Top environmental issues at a local level

The profile of our business, with large-scale projects and fluctuations in orders, makes it challenging to set a global emissions reduction targets. Each year, we set energy targets at business level that contribute to an overall reduction. It is with this locally tailored approach that we drive energy efficiency. 

 

For example, the majority of our greenhouse gas emissions come from the energy we use across our facilities, so our focus is on making our facilities more efficient and generating electricity from lower-emission sources. Our top ten sites account for 54% of our greenhouse gas emissions, by these sites setting Energy reduction targets, they have the biggest influence in reducing our energy use and, in turn, our direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions. All of these sites operate an environmental management system, with 100% certified to ISO¹ 14001, with an aim to reduce their energy consumption and in turn direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions.

 

Our focus is on making our facilities more efficient and generating electricity from lower-emission sources.  We have over 10,000 solar panels across two sites, Samlesbury in the UK, and Hagglunds, Örnsköldsvik, Sweden.

 

We aid and empower our employees to identify opportunities to save energy and promote efficient energy use through our training and educational materials.

 

A number of sites have also implemented formal Energy Management Systems, which have been certified to ISO¹ 50001.

 

It’s important to us to improve our energy efficiency and de-carbonise our energy supply. This is a constant challenge as we operate many different processes, from large-scale, complex manufacturing operations over long lead times, to intense digital services. 

 

Consequently, each of our businesses are tasked with proposing their own efficiency and reduction targets, these are then endorsed at a corporate level.  Part of our strategy to reduce our energy intensity is to purchase renewable energy and develop on-site renewable electricity supply where practicable.  We have supported the installation of a combined heat and power plant at the UK Ministry of Defence HM Naval Base, Portsmouth. When renovating, expanding or building new facilities we take advantage of the opportunity to bring in the latest energy and resource efficient systems and materials.

 

Total greenhouse gas emissions per employee has reduced by 17% since 2016.

 

All sites operate an environmental management system (EMS) and the ten largest sites (accounting for 54% of our emissions) operate an EMS certified to ISO¹ 14001, with the aim of reducing their energy consumption and, in turn, direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions. 

 

The maximum energy efficiency of our products and services is often a key requirement of our customers.  We therefore design for efficiency and are often involved in the maintenance and servicing of products through life. While we design endurance and resilience into our products and services, many will, by their very nature, be resource intensive when in use. In all cases, we continue to explore and apply the latest thinking and techniques around resource and energy efficiency.

 

Footnote:
1 International Organization for Standardization