid out in our Roadmap. To be included, the risk or opportunity should both:
(i) influence one of the Group's sustainability key risks and
Risks and opportunities associated with global trends are also considered. The sustainability risk and opportunity register will be reviewed at senior level on an annual basis.
Overall responsibility for risk identification and management across the Group rests with the Board. A risk management framework is in place to identify key risks that might prevent the Group from achieving its goals, and to document controls to manage and mitigate these risks.
The following table explains our most significant stakeholder groups and provides details of how we engage with them.
| Stakeholder group | How we engage with this stakeholder group |
|---|---|
| Current employees | Monthly e-newsletter giving progress on all pillars of sustainability sent to all employees Four 'sustainability days' per year within the Construction & Infrastructure division Bi-annual employee surveys Consulted as part of the sustainability objectives setting preparation process |
| Future employees | Annual Open Doors Event Continuing work with various external partners to promote and create job opportunities in the construction industry such as Opportunity Now, Remploy, STEMNET Project-specific engagement with local communities School talks Undergraduate sponsorship Apprenticeship schemes |
| Investors | Communication of financial and shareholder information, including the Group's annual report and accounts Annual submission to CDP Annual sustainability report Presentations to analysts Site visits for analysts |
| Clients | Project-specific engagement Case studies Consulted as part of the sustainability objectives setting preparation process |
| Supply chain partners | Supply Chain Sustainability School Project-specific engagement Toolbox talks for subcontractors as required Bid/service requirements as required Seminars/workshops Biannual sustainability and innovation conference Consulted as part of the objectives setting preparation process |
| Joint venture partners | Joint venture project-specific engagement |
| Local communities | Project-specific community engagement Dedicated full-time community liaison employees Schools talks Frequent charitable community projects Local apprenticeship/employment schemes Letters/newsletter drops Face to face visits Project-specific microsites |
| Industry associations | Regular meetings Involvement in sub-groups and tasks forces of industry groups Sponsorship of initiatives Consulted as part of the sustainability objective setting preparation process |
| Government/regulators | Annual reporting to Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme ('CRC') Annual RIDDOR reporting Annual Greenhouse Gas reporting Input to legislation consultations both directly and via trade bodies as required |
An Affordable Housing employee assessing real-life construction risks at the ACT Simulation Centre
| Risk Area | Impact | Mitigation | Opportunity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transport Adverse environmental impact from operation of the Group's vehicle fleet |
Direct contribution to climate change, reputational impact, increased operating costs, inability to address customers' needs |
Energy efficiency campaigns, clear policies on vehicle and plant selection and use, monitoring and management of fuel consumption |
Increased operational efficiency through efficient logistics and use of alternatives to road transport |
| Water and effluents Depletion of natural resource, pollution impact on inland fresh waters, controlled water, flooding and drought |
Increased cost and potential reduced availability or flood impact on projects and national infrastructure, negative reputational impact |
Awareness raising exercises, measurement, reporting and management of consumption levels |
Ability to offer drought tolerant and flood resilient infrastructure |
| Total commitment to improving sustainable procurement Sourcing of goods and materials with poor governance, quality and depletion of natural resources |
Reputational impact Negative environmental impact Association with poor labour practices |
Establishing minimum standards through procurement policy. Risk assessment of potential high risk materials and services. Promotion of Supply Chain Sustainability School to suppliers |
Driving improved labour, sourcing and ethical procurement across supply chain with wider benefits on materials sourcing |
| Total commitment to supporting local economic growth Inability to address customer expectations, negative portrayal of the Group in the local community |
Reduced client engagement, community resistance, loss of contracts and reduced growth |
Continued investigation of means of measuring and reporting on economic growth, use of LM3 approach |
Being seen as a fore-runner in addressing economic growth and adding value to communities through construction activity |
| Advocacy and leadership Reputational damage |
Reputational damage | Policy of non-engagement in government lobbying |
Reputation enhancement as an ethical and leading organisation |
| Ethical business, bribery and corruption Prosecution and reputational damage |
Reputational damage, loss of work, prosecution |
Robust management procedures and delegated levels of authority. Routine refresher training of employees |
Robust management procedures and delegated levels of authority. Routine refresher training of employees |
| Sustainable buildings and labelling Inability to deliver customer requirements associated with BREEAM, CEEQUAL, LEED, SKA, etc |
Non-completion of customer expectations, poor performing buildings and structures |
Detailed understanding and implementation of labelling schemes through professional teams in the divisions Understanding of customer expectations and delivery of contract requirements |
Reputation as a business delivering wider sustainable benefits and reduced operating cost of assets built |
| Customer feedback and satisfaction Not understanding customer demands and future expectations |
Failure to adapt and innovate to deliver customer expectation |
Implementation of Perfect Delivery philosophy across the Group Regular customer engagement, stakeholder and customer sustainability panels Extension of ISO 11 000 standard across the Group |
Reputational enhancement as a customer focussed organisation delivering against our values and philosophy |
| Legal compliance Removal of licence to operate |
Prosecution, fines, reputational impact, restrictions on future ability to both deliver and win work, reduced turnover and opportunity for growth |
Robust management systems (OHSAS 18001, ISO 9001, ISO 14001) Maintaining teams of professional advisory teams. Regular self assessment and audit of projects, with corrective action processes. Contingency plans for the management of incidents |
Ability to win work, attract talented employees and engage with the community and the environment in a positive fashion |
| Risk Area | Impact | Mitigation | Opportunity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Commitment to a safe environment Safety or environment incident – employee or environmental impact |
Failure to comply Adverse negative impact on people or the environment Prosecution, fines and reputational damage Exclusion from contract opportunity |
Key personnel with leadership responsibility Robust policies and management systems (OHSAS 18001) Business-wide contingency plans |
Enhanced reputation and ability to prequalify for contracts |
| Total Commitment to developing talented employees Not attracting, developing or retaining capable teams. Balancing new talent joining workforce with retention of existing employees |
Inability to deliver projects, increased employee turnover, reputational impact, reduced pool of talented potential employees leading to an inability to grow the business and achieve the Group's long term strategy |
Appraisal and development plans, career progression and succession planning, training and development programmes, measurement of employee satisfactions |
Increased attractiveness of the business to skilled and talented employees Development of in house teams |
| Recruitment and retention Maintain a balance between attracting new talent into the business and the retention of existing employees |
Poor employee engagement, inability to deliver projects, elevated employee turnover, poor skills sets, reduced pool of potential talented employees |
Appraisal and development plans, career progression and succession planning, training and development programmes, measurement of employee satisfaction |
Increased attractiveness of the business to skilled and talented employees Development of in house teams |
| Diversity Undifferentiated workforce with poor representation from minority groups |
Increased employee turnover, reputational impact, reduced challenge and perspective in the business, reduced pool of potential employees and skills |
Maximising opportunity to engage with and recruit from a wide and diverse range of people Increasing awareness of existing employees on diversity issues |
Increased attractiveness of the business to skilled and talented employees Ability to draw on diverse, new and challenging views |
| Community engagement Adverse resistance from local communities and negative impact in media |
Restriction to project delivery, prosecution, reputational damage |
Robust planning and identification of project risks, active engagement with local communities Associate membership of Considerate Constructors Scheme Use of Public Liaison Officers |
Reputational enhancement of the business Added value and direct benefit to communities and associated charities |
| Total commitment to reducing waste Adverse resistance from local communities and negative impact in media |
Direct impact on the environment, increased use of scarce resources, prosecution, increased project cost Inability to address customer needs |
Robust environmental management system (ISO 14001). Strategies for waste reduction in place. Engagement with waste and recycling businesses Engaging with clients and through industry groups on best practice |
Reduced operating costs and application of innovative solutions delivering client expectations and benefit Prolonged availability of scare resources |
| Total commitment to reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions Legal action through non-compliance with legislation, and increased exposure to inflating energy costs |
Direct contribution to climate change, reputational impact, increased operating costs, inability to address customers' needs |
Energy efficiency campaigns, clear policies on vehicle and plant selection and use, monitoring and management of fuel consumption Engaging with clients and through industry groups on best practice |
Business differentiator in ability to deliver climate change adaptation and mitigation solutions |
The following risk areas have been identified as an output from our stakeholder engagement exercise and are deemed as material issues for our Group.
During 2013, we undertook a comprehensive stakeholder consultation exercise in conjunction with external specialists IMS Consulting, with the aim of establishing a list of material issues to help shape our 2013 Sustainability Report. Over 2,000 individuals were invited to participate in an online consultation, split evenly between internal (employees) and external stakeholders (suppliers, customers and others). Each was asked to assess the importance of relevant sustainability issues, in terms of how we conduct our business. The shortlist of sustainability issues relevant to the UK construction sector was compiled based on our Roadmap, ongoing stakeholder feedback, industry-wide issues and third party guidance.
Responses were received from 724 individuals, and subsequent analysis revealed no significant differences between the view of internal and external stakeholders. The results of this process were used as the basis for drawing up a list of issues that are currently material for the Group.
Energy use
Innovation
Taxes
Waste Water use
External wall insulation is fitted by our Affordable Housing division to improve building energy performance
This is our third annual dedicated sustainability report, and covers the activities and operations of the Group and its five divisions (Construction & Infrastructure, Fit Out, Affordable Housing, Urban Regeneration and Investments) for the calendar year 2013. This is the same reporting basis as is used for the Group's annual report.
This report has been prepared with reference to, and contains Standard Disclosures from, the 'core' option of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) G4 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines. A GRI G4 content index is available on our website, http://corporate.morgansindall.com/sustainability
We do not currently externally assure our sustainability report, although our greenhouse gas emissions are externally verified through Achilles CEMARS.
The range of issues covered by our sustainability report has been slightly expanded from 2012, reflecting the results of the materiality assessment. It is the first year that we have formally documented where the main impacts occur for some material issues. Any restatements of information are indicated and accompanied by an explanation.
We welcome feedback on any aspect of this report. All feedback or queries should be addressed to [email protected]
As in previous years, and although not considered material by our stakeholders in 2013, our business view remains that the additional issues of workforce diversity, community engagement and water use all have the potential to become material for the Group in the near future. Consequently, this report includes discussion of the following issues.
Health and safety Development and training Engagement and satisfaction Recruitment and retention Inclusion and diversity Community engagement
PEOPLE
Construction & Infrastructure Arts, University of Bournemouth design studio constructed to Passivhaus standards
Our Affordable Housing division opening the Stanhope Community Hub in Ashford, Kent
Our Construction & Infrastructure division's joint venture (MGJV) has delivered works as part of Yorkshire Water's Revised Bathing Water Directive at Bridlington. With sustainability a core factor throughout, MGJV worked on a number of installations at four separate sites across the East Coast town.
Our Fit Out division delivered the UK's largest refurbishment inoccupation for PwC at Embankment Place in London which achieved a landmark BREEAM Outstanding score. The ambitious refurbishment programme set out to revitalise the dated, lightless and inefficient workspaces while around 2,000 staff remained in occupation.
A zero waste target implemented
Over £700 raised for local charities
Local amenities utilised leading to a financial boost of up to £43,000 a month
All workforce training needs accommodated
Comprehensive energy modelling toreduce CO2 and meet the client's energy requirements
All major building materials reused during refurbishment
95% of materials responsibly sourced (ISO 14001 as a minimum)
Our Affordable Housing division, in a joint venture with Islington & Shoreditch Housing Association (ISHA), undertook a mixed-tenure development of 136 new homes in London. With Phase 1 achieving EcoHomes "Excellent" in 2011, Phase 2 went on to achieve Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4 in 2013.
The Sovereign Square project in Leeds, carried out by our Urban Regeneration division, comprises a 60,000 square foot office development. Construction commenced in summer 2013 and is set for completion in summer 2014.
Energy consumption minimised via light and heating timers and sensors
96.1% of waste recycled (to date)
Designed and procured to achieve BREEAM 'Excellent
A key part of the city centre regeneration plan
Project manager passed the 'Operative Health, Safety & Environment Test' under the Construction Skills Certification Scheme
39 out of 50 scored on the Considerate Contractors scheme
Local labour comprises 24% of the workforce
A flagship scheme for the Inspire Scholarship aimed at young people in construction
Onsite waste control and segregation facilities
Recycled and sustainable sourced materials used wherever possible
Our Investments division was selected by Slough Borough Council for a 15 year partnership to regenerate sites across the borough. The first project - the Curve - has started on site, and will deliver a new one-stop shop and cultural centre for the town centre.
INVESTMENTS
24 Morgan Sindall Group plc Sustainability Report 2013
Showcase projects
Open day held for with our construction partners. 60 interviews held with local firms to become part of the supply chain
The Curve has been designed to achieve BREEAM Very Good
A key part of the town's overall regeneration vision
and Affordable Housing divisions made a public declaration of their commitment to workplace health and safety by signing up to a new shared pledge under the Public Health Responsibility Deal. They are among the first companies to step forward to sign up and commit to taking action to improve employee health and wellbeing.
The Public Health Responsibility Deal aims to tap into the potential for businesses and other influential organisations to make a significant contribution to improving public health. There are currently nine Health at Work Network collective pledges for construction and civil engineering companies to help their site workers stay healthy. In addition to addressing the causes of occupational ill health and disease, the pledges also offer a variety of practical actions that businesses can take. These range from encouraging employees to quit smoking or to undertake a health checks, to improved transparency on the health and well-being of their employees
Health and safety is one of our six key areas of strategic improvement.
At Group level, our ongoing aim is to reduce the number of accidents involving our employees to less than one RIDDOR incident, on average, each week to move us towards our ultimate aspiration of achieving no lost time accidents. In 2013, we achieved a reduction of thirteen percent in the absolute number of RIDDOR incidents with ten fewer injuries in the year, based on the new (2012) RIDDOR definition.
Construction is an inherently hazardous activity, but the nature of risks that our employees are exposed to, and the most effective ways of mitigating them, vary depending on the type of construction activity. As a result, our divisions manage health and safety in a way which is appropriate to the type of work they do and the risks their employees face. For example, because our Affordable Housing division operate a large team of repairs and maintenance engineers, the safety of lone workers is an important issue. In 2013, it introduced a new automated text-based service to check on the welfare of lone workers via their mobile phones. It is also trialling a new GPS system that will provide continuous tracking of lone workers as well as providing them with a covert means of raising an alarm when in danger. The device also triggers a "worker down" alarm if the worker slips, trips or falls.
The Group health and safety forum, which regularly brings together representatives from all our divisions, provides us with a platform for sharing best practice and establishing common approaches. We also have a Group-wide agreement with Hampton Knight, giving employees across all our divisions access to occupational health screening programmes, medicals and training.
Our health and safety performance was recognised at the 2013 Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) awards. The Scottish region of our Construction & Infrastructure division took home a prestigious Order of Distinction to mark 15 consecutive Gold Awards, and the Group as a whole received a further 10 Gold Medals and 4 Gold Awards.
We actively engage with communities who live or work near our sites to help raise awareness of the potential risks of construction. A key element of our approach is engaging with local schools to teach children about the dangers of construction sites. For example, our Affordable Housing and Urban Regeneration divisions helped pupils at a Stockton-on-Tees school stay healthy and safe during Walk to School Month in October. High visibility kit bags were donated to every child, to encourage them to enjoy a more active lifestyle by walking to school while at the same time ensuring they are seen during the winter months. The school is adjacent to the Northshore scheme, a mixed-use development being managed by our Urban Regeneration division and constructed by the Affordable housing division.
The health and safety of the people that work on our projects1 is crucial to our business as well as to themselves and their families. Providing a safe working environment for our employees is vital to the continued success of the Group and remains our key priority. It means keeping our employees safe and reducing the number of accidents on sites, in offices and on their journeys to and from work.
The health and wellbeing of construction workers is similarly important, with almost two million working days lost due to sickness on construction sites across the UK last year2. Many construction workers are itinerant – moving around the country to where the work is – it is therefore important to reach out to them when it comes to trying to improve their lifestyle behaviours and health.
We also recognise that we have a wider responsibility in safeguarding the health, safety and wellbeing of subcontractors, suppliers and the general public who have contact with our projects.
This was a material issue in 2013.
RIDDOR* incidents Total number of 67
* The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 ('RIDDOR') 1 Department of Health website, last accessed Feb 2014 2 Department of Health website, last accessed Feb 2014
Our Affordable Housing division's new lone worker GPS system is built into their employee ID badges
PEOPLE
The health and safety of our employees is a key priority for all of our divisions
Training and development is one of our six key areas of strategic improvement.
External benchmarks and awards are an essential way of gauging our progress. In 2013, our Urban Regeneration division and three regions of our Affordable Housing division were all awarded the Investors in People Gold standard, joining the top 1.3% of Investors in People accredited organisations in the UK who can demonstrate excellence in developing and supporting their employees. To achieve Gold, organisations must meet the Investors in People standard requirements, plus meet an additional 126 evidence requirements, supported by interviews with employees across the organisation. These evidence requirements included a commitment to its organisational values, personal development and social responsibility.
ensure that the Crossrail project,for example, has the skills needed for its construction. It also agreed to act as Employer Champion to Sawston Village College in Cambridge, where it is currently undertaking work. The scheme is part of the Cambridge Area 14-19 Partnership's Employer Links project that was established in 2013 in response to business concerns that students are poorly-prepared for the workplace. The programme of support is likely to include work experience opportunities, site visits, and curriculum enrichment particularly in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and maths). Our Construction & Infrastructure division was recognised in both categories at the UK Contractors Group (UKCG) Apprentice Awards 2012 which took place in June 2013. Regina Tumblepot was highly commended in the 'Apprentice of the Year' category, which recognises construction apprentices who have demonstrated exceptional ability and dedication to their own skills. The division was also highly commended in the 'Company of the Year' category, designed to recognise the support by a UKCG member company in delivering Apprenticeship training to the construction industry.
The Professional Services business of our Construction & Infrastructure division was awarded Bronze Corporate Partner status in 2013 for its training excellence and commitment to the chemical engineering profession by the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE). They join a small and exclusive group of international companies to be recognised in this way. IChemE, which has 38,000 members worldwide, awards Corporate Partner status to organisations in the process industries that set high standards for the recruitment, training and development of their chemical engineering talent.
"Much of the success is due to their excellent approach to training and development, especially the nurturing of their chemical and process engineering staff. Their in-house training, graduate support and long-term commitment to professional development of their chemical engineers is of a very high standard and they fully deserve their award of Bronze Corporate Partner status."
David Brown IChemE's chief executive "The judging panel was impressed by the quality of all the shortlisted apprentices – who all showed exceptional ability and a real desire to succeed. These are the 'gold standard' apprentices who are developing the skills to take our industry forward".
Simon Nathan UKCG Head of Policy
In 2013, our Construction & Infrastructure division supported Generation Talent, a joint initiative between Business in the Community and The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), to help businesses scale up the number of unemployed people they recruit. Working collaboratively with Jobcentre Plus, the division put together a programme to help equip young people with the knowledge of opportunities available to them within the construction sector, backed up by bespoke training opportunities which can lead to vocational qualifications and jobs.
One group of young people (aged 18 to 24) came to our Rail Electrification depot in Ware, Hertfordshire and spent four days with our professional training team. This gave them the chance to learn about the sector, demonstrate their skills and value and, at the end of the training, become Personal Safety Track Certified.
This was a material issue in 2013.
There is a widely acknowledged skills shortage in the construction industry3, with trade and technical skills in the highest demand. In order to successfully deliver projects for clients, and to address the risk of increasing skill shortages, it is critical that we employ the right people with the right skills, therefore recruiting and developing talented employees remains one of our key priorities.
We strive to attract and retain talented employess by promoting careers in construction to the widest possible cross-section of the population, and by offering a variety of training and career development opportunities to all our employees. We believe that ensuring that our employees have the skills and ability to anticipate future market demands and incorporate new and emerging technologies is an essential investment. A current focus for us is young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET). Targeting young people thereby developing inhouse talent is a key part of our sustainable solution in response to an aging workforce.
We offer a variety of training and development opportunities for all our employees, including vocational skills training, trainee, apprentice and graduate development and professional development schemes. Whilst we have some Group-wide initiatives, such as access to the UK-GBC Sustainability Training and Education Programme (STEP), most recruitment and training is coordinated and organised at divisional level. Support of apprenticeship schemes and education programmes is an important way of encouraging new talent into the sector. We measure our progress as a Group in terms of the average number of training days delivered per employee per year. In 2013 our continued investment in training led to a 28 percent increase in the average number of training days per employees and with an absolute overall increase of 10 percent in number of training days provided to our employees (restated in 2013 to reflect a change in the way we calculate this KPI).
During 2013, our Affordable Housing division launched a new site manager development programme. This internally-delivered training scheme supports its policy of promoting from within, recognising that skilled tradespeople may also need effective management competencies, and teaching people and project management skills that are not necessarily learnt on the job. Based on the NHBC NVQ Level 6 in Construction Site Management (Residential Development), the programme takes place over 18 months, with 17 days focussing on technical skills and 3 days spent at the ACT Construction Simulation Centre in Coventry. The centre utilises actors and a virtual reality auditorium to create scenarios from real-life building programmes, giving candidates the opportunity to take control of a site in a test environment, whilst being monitored and evaluated from a control room.
Our Construction & Infrastructure division helped the Tunnelling and Underground Construction Academy (TUCA) in 2013, by loaning a Tunnel Boring Machine to help students understand more about the specialised plant and equipment used in tunnelling operations. TUCA will train up to 3,500 people in underground construction, and
An apprentice working for our Affordable Housing division
PEOPLE
A talented and diverse workforce is critical to the long term success of any business, and for us it is no different. Diversity encourages new ideas and alternative ways of thinking, fosters innovative practice and problem-solving and ultimately enables us to provide better services to our clients. It also provides us with a larger pool of potential employees, which is vital in a shrinking labour market.
We believe that encouraging diversity is important, and two of our current Board of seven members are female.
A key way in which our divisions play their part in trying to improve the gender diversity of the Group is through organising and speaking at talks and events that promote women in construction. In 2013, this included a talk to the Scottish Resource Centre for Women in Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) and engaging with various local schools to discuss and advocate engineering courses and careers to female students.
Highlighting female role models is also important. In 2013, three of our female employees were chosen to be featured as case studies on the Open Doors website. The case studies are intended to showcase inspirational women who are forging careers in the construction sector, in order to promote the industry to other young women.
Our Construction & Infrastructure division also promoted the employment of people with disabilities through a 'Hidden Disabilities' event on it M1 joint venture project in West Yorkshre. The event was run to help our workforce understand the barriers faced by disabled colleagues, including colour blindness, hearing impairment and learning difficulties, and how we can proactively work together to address and overcome these. The division also sponsored and supported the British Association of Supported Employers (BASE) awards at the association's annual conference dinner in Glasgow. BASE is a national association that represents agencies involved in securing employment for people with disabilities.
"We are delighted that a large influential local employer such as the Construction & Infrastructure division has supported and shared in our celebration. Support from employers ensures that essential local services continue effectively."
Chief Executive of BASE
External diversity accreditations are an important way of assessing our progress. In 2013, the Eastern region of our Affordable Housing division was awarded the Equality Accreditation in Supplier Management to recognise the division's commitment to ensuring that its supply chain partners understand their rights and their responsibilities in relation to Equality Law. It also enables the division to work with its suppliers to help their own equality programmes gain accreditation. Meanwhile, six regions of the Affordable Housing division are accredited to the Gold standard of Committed 2 Equality (C2E), a nationally-recognised equality standard. Our Construction & Infrastructure division retained their Two Ticks award, made by Jobcentre Plus to employers who have made commitments to employ, keep and develop the abilities of disabled employees.
Our Construction & Infrastructure division retained their Two Ticks award, made by Jobcentre Plus to employers who have made commitments to employ, keep and develop the abilities of disabled employees.
In 2013, our Construction & Infrastructure division were one of 100 companies to sign up to the Construction Industry Training Board's Be Fair Framework pilot, developed in partnership with Constructing Equality. The framework accreditation, awarded by CITB to achieving companies, will help employers discover the business and commercial benefit of fully understanding, embracing and harnessing the diversity of the workforce, their customers and the culturally diverse environment in which they work. It is the first industry-specific equality framework, designed in consultation with the construction and built environment sector, which encourages businesses to adopt practices underpinned by Fairness, Inclusion and Respect Guiding Principles.
Engagement and satisfaction
We rely on our dedicated employees and capable teams who continue to strive for and achieve a high level of service for our partners and clients. The engagement and satisfaction of our employees is therefore vital to our continued and future success.
Most of our employees have the opportunity to provide feedback through a bi-annual employee survey, and in 2013 our Construction and Infrastructure division undertook such a survey. Divisions that do not conduct formal surveys engage with their employees in other ways. Our Urban Regeneration division holds an annual 'Strategy Day' which provides an opportunity for all its professional employees to meet, review policies and procedures and contribute to the division's strategy. The division's directors provide updates on financial performance and development plans and guest speakers are invited to speak on relevant topics. The two-day event is held in a different region each year and includes visits to developments being undertaken by the division or to important similar schemes developed by competitors.
In 2013, our Construction & Intrastructure division was named in the top 10 'Construction & Civil Engineering Companies To Work For' by TheJobCrowd, the UK's leading graduate job review website. These rankings are based entirely on thousands of reviews written on TheJobCrowd by employees in their first 3 years of work at hundreds of UK graduate employers across the UK.
Our Urban Regeneration division's annual 'Strategy Day' visited its Talbot Square development in Blackpool
Construction & Infrastructure recruitment event for JobCentre Plus applicants, Rail Electrification Ware Depot
tackle construction-themed activities as they build a mini-house, and is designed to get students thinking about the many factors involved in building new housing and the wide range of careers within the sector.
The third way we engage with local communities is through making donations to good causes based close to our offices or construction sites. For example, our Investment division's Esteem Consortium in Hull chose the Smile Foundation as its nominated charity for 2013. The consortium is Hull City Council's private sector partner and is working with the Council's Buildings Schools for the Future team to transform the educational facilities of the area. Having raised £50,000 for good causes over the past three years, supporting local charities has always been important to Esteem. The Smile Foundation was established in 2009 to help positively change the lives of people in Hull and East Yorkshire by being a leading voice for smaller charities across the region.
"We are delighted to have been chosen as the Esteem charity for 2013 and to be able to play a small part in their continued success. In many ways, there is a real synergy between the work carried out by Esteem and its partners and the work carried out by the Smile Foundation."
Smile Foundation's Charity Manager
In many cases it is our time, expertise and resources that have a greater impact than financial donations. Often we are able to deliver extra construction tasks – linked or adjacent to our projects – supplying labour and materials for free. For instance, in 2013 employees from the Professional Services team of our Construction & Infrastructure division demolished, rebuilt and repaired bridges across a stream at Canon Burrows Primary School in Ashton-under-Lyne and worked to transform the wild garden at the St Mary Magdalene School in Milton Keynes.
Our Fit Out division established Charity SOS in 2013, its new annual collaborative charitable initiative. Charity SOS rallies Fit Out and the supply chain to make a positive change to the working environment of those who dedicate their lives to helping others. The project challenges the division to apply its expertise to completely redesign and refit a charitable organisation's office for free in just one day. It relies entirely on donations of time, expertise and materials from the division and its network of suppliers, subcontractors and partners.
In December 2013, the first Charity SOS event saw the Teddington headquarters of The Down's Syndrome Association (DSA) transformed. Around 80 volunteers and DSA staff came together to strip out the building, remove fixtures and fittings and install new equipment and furniture. New carpeting, lighting, furniture, tea points, audio-visual equipment, storage units, bike racks, wall graphics and a pool table were added; all at no cost, with products and volunteers provided by the division and its suppliers.
As a responsible employer, we believe that making a positive contribution to our communities today helps improve tomorrow's society. The local nature of construction projects means that, at any one time, we are operating within many different local communities. This makes community engagement a vital aspect of our work, helping to both minimise the disruption often associated with construction sites and to help inform the longer-term outcomes of our projects, such that they better meet local communities' needs and helps our public sector customers deliver social value.
We do not ascribe a common Group-wide approach to community engagement, rather, our divisions assess the most effective ways of engaging with the local community in which they work on a projectby-project basis. Our two largest divisions (Affordable Housing and Construction & Infrastructure) both employ dedicated community engagement personnel.
There are three main ways in which we typically engage with communities local to our projects. The first is by engaging with local stakeholders to help raise awareness of our projects, and in some cases to inform what we do. This means making sure local communities are well-informed about what work we are doing through newsletters and public meetings, but can also include involving local communities in ongoing discussions about specific aspects of projects. For example, at the Bathing Water Improvement works being delivered by our Construction & Infrastructure division in Bridlington, a Public Information Centre was set-up on site to give the public an opportunity to learn more about the scheme as well as advice on careers in construction.
Sometimes, this engagement is more formal, such as at the regeneration of a former airfield in Nottinghamshire, where our Urban Regeneration division is partnering Rolls-Royce to progress a major new commercial and residential development opportunity. Here, a key aim of the project is to maximize the benefits of the investment to the local economy and community, both during construction and following development. An Employment and Skills Plan (ESP) will be used to ensure that the needs and objectives of local stakeholders are identified at an early stage and reviewed throughout the life of the project.
We also support the Open Doors weekend, which allows members of the public to go 'behind the scenes' at major construction sites. The nationwide Open Doors initiative – organised by UK Contractors Group, Chartered Institute of Building, the Considerate Constructors Scheme and training organisation CITB – is aimed at raising the profile of construction and encouraging more people to consider working in the industry. In 2013, six of our sites were opened up including the Hillingdon Square residential development in King's Lynn and the Pudding Mill Lane station Crossrail project.
The second way we engage with local communities is through working with schools, colleges and universities near our construction sites. Our Construction & Infrastructure division alone undertook 160 such activities during 2013. These range from employees talking about construction-related topics to arranging site visits for local students to provide first-hand experience of construction careers. For example, our Affordable Housing division takes its 'housebuilding challenge' to schools near to its projects. It sees local schoolchildren
Our Construction & Infrastructure division allowed access to five of its working sites for Open Doors 2013, including the new Crossrail tunnel at Pudding Mill Lane, London
Embracing the 2013 Open Doors scheme helped encourage a younger generation to enter the construction industry
| Material issues | Measures | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| PEOPLE | Total number of employees | 5,752 (2013) |
| Employees covered by collective bargaining | 29% | |
| Material issues | Measures | Performance |
| PEOPLE Health and safety |
Total number of RIDDOR incidents | 67 (2013) 77 (2012) 96 (2011) |
| Work related fatalities | 0 (2013) 0 (2012) 0 (2011) |
|
| Absenteeism | 3.72 days per annum (2013) | |
| Material issues | Measures | Performance |
| PEOPLE Training and development |
Average number of training days per employee | 2.3 (2013) 1.8 (2012) 1.5 (2011) |
| Material issues | Measures | Performance |
| PEOPLE Recruitment and retention |
Employee turnover Other recruitment activities |
13% (2013) 89 apprentices 57 graduates recruited 109 undergraduates on year out or sponsored |
| Material issues | Measures | Performance |
| PEOPLE Engagement and satisfaction |
Employee participation in satisfaction surveys | 69% |
| Material issues | Measures | Performance |
| PEOPLE Inclusion and diversity |
Proportion of women employed Diversity of Group board |
23% 29% |
| Material issues | Measures | Performance |
| PEOPLE Community engagement |
Performance against Considerate Constructor Scheme (registrations) |
317 (2013) |
| Average CCS Project Score Awards for CCS performance |
37.3 (2013) 3 gold awards including 'most considerate site – runner up awar d 8 silver awards |
25 bronze awards
As a Group we are aiming to demonstrate a net reduction in carbon emissions across the Group, and have set ourselves the target to reduce both Group energy use and carbon emissions by 5% yearon-year. In 2013, we reduced our absolute carbon emissions by 4.4% (2013: 45,901 tCO2e; 2012: 48,019 tCO2e).
Measuring and reporting our carbon emissions underpins our Total Commitment and in particular, our objective of reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions. We manage our carbon emissions through the Achilles Certified Emissions Measurement and Reduction Scheme (CEMARS), which provides annual third-party verification of our carbon emissions and reduction performance.
We are constantly investigating actions and measures to reduce our energy use and carbon emissions. For example, in 2013 our Construction & Infrastructure division became the first business in the UK to use the Mercedes-Benz Arocs truck, the cleanest commercial vehicle in production and compliant with 'Euro VI', the stringent new EU environmental standard. The trucks also include vulnerable road user protection in the form of fitted side guards, rear and side cameras and a side scan detection system for cyclists and pedestrians.
We use eco-cabins on many of our construction sites, which are typically A-rated for energy efficiency, featuring high levels of insulation, double-glazing and lights operated by motion sensors that only turn on when the space is occupied. In 2013, our Construction & Infrastructure division used hydrogen fuel cells to power lighting towers and a noise monitor at our Crossrail construction site at Pudding Mill Lane station in East London.
Energy and carbon is one of our six key areas of strategic improvement.
We support and participate in the annual CDP climate change programme. In 2013, 74% (260) of companies in the FTSE 350 responded to CDP to disclose what climate change means for their business.
Our 2013 score of 91 for disclosure and B for performance was an improvement on our 2012 result (86 B) and significantly higher than the average FTSE100 score of 81 B. It also maintained our place on the Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index (CDLI) table, and we remain the only non-FTSE-350 business to be listed in this index. The CDLI recognises the highest scoring companies for disclosure, signifying that we are among the 10% of top-scoring UK companies for disclosure on climate change.
Although we are not a heavy user of energy compared to some sectors, our expenditure on fuel to power our buildings, construction sites and vehicles still represents a significant expense. The issues of climate change, rising cost of energy, uncertainty about future supplies and the risk that companies will become susceptible to future 'green taxes' on energy and fuel all make it important for us to become more efficient users of energy and reduce our energy consumption year-on-year.
Our energy use also produces carbon emissions, and we recognise that we must play our part in contributing to UK government's target to halve carbon emissions in the 2020s, compared with 1990 levels. We are already subject to the Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme, a mandatory emissions reporting scheme, and must now also comply for the first time with the new legislation on mandatory greenhouse gas reporting.
This was a material issue in 2013.
45,901 Total carbon emissions tCO2e
The eco-refurbishment of Scotland's Greenhill Court, completed by our Affordable Housing division, significantly reduced tenants' energy use and associated carbon emissions
Waste is one of our six key areas of strategic improvement.
division in East Sussex, was our first site to use Kingspan's Insulation Waste Collection Service, which sees off-cuts that are too small to be reused elsewhere on site collected by the manufacturer. Collections were made at the same time as new deliveries to site, to save on additional transport requirements. Our Urban Regeneration division has been working in partnership with Lafarge Tarmac to establish a use for an old asphalt runway at a site in Nottinghamshire, where it is partnering with Rolls-Royce to progress a major new commercial and residential development. It is anticipated that the material could be planed off and used on-site or utilised for other local schemes, reducing demand for raw materials and subsequent transport and haulage.
For example, at the Bathing Water Improvement Scheme in Bridlington, our Construction & Infrastructure project team worked with a local building contractor to re-use 5,000 tonnes removed from our tunneling works for capping at a local housing development. Likewise, the use of the CL:AIRE code of practice on the division's project in the Copper Quarter Development in Swansea permitted approximately 1,600 tonnes of contaminated material excavated on site to be reused within the development instead of being disposed of as landfill. Both examples also yielded financial savings and avoided unnecessary lorry journeys with associated carbon emissions.
The construction and demolition sector is a large producer of waste, generating around one third of the UK's total each year1 and making it one of our largest direct environmental impacts. Yet there are real and significant opportunities for sending less waste to landfill – and in the process saving money – through better utilisation of new and emerging waste recovery and recycling processes. Our focus on reducing waste and increasing resource efficiency will leave us better placed to meet emerging waste regulations, industry targets and client demands.
Our overarching objective is to minimise waste produced by the Group, both in terms of the total amount generated and the proportion that ends up as landfill. Our target is to reduce the absolute quantity of waste sent to landfill by 10% year-on-year, with the ultimate aim of recovering 100% of our waste. In 2013 many of our projects came close to our aspiration of 100% recovery. Across the Group we diverted, reused or recovered 91% of all waste generated. This was a slight decrease in the previous years performance; our metrics are subject to independent influences including the type and nature of work being undertaken, the opportunity for recovering waste (e.g. hazardous waste) as well as access to facilities that can provide recycling. We continue to design out waste wherever possible, use site waste management and resources plans and apply protocols that allow us to manage arisings from projects as non-wastes through to beneficial end uses.
The majority of our waste comes from excavation which, through following appropriate codes and protocols, is relatively straightforward to re-use or recycle. This means our use of the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) quality protocols and the Contaminated Land: Applications In Real Environments (CL:AIRE) code of practice are both highly effective ways for us to significantly reduce the waste we send to landfill. For example, the M74 Completion Project, a £445m new-build project joining the M74 to the M8 through central Glasgow completed in 2012 by a joint venture including our Construction & Infrastructure division, won the 'Material Use' category at the CEEQUAL 2013 Outstanding Achievement Awards. It was the first project site in Scotland to voluntarily adopt Site Waste Management Plans as Best Practice. A recycling rate of 81% was achieved during construction phase, reducing waste disposal costs by 50%.
For construction waste that is more difficult to reuse, such as plasterboard and insulation, partnerships and take-back schemes offer the best opportunities for improving waste management. The King Offa nursery building, being built by our Construction & Infrastructure
This was a material issue in 2013.
1 UK-GBC website, last accessed Feb 2014
Our Construction & Infrastructure division's M74 joint venture won the 'Material Use' category at the CEEQUAL 2013 Outstanding Achievement Awards
Reuse of asphalt from an old runway will reduce waste at this development by our Urban Regeneration division and Rolls Royce
The refurbishment of PwC's Embankment Place HQ by Fit Out achieved a landmark 96.31% BREEAM 'Outstanding' score, the highest BREEAM score to date for any new build or refurbished building. In Fife, Carnegie Primary School, designed and delivered by our Construction & Infrastructure division, became the first school of its kind in the UK to achieve BREEAM's highest rating.
Our Affordable Housing division's £100 million Castleward Urban Village redevelopment in Derby became only the second development project in the UK to be certified under the new BREEAM Communities assessment. BREEAM Communities assesses the sustainability of new large-scale developments at the master planning stage, with certification awarded to projects where economic, social and environmental sustainability are being integrated into the masterplanning process. The Castleward development was rated as 'Good' following a voluntary assessment.
The division also completed the construction of four Passivhaus homes in Norfolk in 2013. Passivhaus or 'Passive House' is a "fabric first" energy performance standard that uses exceptional airtightness and insulation to dramatically reduce, or in some cases remove, the need to heat buildings. It also, along with our Urban Regeneration division, won the 'Most Eco-Aware Project' category at the First Time Buyers' Readers Awards 2013 for the Vivo development on Stockton-on-Tees.
Meanwhile, construction work starts in January 2014 on The Curve, a multi-million pound regeneration project being delivered by our Investments division in Slough. Although the updated methodology had not been finalised at the time of the Curve proposal in 2011, the division made a clear statement of intent by applying the draft BREEAM Communities 2012 framework, with the support of BRE, to provide a holistic approach to assessing the impact of each development in the programme.
A £1.5 million programme to reduce carbon emissions and make environmental improvements to over 200 Whitefriars Housing homes in Coventry have been carried out by our Affordable Housing division. The division also completed work on a further 110 private homes in the area. The owner-occupiers of these homes enjoyed over £10,000 worth of energy improvement works without spending any money themselves.
All the improvements were funded by the energy company npower under the Government's Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP) scheme. They included external wall insulation, new central heating systems, replacing old inefficient boilers with new modern gas boilers and central heating systems, replacing windows with A rated double glazing, and topping up loft insulation.
It is estimated that the work will reduce the housing stock lifetime carbon emissions by nearly 60,000 tonnes of CO2, while residents will enjoy reduced fuel bills, improved thermal comfort and a potential increase in the value of their homes.
"It's been a pleasure to be involved in this innovative scheme, which will make such a difference to residents, who should enjoy improved comfort as well as reduced fuel bills and carbon emissions. At a time of financial austerity, we were particularly pleased to have been able to complete the work for so many households without any financial contribution from the homeowners."
regional director for Lovell in the Midlands
Buildings in use account for approximately 40% of the UK's total energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, while the building and construction industry globally is estimated to account for over a third of total resource use2. As a responsible construction and regeneration business, we recognise that we must play our part in developing and delivering more sustainable buildings with lower total environmental impact.
Much of the total environmental impact of buildings and infrastructure comes not from their construction, but from their use. Through delivering green solutions, many of our completed projects have reduced the life cycle impact, and often the running costs, for our customers. For example, the new civic offices in Doncaster were designed and delivered by our Urban Regeneration division to use 35% less energy than a conventional office building. Key features of the design included high levels of insulation, use of natural ventilation throughout the year, large thermal mass to regulate internal temperatures and a partial green roof.
The sheer number of different stakeholders involved in developing and delivering buildings and infrastructure means that our direct influence can, at times, be limited. However there are at least three ways in which we believe we can make a difference.
First, we can encourage and facilitate the development and introduction of new sustainable construction products. For example, our Affordable Housing division has started to use soil drainage pipes manufactured by Wavin on its sites. The pipes use its Recycore Technology, made with over 50% recycled content.
Second, we can improve our internal capacity to advise on and deliver innovative sustainable buildings. For example, our Affordable Housing division appointed an "eco-build" manager in 2013, to reflect the growing demand for sustainable housing.
Third, we can also promote and support the use of voluntary thirdparty certification schemes such as BREEAM, CEEQUAL, Code for Sustainable Homes and RICS Ska, helping to improve the sustainability of our projects. For example, over 35% of our Fit Out division's turnover came from environmentally-certified projects in 2013, and two of our projects were confirmed as BREEAM 'Oustanding' projects, the highest rating possible. BREEAM 'Outstanding' buildings make up less than 1% of all new construction, because the design must go further than best practice and clearly demonstrate innovation.
This was a material issue in 2013.
2 Buildings and Climate Change: Summary for Decision-Makers, UNEP Sustainable Buildings and Climate Initiative, 2009
The new civic offices in Doncaster were designed and delivered by our Urban Regeneration division to use 35% less energy than a conventional office building
Our Affordable Housing division's Castleward redevelopment in Derby was only the second project to be certified under the new BREEAM Communities assessment
PLANET
We use water in various ways on our construction sites, so it is important that we strive to reduce our water usage and eliminate water waste in line with the Government's water strategy. Currently there is little consistency throughout the construction sector in relation to on-site water management, but water saving opportunities as high as 80% have been reported on sites where significant leaks were observed3. The enforcement of drought control orders in parts of the UK over recent years has highlighted how managing our water use should help us mitigate the risk of operational constraints at times of water scarcity in the future. It also provides us with an opportunity to realise cost savings from lower water bills and ensures we remain in line with legislation.
We typically use large quantities of water to mix materials and to clean equipment and machinery on our construction sites. Our tunnelling works can use even more water due to the specialist processes and materials involved. In tunnel shafts we use clay slurry as a barrier to prevent tunnel collapse, and grout to seal the joints between the shaft segments to prevent leakage; both techniques require large amounts of water. To reduce water use, we often use rain water harvesting which can, for example, collect rain water at the bottom of tunnel shafts for use making clay slurry and grout. At our project site in Bridlington, this process recycled around 30,000 litres of water over an eight week period.
This was a material issue in 2013.
3 Auditing of water use on construction sites - Phase I, WRAP, 2011
The rainwater harvesting system at Carnegie School in Fife, designed and built by our Construction & Infrastructure division, can collect up to 45,000 litres of rainwater from the school's roof, which is used to flush toilets
PROFIT 45–53
| Material issues | Measures | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| PLANET Energy use |
Total carbon emissions (tCO 2e) |
45,901 (2013) 48,019 (2012) 50,997 (2011) 63,742 (2010) |
| Carbon intensity (tCO 2e /£m revenue) |
21.91 (2013) 23.46 (2012) 22.90 (2011) 30.32 (2010) |
| Material issues | Measures | Performance | |
|---|---|---|---|
| PLANET Sustainable buildings |
Certification to sustainable building and labelling schemes e.g. CEEQUAL / BREEAM / SKA |
Approximately 30 | |
| and labelling |
| Material issues | Measures | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| PLANET | Potable water supply | Est 92,200m 3 (2013) |
| Water | Waste water discharge | Est 98,400m 3 (2013) |
| Material issues | Measures | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| PLANET Waste |
Total Waste Produced | 943,958t (2013) 1,311,032t (2012) 1,311,800t (2011) |
| Total waste diverted from landfill | 855,935t (2013) 1,206,874t (2012) 1,127,035t (2011) |
|
| Percentage of waste diverted from landfill | 91% (2013) 92% (2012) 86% (2011) |
Ensuring that our supply chain conforms to our minimum standards for sustainability is a key objective for the Group. We report our progress based on the percentage of our total spend that is covered by Group-wide agreements. These require a high level of quality and competitiveness from our suppliers and subcontractors, as well as evidence of their own commitment to sustainability.
In 2013 we increased our total spend covered by Group-wide agreements, thereby providing assurance that the goods and services we procured included minimum sustainability standards such as sustainably sourced and certified timber and bulk materials and aggregates procured against the BES 6001 Responsible Sourcing of Construction products standard.
The introduction of responsible sourcing standards, for key construction products, is another way in which we can exert a significant positive influence on suppliers' sustainability performance. We establish minimum standards of supply through Group-wide arrangements which include important responsible sourcing criteria, the percentage of recycled material and other applicable sector driven requirements. We currently support responsible sourcing standards in three key areas: FSC/PEFC certification for timber and timber products; BES 6001 which to date mainly covers aggregates, concrete and brick products; and the eco-reinforcement scheme for steel reinforcement in concrete.
We use our relationships with suppliers to influence other aspects of their sustainability performance. For example, our Urban Regeneration division appoints all its contractors on the basis that they are registered with the Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS), in addition to the industry statutory requirements regarding health and safety in the workplace. Specifying such high levels of compliance ensures competent site management and helps encourage our appointed contractors to continually improve their health and safety processes.
We also help raise awareness of sustainability across our supply chain. Aside from the formal Supply Chain Sustainability School, many of our divisions additionally organise toolbox talks, seminars or podcasts for their suppliers on relevant sustainability issues. For example, our Fit Out division hold monthly seminars that allow suppliers to present and explain new sustainable products to an audience consisting of subcontractors and its own employees.
The main way we engage with our supply chain is through the Supply Chain Sustainability School – a free virtual learning environment that aims to help construction suppliers and subcontractors develop their sustainability knowledge and competence. We helped found the School in 2012 and remain a funding partner member. We think the School is unique as it represents a voluntary collaboration between some of the UK construction sectors largest companies but is open to any supplier or subcontractor in the construction industry, regardless of whether they currently supply one of the partners. In this way, it is helping to build a more sustainable supply chain for the industry as a whole.
In its first year to June 2013, the Supply Chain Sustainability School gained 2,400 registered members – exceeding the original target of 800 – represented more than 1,300 companies, around three-quarters of which are small to medium sized businesses (under 250 employees). It was also named the overall winner at the 2013 Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) Supply Management Awards and won a Silver Green Apple Environment Award in the national campaign to find Britain's greenest companies, councils and communities.
Sustainable procurement is one of our six key areas of strategic improvement.
Sustainable procurement
chain, meaning that how and what we procure – as well as the ways in which we can influence our suppliers – are crucial to how we make a difference to our own sustainability performance as well as that of the sector as a whole. Driven by changing regulations and new standards, responsible sourcing of materials has become increasingly important in recent years. Helping suppliers and subcontractors assess and improve their knowledge of sustainability issues facing the Group is another key area where we feel we can have a positive impact.
The Group's supply chain is manufacturer based, providing a solid foundation to all our projects and encompassing a portfolio of over 200 framework agreements which cover all major materials sectors through to logistics.
The Group's supply chain family was established to ensure a behavioural change to develop long lasting relationships with shared benefits. The concept is increasingly being utilised across the Group with project and clients opting to utilise these relationships on over 71% of external purchases by value.
This was a material issue in 2013.
Percentage of total spend that is covered by Group -wide agreements 71% PEOPLE 25–34
Our Urban Regeneration division requires all contractors to be registered with CCS
As a Group, the main way in which we can help advocate and deliver change is through our proactive involvement with key cross-industry organisations and schemes. Examples of our key contributions in 2013 were:
Further details of our external participation and recognition during 2013 is given at the back of this report. We also contribute to relevant government consultations, as appropriate.
PROFIT
As the construction industry pushes to implement the minimum government requirements for Building Information Modelling (BIM), we are helping advance the application of BIM through a partnership with Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) and Penn State University in Pennsylvania. The partnership combines the practical insight of our Construction & Infrastructure division with academic research and expertise, and is intended to accelerate development of BIM within the Group. By involving Penn State University, the steering group hopes to draw from the experiences of BIM Implementation in the US, accepted to be five years ahead of the UK.
The first outcome of the partnership will be the development of a safety dimension for the BIM environment. Mathematical formulae will be used to create a three dimensional risk assessment of a project. This will highlight potential danger areas, allow designers to visualise the effect of design decisions on site safety, and ultimately help to reduce risk on site.
"To achieve the best results, academia needs to work with industry. We need that practical element to inform our theory, and that is why the input of Morgan Sindall has been critical in helping support the launch of the BIM Centre, which has led to the development of the new safety dimension."
Professor Iain Cameron
Vice Dean of GCU's School of Engineering and Built Environment
Our aim to develop a leadership position within our UK markets and that brings with it a responsibility to provide a positive model for others to follow. Nowhere is this more important than in the sustainability arena where strong leadership and advocacy can be more effective in providing the foundations for a more sustainable built environment.
Leadership is an essential factor of any successful and sustainable project
We have a responsibility to provide a positive model for others to follow
Local impact is one of our six key areas of strategic improvement.
It is estimated that every £1 spent on construction output generates a total of £2.84 in total economic activity (i.e. GDP increase), as well as providing financial returns to the Treasury in tax income and benefit savings1. It is also a relatively localised activity, so the provision of jobs, training and investment often directly benefit local communities and businesses. This is important, as it means our projects can contribute towards a local positive legacy which endures long after workers have left the construction site.
We know the local impact of our work is important, however, the quantifiable measurement of the social and economic impact presents its own challenges, particularly where the measures need to deliver management response and change..
During 2013, we purchased an online tool that will allow us to start to quantify how our spending create local economic impact, and more importantly, where changes can be made to increase that impact. We piloted this tool in 2013, and intend to implement it more widely across our projects in 2014.
Until then, the way we measure our local impact remains variable across the Group, though we estimated our socio-economic impact for certain projects:
Our Construction & Infrastructure division is part of a long-term Alliance that provides a range of essential infrastructure asset services to the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing site. The long-term nature of the contract (five or ten years) means that it is important that we seek to promote wider and lasting economic benefits in the local area.
To promote employment opportunities, we held three open events in the Sellafield area. They each included a presentation on the project and a chance to speak with a number of employees already working on the Alliance. Following these events we recruited more than 50 local people from West Cumbria to work on the contract, including 10 apprentices and four local graduates.
We also established a relationship with the local supply chain by holding a series of 'Meet the Buyer' events. These offered us a chance to engage with local companies and develop relationships for future collaborations.
We recognise that we can only succeed in our aim to enhance the Groups market position across its construction activities and to use the cash generated to invest in and grow its regeneration related activities through delivering exceptional customer service. Client feedback is sought to identify strengths and areas that require improvement which is vital to our vision of achieving leading positions in our chosen markets.
At the heart of the Group's operations is our philosophy of 'Perfect Delivery'. It drives higher standards of quality and service to clients and continual improvement.. The vast majority of projects we complete are assessed in terms of Perfect Delivery..
Perfect Delivery status is granted to a project which is completed on time, snag free on the completion date, has zero reportable accidents, was an experience that would be recommended by the customer, and which achieves the customer's key objectives. In addition to this, the longer Customer Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) gives our customers the chance to provide more detailed feedback on our strengths and, most importantly, where we need to improve our service. The headline results from both are reported to the Group board every month.
Each year, our Construction & Infrastructure division produces a "you said, we did" Customer Feedback Experience leaflet that explains how we have changed what we have done in response to customer feedback.
1 Construction in the UK Economy: The Benefits of Investment, UK Contractors' Group, 2012
Client of Construction & Infrastructure division completes our customer experience questionnaire
Our Urban Regeneration division's Talbot Gateway development has created over 300 new job opportunities in Blackpool
performance
Adjusted Profit before tax £31.3m (2013)
£47.1m (2012)
| Material issues | Measures | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| PROFIT Procurement |
Timber sourced against sustainability certification standards e.g. FSC, PEFC, etc |
98.2% (2013) |
| Percentage of spend with Suppliers with Group agreements |
71% | |
| Material issues | Measures | Performance |
| PROFIT Advocacy and leadership |
Total Value of political contributions made | £0 |
| Material issues | Measures | Performance |
| PROFIT | Total number of legal actions for anti-competitive behaviour |
Zero |
| Bribery and corruption | ||
| Material issues | Measures | Performance |
| PROFIT Business ethics |
Employees receiving training in business ethics (Bribery and Corruption and Competition Act) |
Approximately 90% |
| Material issues | Measures | Performance |
| PROFIT Customer feedback |
Results of surveys measuring customer satisfaction (projects attaining perfect delivery) |
76% (2013) 77% (2012) |
| and satisfaction | 76% (2011) | |
| Material issues | Measures | Performance |
| PROFIT | Net sales / revenue | £2.1bn (2013) |
| Material issues | Measures | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| PROFIT Legal Compliance |
Monetary value of significant fines for non-compliance with environmental laws and regulations |
£0 (2013) £0 (2012) £0 (2011) |
| Monetary value of significant fines for non-compliance with health and safety laws and regulations |
£50,000 (2013) £0 (2012) £0 (2011) |
| Our Urban Regeneration division's Doncaster Civic & Cultural Quarter development | |
|---|---|
Based on the stakeholder engagement work as well as the existing Total Commitments, the following table provides an update on the Total Commitments for 2014 as well as a range of action plan areas.
| Total Commitment | Objective | Measure(s) & Target(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| PEOPLE | Total commitment to a safe work environment We will make sure, through proper training and education, that our employees are fully engaged and involved in improving safety in the workplace, at home, on their journeys to and from work and in the environment. We will ensure that everyone understands the part they play in their own safety and that of their co-workers, as well as the wider community and the environment where we work. |
No lost time, or RIDDOR incidents or major environmental incidents |
Total number of major environmental incidents (Number) TARGET: zero incidents |
| Total commitment to developing talented employees To help develop talent, we undertake to provide all employees with clear induction, appraisal and appropriate development programmes. |
Attract and retain talented people within our organisation To be the employer of choice in the construction sector. |
Average number of training days per employee (Training days) with industry/sector benchmark (TBC) |
|
| PLANET | Total commitment to reducing waste We will improve resource efficiency, reduce the total amount of waste sent to landfill by 10% year-on-year and undertake to commit to recognised waste reduction schemes, as well as encouraging individual initiatives. |
Minimising waste generated throughout the Group with an aspiration of 100% waste recovery |
Total amount of waste produced diverted from landfill sent to landfill by 10% year on year |
| Total commitment to reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions We will play our part in reducing emissions by targeting, as a minimum, a 5% year-on-year reduction in energy consumption. By building more efficiently, we will create more resource and energy efficient workplaces, housing, schools and offices and we will also help clients to reduce their own emissions. |
Demonstrate net reduction in operational carbon emissions across the Group |
Annual Group carbon emissions (tCO of 2010, and a 26% reduction by 2020 on 2010 baseline |
|
| PROFIT | Total commitment to improving sustainable procurement We aim to procure goods and services that minimise risks associated with procuring from vulnerable groups or sources and to implement best practice procurement standards. |
Implement demonstrable sustainable procurement practices across our supply chain and in line with customer expectations |
by Group-wide agreements. (% spend) the Supply Chain Sustainability School and sustainably sourced in 2014 |
| Total commitment to supporting local economic growth We aim to provide sustainable opportunities for local communities through engaging with local supply chain partners, employees and apprentices, charities and other NGO's that lead to |
Through commercially sustainable construction activities, positively contribute to economic growth of the communities where we work |
applicable projects (£'s) |
local economic improvement.
Minimise reputational risks associated with non conformance with legislation
Our aim is to ensure that all our operations strive towards the delivery of projects in line with current legislative requirements.
| Divisional Considerate Constructor Scores |
|---|
| TARGET: 40 (2013 scoring scheme) |
| Diversity profile of our workforce (gender, age |
| and ethnicity) as benchmarked against peer |
| groups, e.g. UKCG |
| TARGET: full benchmark across all divisions |
| Training of employee in understanding |
| diversity and inclusion |
| Total number and rates of new employee |
| hires and employee turnover by age group |
| and gender. |
| TARGET: employee turnover rate reducing |
| trend toward UK industry average |
| Number of projects achieving BREEAM, |
| CEEQUAL, LEED, SKA or other industry |
| relevant ratings |
| TARGET: internal benchmarking of projects |
| achieving these standards |
| Fuel consumption of vehicle fleet |
| Emissions from directly controlled vehicle fleet |
| TARGET: reduction of emissions in line with th |
| Groups carbon targets |
| Total quantity of water consumed and discharged |
| TARGET: to quantify total consumption and |
| discharge levels normalised against revenue, |
| across the Group |
| Value of political contributions (£'s) |
| TARGET: zero expenditure on political |
| donations (£'s) |
| Number of stakeholder meetings per year. |
| Perfect Delivery scores |
| TARGET: as set by divisions |
| Percentage of workforce trained on anti |
| corruption policies and procedures |
| Number of legal actions taken for anti |
| competitive practices. |
| TARGET: 100% of workforce trained in |
| anti-corruption and bribery act requirements |
| TARGET: no legal actions |
| Value of monetary fines (£) and enforcement |
| actions taken (Number) |
| TARGET: no fines |
| Community engagement Construction activities can have a short-term negative impact on the communities where they occur. Active engagement and communications can result in a positive acceptance of the projects to the benefit of the community. |
Work in the community and minimise the potential negative impact of ouroperations |
|
|---|---|---|
| PEOPLE | Inclusion and diversity Promoting a talented and diverse workforce to encourage new ideas, foster innovative practice and provide better services. |
To understand the diversity profile of our business, and supply chain partners, and to present opportunity to engage with our business |
| Recruitment and retention Maintaining a stable level of employee turnover is an indicator of employee satisfaction, while enabling the in-flow of new talent and skills to the Group. |
Maintain a balance in terms of attracting new talent into the business and the satisfaction of existing employees thereby minimising recruitment costs |
|
| Sustainable building and labelling Playing our part in developing and delivering more sustainable buildings. |
Provision of commercially sustainable buildings and assets in line with customers' expectations |
|
| PLANET | Transport We will manage our vehicle fleet, where directly controlled, to minimise its impact through energy use, emissions, nuisance, etc. |
Reduction of environmental impact (emissions) through selection and operation of vehicles that match or exceed emissions standards |
| Water and effluents Tackling the use of potable water supply and effluents will minimise our impact on the environment. |
Fully understand how we use water and seek to minimise its use and disposal as effluent |
|
| Advocacy and leadership We will be fully transparent in any relationship with Government or political parties |
Ensure the highest levels of integrity and transparency in any business dealings, including with political parties, and government agencies |
|
| PROFIT | Customer feedback and satisfaction Engaging closely with our customers is the only way that we will fully understand satisfaction levels and expectations |
Establishment of the Customer Stakeholder panel to engage and seek positive contribution to our sustainability strategy |
| Ethical business, bribery and corruption Our aim is to ensure that all our employees are aware of their roles and responsibilities towards ethical business practices. |
Execution of business practices to the highest ethical and moral standards |
Selected external participation and membership in 2013
| Name | Type of initiative or organisation | Participation | Nature of participation | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| British Safety Council | Government-regulated awarding and training organisation |
Members | |||
| Business in the Community (BITC) |
Business-led charity committed to building resilient communities, diverse workplaces and a more sustainable future |
Members | |||
| CIRIA | Construction industry research and information association |
CIRIA core member Chair of the CIRIA construction advisory panel for construction process |
|||
| Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) |
Representative body for UK civil engineering contractors |
Member Chair of environment committee Members of regional executives |
|||
| Confederation of British Industry (CBI) |
Business lobbying organisation that helps shape the construction agenda through its influence with government and industry |
Member of CBI Construction Council | |||
| Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS) |
National initiative set up by the construction industry |
Associate member | |||
| Constructing Better Health (CBH) |
Not-for-profit organisation committed to improving the health of the construction, building services and FM sector workforces |
Member | |||
| Construction Health and Safety Group (CSHG) |
Provider of health and safety training and support to construction and associated industries |
Members | |||
| English Cities Fund (ECf) | A government backed development vehicle created to deliver sustainable regeneration in inner city fringe locations |
Partner and development manager | |||
| Home Builders Federation | Representative body for UK house builders |
Member | |||
| Isis Waterside Regeneration |
A joint venture with The Canal & River Trust (formerly British Waterways) established to unlock the development potential of the nation's waterways |
Partner | |||
| National House Building Council (NHBC) |
Non-profit organisation that sets standards for UK house-building for new and newly converted homes |
Registered | |||
| Supply Chain Sustainability School |
A contractor-driven virtual learning initiative that helps construction suppliers and sub-contractors develop their sustainability knowledge and competence |
Partner member, co-founder and co-funder |
|||
| UK Contractors Group (UKCG) |
Representative body for UK contractors |
Member Participate in Corporate Responsibility Leadership Group, as well as diversity and environmental sub-groups |
|||
| UK Green Building Council (UK-GBC) |
Charity and membership organisation campaigning for a sustainable built environment |
Gold leaf member Sponsor of UK-GBC series of events to mark World Green Building Week |
| Name | Type of initiative or organisation | Participation | Status in 2013 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) |
Global professional membership organisation for chemical engineering |
Bronze Corporate Partner status for training excellence and commitment to the profession |
|
| Investors in People (IiP) | Government-owned people management accreditation framework |
Various regional offices accredited, including some to Gold standard |
|
| ISO 9001: 2008 | International Standard for Quality Management Systems |
||
| ISO 14001: 2004 | International Standard for Environmental Management Systems |
Recipient of 3 Merit Awards in British Safety Council International |
|
| Safety Awards | |||
| ISO 50001: 2011 | International Standard for Energy Management |
||
| TheJobCrowd | The UK's leading graduate job review website |
Features in the top 10 'Construction & Civil Engineering Companies To Work For' |
|
| Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) |
National accident prevention charity | Recipient of 1 Order of Distinction, 10 Gold Medals and 4 Gold Awards in 2013 RoSPA Occupational Health and |
|
| Safety Awards | |||
| Two Ticks Positive | Jobcentre Plus award | Award made by Jobcentre Plus to employers who have made commitments to employ, keep and develop the abilities of disabled employees |
Selected external accreditation and recognition in 2013
| Name | Type of initiative or organisation | Participation | Status in 2013 |
|---|---|---|---|
| BITC CR Index | Corporate responsibility benchmark administered by BITC |
Gold award | |
| British Safety Council | Government-regulated awarding and training organisation |
Recipient of 3 Merit Awards in British Safety Council International Safety Awards |
|
| BS 11000: 2011 | British Standard for Collaborative Business Relationships |
||
| BS OHSAS 18001: 2007 | British Standard for Occupational Health and Safety Management |
||
| INVESTMENTS | |||
| CDP | International, voluntary scheme for sharing environmental information |
Score of 91B in and retained place in UK Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index for second year |
|
| Certified Emissions Measurement And Reduction Scheme (CEMARS) |
Independently verified and certified emissions measurement and reduction accreditation scheme |
Re-certified | |
| Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS) |
National initiative set up by the construction industry |
Recipient of 36 National Site Awards | |
| Construction Health and Safety Group (CSHG) |
Provider of health and safety training and support to construction and associated industries |
Beaumont Safety Trophy Chairman's Special Award |
|
| Construction Skills Certification Scheme |
Card scheme that provides confirms construction workers' competency |
||
| Constructionline | Government certification scheme | ||
| Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme |
Independent health and safety accreditation scheme |
||
| (CHAS) | |||
The boundaries of our material issues, and their relationship with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) G4 sustainability reporting framework. A GRI G4 content index is available on our website http://corporate.morgansindall.com/sustainability
| Material issue | Material issue | Material issue outside the Group | How this issue | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| within the Group |
Controlled | Influenced | maps onto GRI G4 material Aspects |
|||
| Development and training |
All of Morgan Sindall Group |
Training provided to subcontractors working on our sites |
n/a | SOCIAL > Labour practices and decent work > Training and education |
||
| Engagement and satisfaction of employees |
All of Morgan Sindall Group |
n/a | n/a | None directly relevant | ||
| PEOPLE | Health and safety | All of Morgan Sindall Group |
Health and safety standards of our suppliers and subcontractors working on our sites, as well as the public |
Health and safety associated with materials used and with buildings/ infrastructure in use |
SOCIAL > Labour practices and decent work > Occupational health and safety |
|
| Recruitment and retention |
All of Morgan Sindall Group |
n/a | n/a | SOCIAL > Labour practices and decent work > Employment |
||
| Energy use | All of Morgan Sindall Group |
Energy used by subcontractors working on our sites |
Embodied energy in products and energy performance of buildings/ infrastructure in use |
ENVIRONMENTAL > Energy ENVIRONMENTAL > Transport ENVIRONMENTAL > Emissions |
||
| PLANET | Materials and responsible sourcing |
All of Morgan Sindall Group |
Materials sourced through our supply chain and the sustainability performance of our suppliers |
n/a | ENVIRONMENTAL > Materials | |
| Sustainable products and labelling |
All of Morgan Sindall Group |
Benefits of sustainable buildings and labelling to owners and occupiers |
Demand for sustainable buildings and labelling |
SOCIAL > Product responsibility > Product and service labelling |
||
| Waste | All of Morgan Sindall Group |
Waste produced by subcontractors working on our sites |
Embodied waste in products and waste from buildings/ infrastructure in use |
ENVIRONMENTAL > Effluents and waste |
||
| Advocacy and leadership |
All of Morgan Sindall Group |
Participation on industry groups |
n/a | SOCIAL > Society > Public policy |
||
| Bribery and corruption |
All of Morgan Sindall Group |
n/a | n/a | SOCIAL > Society > Anti-corruption SOCIAL > Society > Anti-competitive behaviour |
||
| PROFIT | Business ethics | All of Morgan Sindall Group |
n/a | n/a | None directly relevant | |
| Customer feedback and satisfaction |
All of Morgan Sindall Group |
n/a | n/a | SOCIAL > Product responsibility > Product and service labelling |
||
| Economic and business performance |
All of Morgan Sindall Group |
n/a | n/a | ECONOMIC > Economic performance |
||
| Legal compliance | All of Morgan Sindall Group |
Legal compliance of our suppliers and subcontractors working on our sites |
n/a | ENVIRONMENTAL > Compliance SOCIAL > Society > Compliance SOCIAL > Product responsibility > Compliance |
| General Standard Disclosures | Page / Reference | In accordance External with GRI G4 |
Assurance |
|---|---|---|---|
| G4-14 Whether and how the precautionary approach or principle is addressed by the organization |
Our approach to sustainability (p8) | P | O |
| G4-15 List of externally developed economic, environmental and social charters, principles, or other initiatives to which the organization subscribes or which it endorses |
External participation and membership (p59) |
P | O |
| G4-16 List of memberships of associations and national or international advocacy organizations in which the organization |
External accreditation and recognition (p60) |
P | O |
| IDENTIFIED MATERIAL ASPECTS AND BOUNDARIES | |||
| G4-17 List of all entities included in the organization's consolidated financial statements or equivalent documents, and whether any entity included in the organization's consolidated financial statements or equivalent documents is not covered by the report |
Report profile (p19) | P | AR |
| G4-18 The process for defining the report content and the Aspect Boundaries, and an explanation of how the organization has implemented the Reporting Principles for Defining Report Content |
Material issues (p16) | P | O |
| G4-19 List of all the material Aspects identified in the process for defining report content |
Material issues (p16) | P | O |
| G4-20 For each material Aspect, the Aspect Boundary within the organization |
GRI G4 material aspects and boundaries (p62) |
P | O |
| G4-21 For each material Aspect, the Aspect Boundary outside the organization |
GRI G4 material aspects and boundaries (p62) |
P | O |
| G4-22 The effect of any restatements of information provided in previous reports, and the reasons for such restatements |
Group sustainability highlights (p7) | P | O |
| G4-23 Significant changes from previous reporting periods in the Scope and Aspect Boundaries |
No significant changes in scope. This is the first year we have identified Aspect boundaries |
P | O |
| STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT | |||
| G4-24 A list of stakeholder groups engaged by the organization |
Stakeholder engagement (p11) | P | O |
| G4-25 The basis for identification and selection of stakeholders with whom to engage |
Stakeholder engagement (p11) | P | O |
| G4-26 The organization's approach to stakeholder engagement, including frequency of engagement by type and by stakeholder group, and an indication of whether any of the engagement was undertaken specifically as part of the report preparation process |
Stakeholder engagement (p11) | P | O |
| G4-27 Key topics and concerns that have been raised through |
Material issues (p16) | P | O |
Key topics and concerns that have been raised through stakeholder engagement, and how the organization has responded to those key topics and concerns, including through its reporting. Report the stakeholder groups that raised each of the key topics and concerns
| General Standard Disclosures | Page / Reference | In accordance External with GRI G4 |
Assurance |
|---|---|---|---|
| STRATEGY AND ANALYSIS | |||
| G4-1 A statement from the most senior decision-maker of the organization about the relevance of sustainability to the organization and the organization's strategy for addressing sustainability |
Foreword (p2) | P | O |
| ORGANISATIONAL PROFILE | |||
| G4-3 The name of the organization |
Back cover | P | AR |
| G4-4 The primary brands, products, and services |
Group at a glance (p4) | P | AR |
| G4-5 The location of the organization's headquarters |
Back cover | P | AR |
| G4-6 The number and names of countries where the organization operates |
UK only | P | AR |
| G4-7 The nature of ownership and legal form |
Annual report and accounts | P | AR |
| G4-8 The markets served (including geographic breakdown, sectors served, and types of customers and beneficiaries) |
Group at a glance (p4) Annual report and accounts |
P P |
AR |
| G4-9 The scale of the organization, including: total number of employees total number of operations net sales total capitalization broken down in terms of debt and equity quantity of products or services provided |
Group at a glance (p4) People performance data (p34) |
P P |
AR |
| G4-10 The nature of the workforce of the organisation, including: total number of employees by type, employment contract and gender total workforce by region and gender |
People performance data (p34) - total number of employees only |
partially | AR |
| G4-11 The percentage of total employees covered by collective bargaining agreements |
People performance data (p34) | P | O |
| G4-12 The organisation's supply chain |
Sustainable procurement (p46) | P | O |
| G4-13 Any significant changes during the reporting period regarding the organization's size, structure, ownership, or its supply chain |
Annual report and accounts | P | AR |
AR – Some or all of this information was audited as part of Annual Report & Accounts AR – Some or all of this information was audited as part of Annual Report & Accounts
| General Standard Disclosures | Page / Reference | In accordance External with GRI G4 |
Assurance |
|---|---|---|---|
| REPORT PROFILE | |||
| G4-28 Reporting period |
Report profile (p19) | P | O |
| G4-29 Date of most recent previous report |
Report profile (p19) | P | O |
| G4-30 Reporting cycle |
Report profile (p19) | P | O |
| G4-31 The contact point for questions regarding the report or its contents |
Report profile (p19) | P | O |
| G4-32 The 'in accordance' option the organization has chosen, the GRI Content Index for the chosen option and the reference to the External Assurance Report, if the report has been externally assured |
Report profile (p19) | P | O |
| G4-33 The organization's policy and current practice with regard to seeking external assurance for the report. |
Report profile (p19) | P | O |
| GOVERNANCE | |||
| G4-34 The governance structure of the organization, including committees of the highest governance body. Identify any committees responsible for decision-making on economic, environmental and social impacts |
Structure and responsibilities (p10) P | O | |
| ETHICS AND INTEGRITY | |||
| G4-56 The organization's values, principles, standards and norms of behavior such as codes of conduct and codes of ethics. |
O | – |
| Material issues | Page / Reference | In accordance with GRI G4 |
Omissions | External Assurance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health and safety | DMA Health and safety (p26) | P | – | O |
| Indicator Total number of RIDDOR incidents (p34) partially Indicator Work related fatalities (p34) Indicator Absenteeism (p34) |
AR | |||
| Development and training | DMA Recruitment, training and development (p26) P | – | O | |
| Indicator Average number of training days per employee (p34) |
partially | – | AR | |
| Recruitment and retention DMA Recruitment, training and development (p26) P Indicator Employee turnover (p34) |
partially | – | O O |
|
| Indicator Other recruitment activities (p34) DMA Engagement and satisfaction (p28) |
– | |||
| Engagement and | satisfaction of employees Indicator Employee participation in satisfaction surveys (p34) |
P P |
No relevant GRI indicator |
O O |
| Energy use | DMA Energy use (p36) | P | – | O |
| Indicator Direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (Scope 1) (Annual report and accounts) Indicator Energy indirect greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (Scope 2) (Annual report and accounts) P Indicator Other indirect greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (Scope 3) (Annual report and accounts) P Indicator Emissions intensity (p44) |
P G4-EN15 G4-EN16 G4-EN17 P G4-EN18 |
– | P CEMARS | |
| Waste | DMA Waste (p38) | P | – | O |
| Indicator Total waste produced (p44) Indicator Total waste diverted from landfill (p44) Indicator Percentage of waste diverted from landfill (p44) |
partially | – | AR | |
| Sustainable products | DMA Sustainable buildings and labelling (p40) | P | – | O |
| and labelling | Indicator Number of projects certified to sustainable building and labelling schemes (p44) |
P | No relevant GRI indicator |
O |
| Materials and | DMA Sustainable procurement (p46) | P | – | O |
| responsible sourcing | Indicator Timber sourced against sustainability certification standards e.g. FSC, PEFC, etc. (p52) Indicator Percentage of spend with Suppliers with Group agreements (p52) |
partially | AR | |
| Advocacy and leadership | DMA Advocacy and leadership (p48) | P | – | O |
| Indicator Total value of political contributions made (p52) |
P G4-SO6 |
– | O | |
| Bribery and corruption | DMA Annual report and accounts | P | – | AR |
| Indicator Total number of legal actions for anti-competitive behaviour (p52) |
P G4-SO7 |
– | O | |
| Business ethics | DMA Annual report and accounts | P | – | AR |
| Indicator Total number of legal actions for anti-competitive behaviour (p52) |
P G4-SO7 |
– | O | |
| Customer feedback | DMA Customer feedback and satisfaction (p50) | P | – | AR |
| and satisfaction | Indicator Results of surveys measuring customer P satisfaction (p52) |
No relevant GRI indicator |
AR | |
| Economic and | DMA Annual report and accounts | P | – | AR |
| business performance | Indicator Coverage of the organization's defined benefit plan obligations (Annual Report and Accounts) |
P G4-EC3 |
– | AR |
| Legal compliance | DMA Annual report and account | P | – | AR |
| Indicator Monetary value of significant fines for non-compliance with environmental laws |
P G4-SO7 |
– | O |
AR – Some or all of this information was audited as part of Annual Report & Accounts
AR – Some or all of this information was audited as part of Annual Report & Accounts
Kent House 14– 17 Market Place London W1W 8AJ Company number: 00521970
Twitter: @morgansindall corporate.morgansindall.com
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