Environmental & Social Information • Apr 4, 2019
Environmental & Social Information
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Sustainable development is a kind of development that meets the consumption needs of the present without compromising the ability to cover the needs of future generations. Multiconsult's work on sustainability is based on a long tradition of corporate social responsibility. In 2013, we introduced "Thinking Green in everything we do" in our strategic platform and in 2017 and 2018 we have worked to integrate sustainable development through the "Green projects" program.
In 2018 we have worked actively to integrate important sustainability aspects into all our consultancy work within the Building and Property business area. The work to cover all our business areas is also progressing according to plans.
In the future, we will inspire and challenge clients to define their own environmental goals for both
their business and their projects. We will also choose assignments that challenge us and build expertise.
In 2018, Multiconsult Norge AS won the price for «The Eco-Lighthouse of the Year". This is a great recognition to all our skilled employees and a great inspiration to continue our commitment to build a sustainable business and projects in the future.
This report mainly focuses on Multiconsult Norge AS.
04.04.2019
Grethe Bergly Chief Executive Officer, Multiconsult
Grethe Bergly,CEO Photo: Erik Burås / Studio B13
Multiconsult's focus on sustainability builds on a long tradition of taking our responsibilities seriously. We used to talk about corporate social responsibility, but we always wanted to make it an integrated part of the whole company – both of how we organised our own activities and how we executed our projects.
The Multiconsult-group is a signatory to the UN Global Compact and active member of the UN Global Compact Nordic Network. Multiconsult supports and promotes the ten principles of the UN Global Compact on human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. Goals, strategies and action plans are established for each year, and the company works continuously to ensure that it meets its targets on sustainability matters. Our work is based on best practice and international frameworks such as UN Sustainable Development Goals, ISO 26000 and Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).
At Multiconsult, we have seen a big increase in the interest in sustainability by businesses and the public sector, realising and experiencing that sustainability makes you even more competitive.
In 2018, Multiconsult Norge AS worked to establish strategic sustainability goals, and to assess which of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals are relevant in our business. Various parts of our organisation are looking into how sustainability can be integrated in daily business and used to develop our company.
Sustainable development forms one of the key elements in the group's strategy and is a pillar on which we base our company culture and day-to-day business. We are committed to delivering sustainable solutions to the communities we engage with. Sustainability issues, such as business ethics and the environment, are integrated into our training programmes to ensure that all Multiconsult employees actively engage in dialogue concerning how the company can best become an active contributor in shaping a sustainable society.
Multiconsult use the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals as guidelines for our efforts with sustainability.
Employees should have a good understanding of sustainability, and be capable of turning this into sustainable consulting and designs. We will share our knowledge and success stories in the field of sustainability.
This framework build on our strategic sustainability goals and on local and discipline-specific strategies.
The company will run its operations sustainably and in accordance with laws and regulations, certification schemes and best practice. In daily business, our employees choose sustainable solutions, and complete training in this.
All managers embrace sustainable opportunities and use them in our operations and daily business.
For the company, the five areas of UN sustainability goals are a priority and most relevant to our business. In 2018, we have taken action within all of these areas, but we have focused especially on decent work and economic growth, and on the goal of stopping climate change. The reason is that the climate and environment, as well as workplace conditions will always be important to our employees and customers – and this have impact on how we operate our business. We have implemented the internal programme "Green Project Execution".
A strong focus on business ethics and integrity is a prerequisite for Multiconsult's role and reputation as an independent and trusted advisor.
The risks we face are constantly changing within the group as new opportunities arise in the project portfolio, introducing new markets, clients and business partners. The group has therefore established a business ethics programme, which seeks to ensure awareness and competence in the handling of integrity and reputational risks across the entire organisation.
Training programmes for employees at all levels have been implemented since 2012. To ensure that we correctly identify and proactively mitigate risk, projects are screened for relevant business ethical risks, and integrity due diligence is performed on new business partners. Partners and subcontractors sign a declaration of ethical business conduct, ensuring that our work on business ethics is engrained in all parts of our value chain. Our partners and key employees are also asked to sign the group's code of conduct
and complete an anti-corruption e-learning programme. Compliance with these procedures are subject to audits.
Multiconsult has established a whistleblowing portal via www.multiconsult.no, which ensures that both internal and external sources can report possible misconduct to the group's compliance function.
During 2018, the group compliance function focused on the following activities in order to increase awareness and emphasise the overall focus on business ethics within the Multiconsult group:
For 2019, the compliance department will continue to follow up on the activities conducted during 2018. In addition, an improved framework for compliance in the group will be prioritised. The focus of the programme will be to assess the current situation and the compliance programme, with the aim of restructuring the way the compliance function works throughout the Group.
Multiconsult will perform daily business in a way that protects life, health and the natural environment. This should be reflected both in the way the company operates and in the deliveries.
Health, environmental and safety considerations shall take priority over our financial interests.
Multiconsult strives to ensure a healthy and productive working environment for its employees and aims to ensure a high level of employee participation at all levels of the group. Our HSE-activities should help raise awareness and motivate staff, and managers should support and improve working practices and working conditions.
We ensure that our planning, design and consulting complies with the HSE standards in the Internal Control Regulations and Working Environment Act, and with the health, safety and working environment standards in the Construction Client Regulations.
In 2018, there was a strong emphasis on sharing knowledge and success stories, as well as on making people aware of our procedures as well as improving them. Other key areas included choice of sustainable solutions and responsibility of managers for HSE. Templates, action plans and an annual cycle will help to ensure that all business units in Multiconsult Norge AS perform the same activities.
We have introduced a quarterly status report on HSE and quality management, which includes learning from HSE-related incidents through a portal for nonconformities and proposed improvements.
In 2018, there were 59 HSE-related nonconformities and proposed improvements, and 113 quality-related ones, which was higher than in previous years. In general, few of the reported incidents involved injuries and/or a high risk of injury. The strategic goal is to make
sure we record all injuries and near misses, while striving to reduce the total number of incidents. Recording proposed improvements and dangerous situations is designed to prevent accidents and near misses.
Multiconsult works systematically with HSE management and makes concentrated efforts to mitigate health risks and prevent injuries. Dedicated action plans have been established, and are followed up closely by both central and regional offices. Multiconsult Norge AS's working environment committee (AMU) and corporate management receives periodic reports on the activities and progress of group HSE action plans.
Sick leave in Multiconsult Norge AS for 2018
was 3.8 per cent, the same as in 2017 and 2016. All sick leave is monitored and reported. We will continue to work towards a goal of 3.3 per cent sick leave in 2019.
The company monitors absence due to injuries caused by work-related accidents or incidents. The key performance indicator (H), which expresses days of absence in relation to the total number of hours worked, was 0.6 in 2018.
Multiconsult Norge AS performed a number of activities in 2018 to even further improve our working environment, including:
• A new framework for preventing and responding to drug and alcohol abuse and problems with gambling, as well as new
Multiconsult is one of the most attractive companies to work for in the industry. Martin Halvorsen, Nora Holand, Arve Grinden receives an award for this. Photo: Universum
procedures for preventing and dealing with conflicts and harassment.
Knut Aaneland was awarded a prize by the Norwegian Association of Consulting Engineers (RIF) for exceptional commitment. Aaneland leads RIF's expert group on health, safety and the working environment.
Other activities include a breakfast meeting for our own staff and invited guests on health, safety and the working environment during the execution phase.
In 2018 we were rated one of the most attractive companies to work for in the industry in Universum's annual ranking, both amongst students and engineers with a few years of experience. In both categories we were in the top three of all engineering firms in Norway.
Multiconsult was named "Eco-Lighthouse" of the Year 2018. Ann-Kristin Ytreberg from the Eco-Lighthouse Foundation, Acting CEO Lars Opsahl and Guri Lindmark, Sustainability Manager.
Multiconsult Norge AS will meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals and create value for the business partners. Multiconsult Norge AS should be recognised for sustainable consulting and design.
Our internal programme "Green Project Execution" has played a central role in the development and implementation of our approach to climate change and the environment. Work done at management level to define areas of focus for following up the sustainability goals has also been very important.
Since 2013 Multiconsult Norge AS has participated in the Eco-Lighthouse scheme, which is Norway's most widely used certification scheme for enterprises seeking to document their environmental efforts and demonstrate social responsibility.
The certificate is valid for three years before the process of re-certification. The certificate is adequate in EU.
The Eco-Lighthouse scheme is a respected and effective tool for environmental certification and management. Almost 70 companies were
nominated for this year's "Eco-Lighthouse of the Year". Multiconsult Norge AS come out on top in the class for enterprises and large companies for its trailblazing work on integrating sustainability into the initial phase of projects. Multidisciplinary consultancy services are vital to achieve sustainable solutions in the construction business and property management, the industries where the company operates.
Multiconsult Norge AS participates actively in the development of Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology (BREEAM NOR), and has developed significant expertise in this system for certifying the sustainability of buildings and being Accredited Professionals. Multiconsult Norge AS aims to develop a culture of environment-awareness among all employees through training, professional development, operations and project management. In 2018 about 50 project managers and managers have joined a general programme for BREEAM system education in order to use the system in our projects.
The development programme "Green Project Execution" in Multiconsult Norge AS, which has run from August 2016 to December 2018, has mainly affected the business area Buildings & Properties and all of the engineering disciplines.
The goals of the development programme are to improve knowledge and engagement about sustainable consulting and customers solutions, in addition to promote the company's sustainable effort.
Multiconsult Norge AS has produced guides to sustainable consulting for 14 disciplines within the business areas Buildings & Properties, Transportation, Water & Environment and Cities & Society. This systematic approach has been necessary in order to obtain Eco-Lighthouse certification under the new criteria.
The competence networks share, develop and standardise the activities of Multiconsult Norge AS's various disciplines, and are responsible for producing and managing guides and checklists. The environmental ambassadors are responsible for leading work on producing the guides and for sharing the knowledge of the competence network.
Procedures have been established for environmental management in projects that shall be used by project managers regardless of the management level. We have also created aids for project managers to help them challenge and motivate customers to have the right sustainability goals for their projects.
Sustainable consulting and design is a topic in courses for project managers, and a number of project managers within the business area Buildings & Properties have done an introductory course on the environmental assessment method BREEAM. BREEAM is gaining increasing recognition in the market, and its nine environmental impact categories are relevant to many of our projects. Sustainable consulting is also on the agenda at project manager forums. For transportation and infrastructure projects, we have chosen to use the CEEQUAL methodology, and we were in the process of implementing this at the turn of the year.
Multiconsult Norge AS has reported on Environmental achievements since 2007. Most of our goals for the strategy period 2013-2017 were achieved by 2017, except the goal for waste. For the period from 2018 -2020, 2017 is the reference year.
Energy use in buildings and offices is based on consumption of electricity, district heating and some oil heating. Energy consumption as kWh/ work-year and kWh/m2 is still at the same level as in 2017. Multiconsult Norge AS purchases energy with guarantees of origin and gives our support to the development of renewable energy.
By the end of 2020, Multiconsult Norge AS aims for a reduction in energy use at the offices of at least 10% (baseline: 2017). The five biggest offices aim for an assessment as at least "Very good" under the BREEAM In-Use standard. There will be no oil heating in the end of 2020.
The environmental accounts have no indicators that measure employee travel to- and from work.
When it comes to operations-related travel activities (includes the use of private cars for business purposes, company vehicles and rental cars), there is a significant reduction in travel activity by fossil-fuelled cars the last year about 70 km/work year. The use of electrical cars has increased with about 178 per cent. There are no specific goals for reduction of this
| Environmental indicator | Unit1 | 20112 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energy consumption | |||||
| Area efficiency in offices | m2/work-year | 36 | 34 | 28 | 30 |
| Energy consumption in buildings | kWh/work-year | 4 890 | 5 529 | 3 479 | 3 674 |
| Energy consumption in buildings | kWh/m2 | 136 | 164 | 125 | 124 |
| Transport and machinery | |||||
| Work driving by car | km/work-year | 2 685 | 2 056 | 1 494 | 1 423 |
| Work driving by electric car | km/work-year | - | 42 | 46 | 128 |
| Flights shorter than 1000 km | number/work-year | 3.0 | 2.9 | 2.6 | 2.3 |
| Flights foreign, longer than 1000 km | number/work-year | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.8 |
| Fuel consumption machinery | litres/work-year | 77 | 46 | 30 | 43 |
| Skype-meetings/calls | number | - | 197 000 | 214 039 | 439 496 |
| Procurements and material consumption | |||||
| Paper consumption total | kg/work-year | 31 | 21 | 12 | 9 |
| Eco-labelled products | number | - | 139 | 180 | 203 |
| Environmentally certified suppliers | number | - | 270 | 262 | 218 |
| Waste | |||||
| Total waste | kg/work-year | 114 | 115 | 87 | 92 |
| Residual waste | % | 52 % | 43 % | 46 % | 44% |
| Waste for recycling | % | 48 % | 57 % | 54 % | 56% |
| Emissions to the air | |||||
| CO - emission 2 |
tonnes CO /work-year 2 |
1.7 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 1 |
| (ex el-energy building) | tonnes CO /work-year 2 |
- | 1.3 | 0.9 | 0.8 |
1 All work-years (2 114 at the 31th of December 2018) for Multiconsult Norge AS are included in the accounts. Consumption figures (energy use, paper use and waste) for offices with fewer than five employees are excluded from the accounts. 2 2011 is the reference year for the environmental targets 2013 – 2017.
driving, but the employees are encouraged to use public transportation when this is possible.
Air travel includes the number of flights reported by the Company's travel agency. It is registered an increase in amount of flight travels from 2017 to 2018. The length of the flight reported in km and the corresponding CO2-emission is calculated as from 2018. The goal for the end of 2020 is a reduction in number of flights for non-project related purposes by 10 per cent (baseline 2017).
The use of Skype in 2018 nearly doubled from 2017. Online meetings save employees and the environment for many trips, and improve collaboration between employees and other partners. Calculations on the effect on the environment have not been made.
In 2018, we register a decrease in number of environmentally certified suppliers. The reason for this is standardisation of product and service deliveries. The procurement function is now requesting an environmental statement from all suppliers. Eco-labelled products have increased by 23 products. The paper consumption has decreased due to improvements related to our printers.
We sort and deliver waste from our offices according to local regulations and systems in each municipality. Used PCs, mobile phones and other electrical and electronical devices are handled according to best practice, and recycled or reused when possible. Laboratory waste and waste from maintenance of drilling rigs is sorted by a waste-disposal firm and is not counted as sorted at the source.
Total amount of waste is at the same level as last year. Many of the offices achieve waste sorting of 75 per cent.
Carbon emissions are the estimated CO2 equivalent emitted from energy consumption in buildings (electricity, district heating and oil heating) and operations-related transport such as driving, air travel and use of machinery and equipment in connection with geotechnical operations.
The CO2 footprint for Multiconsult Norge AS is reduced by 100 kg per work year the last year.
Multiconsult Norge AS should be recognised for sustainable consulting and design
In Norway, Multiconsult Norge AS shall be certified under the Eco-Lighthouse scheme and meet the relevant criteria for "architectural and consulting engineering firms".
• Multiconsult Norge AS shall have completed six green innovation projects over the period 2018–2020.
as functionality and price for all purchasing decisions.
• Multiconsult Norge AS's five biggest offices shall have been assessed as at least "Very Good" under the BREEAM In-Use standard. This shall have resulted in a reduction in energy use of at least 10 per cent at the offices in question (baseline: 2017).
The head office in Oslo is certified as Very Good, according to the BREEAM In Use classification system (Building Research Establishment
Good relationships between employees and managers are important to Multiconsult group's performance, and we aim to create a business culture where we bring out the best in each other.
We believe in creating a workplace where all employees feel that they are seen, heard and looked after, and where there is a good balance between work and private time.
Surveys are performed to measure how satisfied our employees are with their workload, professional situation and interpersonal relationships. We want to promote a business culture that fosters transparency and a sense of security, enable professional development and support people when they face difficult tasks. Providing a safe framework enables individuals to develop a sense of mastery. Feeling a lack of mastery over an extended period can affect both physical and mental health.
Our biggest challenge is work overload, which leaves our conscientious staff feeling that they cannot perform their duties in the way that they would like. One of the important tasks of managers is to monitor the situation of each person and take pre-emptive action to prevent overwork leading to illness and sickness absence.
We have put in place a number of measures to promote good health within our organisation. The exact measures vary slightly between offices, but they include supporting the
company sports club, gym membership, having a gym at the office or making a physiotherapist available.
Many of our employees have relatively sedentary jobs, so we try to motivate them to walk or cycle rather than driving to work, and have incentives for this.
The purpose of Norway's Anti-Discrimination Act is to promote equal opportunities and rights, and to prohibit discrimination on the grounds of gender, ethnicity, skin colour, language, religion or belief. Multiconsult works actively to promote the objectives of the Act throughout the group.
The board and the executive management are conscious of anti-discrimination in recruitment, appointments, pay and the customization of working conditions, as well as work on developing appropriate attitudes.
38.5 per cent of the Multiconsult group's 2994 employees at 31 December 2018 were female and 61.5 per cent were male. The group is working actively to increase the proportion of female employees.
34 per cent of Multiconsult Norge AS's 2 114 employees at 31 December 2018 were female and 66 per cent were male. Women accounted for 33 per cent of middle managers.
Multiconsult group wants to be at the forefront of ensuring equal opportunities in the industry and contribute to raising the question of equality up the wider social agenda. In 2018 Multiconsult has continued to actively work with the targets for gender demographics.
Multiconsult aims to be a workplace with no discrimination on the grounds of disability. Active efforts are made to design and customize physical working conditions so that all of
the group's facilities may be accessed by all employees.
1.2 per cent of employees at Multiconsult Norge AS had a native language other than Norwegian as of 31 December 2018, with a total of 15 different languages being represented.
Multiconsult has a long history of participating in major international and national research and development programmes. This puts us at the cutting edge of research and knowledge development, enabling us to quickly incorporate it into our projects.
Multiconsult group's philosophy is that cooperating and sharing with partners produces better results and more opportunities. For the last years, Multiconsult Norge AS has supported the work of the Zero Emission Resource Organisation (ZERO) and Engineers without Borders (IUG), as well as other research and educational institutions. We have also worked with customers and shared relevant technical information with our competitors in ongoing projects.
In 2015 we joined the UN Global Compact after applying to the then UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. That has inspired us to develop our strategy and our day-to-day decisions in a more sustainable direction.
The report "Scandinavian Investments in Renewable Energy in Developing Countries" was written by Multiconsult on behalf of ZERO, The Norwegian Solar Energy Cluster and Norfund in 2018.
Organised as a foundation, the ZERO organisation focuses on the opportunity to systematically replace polluting technology with zero emission technology. ZERO sees climate change as the biggest environmental issue, and is working to promote zero emission solutions and prevent investment in solutions that do produce emissions.
Multiconsult Norge AS is one of several companies that supports the organisation in its day-to-day operations and supports its annual conference. In 2017, Multiconsult Norge AS cooperated with ZERO about the study "Scandinavian Investments in Renewable Energy in Developing Countries". The department of renewable energy reviewed investments in renewable energy in developing countries by the Scandinavian countries and public programmes to support those kinds of investments.
IUG is using engineering as a catalyst for change, by addressing global challenges and enabling sustainable human development. In 2018, Multiconsult Norge AS supported IUG in its day-to-day operations, as well as collaborated in five projects, sending five of our engineers to different parts of the world to assist in projects aimed at creating a better life for local communities.
Multiconsult Norge AS supported several student events at NTNU and NMBU by providing case studies for the "Master with Meaning" programme. We continued our supporting of the programme in which Multiconsult Norge
AS donates to IUG on behalf of invited guest speakers at several of our events.
On 13 February 2013, Multiconsult Norge AS signed the City of Oslo's climate accord. This commits the Oslo office to working with the City of Oslo and the other companies in the network to take concrete, measurable steps to combat climate change.
In 2018 Multiconsult Norge AS's head of sustainability was invited onto the programme committee. This provides an excellent opportunity to play a part in the City of Oslo's activities in 2019 in conjunction with Oslo being European Green Capital. It also provides opportunities to influence the city's environmental policies and to take part in relevant events.
Every year, the employees at Multiconsult nominate and vote for a charity of their choice, to receive the annual Christmas gift. In 2018, the employees chose UNICEF, and the major humanitarian crisis in Yemen. A devastating conflict left children and families in urgent need of food, water and medical supplies.
The clown race is a fun run held in Trondheim each year to raise money for hospital clowns. The hospital clowns are a group of professional performers who provide positive experiences and breathing space for children and adolescents in difficult life situations. Multiconsult Norge AS was once again the main sponsor in 2018.
Greenhouse gas emissions, flooding, water and wastewater systems, blue-green infrastructure and air, water and ground pollution are some of the areas where our hard-working consultants are supporting sustainable development. Multiconsult has a reputation for technical expertise, practical insight and strong interdisciplinary understanding. This enables us to come up with integrated, cost-effective and environmentally friendly solutions for our customers.
Multiconsult provides services throughout the project life-cycle. All the way from preliminary studies through design, operation and maintenance, to clean-up and demolition.
Urban planning is one of the biggest global challenges of our time. Having an effective infrastructure provides the actual basis for a well-functioning city in the sustainable society of tomorrow. Multiconsult, including its subsidiary LINK arkitektur, has the expertise to advice planners on the decisions that will affect our towns for decades to come.
Sustainable energy solutions are important for the future. At Multiconsult, we look at the bigger picture when developing renewable energy projects, from production and distribution to consumption. Working at the intersection between experience, research and development enables us to create efficient, sustainable energy solutions for the future. Multiconsult's solar energy team possesses a wealth of experience in all of the necessary disciplines, and is the leading group of specialists in solar and energy storage applications in Norway.
Multiconsult has extensive experience developing comprehensive plans and solutions for railway.
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Stanislas Merlet is starting innovative research on hybridization of hydropower with floating solar. In 2018 he was awarded the most promising Young advisor in Europe. Merlet works as an advisor at Multiconsult. Photo: Bård Gudim
A new and sustainable kindergarden in Oslo – Kilden – was opened in December 2018. Both LINK arkitektur and Multiconsult has been involved in this project. Photo: Tove Lauluten.
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Nedre Skøyen vei 2 0276 Oslo, Norway Phone: +47 21 58 50 00 Fax: +47 21 58 50 01 [email protected] www.multiconsult.no
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