2030 Sustainability Commitments

The 2030 commitments are the cornerstones of our sustainability strategy. They were first introduced in 2018 and, in 2020, we revised some of the related topics and their deadlines to reflect environmental and social developments. They now include several new or updated targets and an even broader range of responsibilities in corporate sustainability management.

At their heart are our parent company Heidelberg Materials' six sustainability commitments:

Business and product innovation
Health, safety and wellbeing
Environmental responsibility
Resource use and the circular economy
Being a good neighbour
Fairness, inclusion and respect

We have also adopted and linked the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG’s) to the strategy’s key areas to demonstrate we are in line with global action.

Sustainability Policy - Key sustainability topics

Effective management of safety, health, environment, quality, energy, carbon reduction, and responsible sourcing is of key importance to the sustained success of our business. We have a single sustainability policy, which is regularly reviewed and communicated to employees, contractors, visitors, key stakeholders and our supply chain to inform and promote wider adoption of responsible practices. As a minimum, we comply with all applicable legal and regulatory requirements. Co-operation in the effective implementation of the policy is a condition of employment, partnership and supply.

Our key focus areas

Business and product innovation

We will ensure continuous business improvement though the effective management of all processes and resources and the continuing innovation of products and services.

Our 2030 commitments
We will reduce the carbon impact of our products, with a science-based target of 15% reduction from a 2016 baseline
100% of our operational sites will have full IMS certification to ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 50001, ISO 45001 and BES 6001
A new commitment for the average CO2 emissions associated with our cementitious products to be reduced to 525 kg/tonne by 2025 and less than 500 kg/tonne by 2030

Health, safety and wellbeing

We will ensure Hanson is a safe and healthy place to work and are committed to continuously enhancing the health, safety and well-being of our employees and contractors.

Our 2030 commitments
To reduce the number of potentially fatal incidents by more than 50%
Implement our annual Health & Safety and Health & Wellbeing Improvement Plans at 100% of sites

Environmental responsibility

We are committed to fulfilling our share of the responsibility to keep the global temperature rise below 1.5° Celsius and we will continue to reduce our impact on air, land and water.

Our 2030 emissions commitments
We will reduce the carbon impact of our operations, with a science-based target of 15% reduction from a 2016 baseline
Scope 2 emissions from electrical power consumption within our operations will be reduced by at least 65% compared to 2016
100% of our car fleet and 50% of our van fleet will be fully electric or hybrid by 2025
We will collaborate with suppliers to enable our transport to be more efficient, including through new technologies for LGVs and heavy machinery such as site excavators, loading shovels and dumper trucks
From our cement operations we will reduce NOx by 40% and dust emissions by 80% from a 2008 baseline and maintain SO2 emissions below BAT (best available techniques) requirements
A new commitment to reduce CO2 emissions from downstream transportation (the transportation of materials from our sites to customers) by at least 15% compared to 2019

Our 2030 land use commitments
Biodiversity net gain will be fully integrated into our business for new quarry developments
A new commitment to carry out biodiversity net impact studies at all quarry sites by 2025
A new commitment to have biodiversity management plans (BMPs) - also referred to as biodiversity action plans (BAPs) - at all our operational sites located within 1km of a high value nature conservation area by 2025. This previously only applied to quarries

Our 2030 water use commitments
We will reduce mains and abstracted water consumption by 10% from a 2018 baseline
A new commitment to have formal water management plans for sites in areas of water scarcity by 2023 and all remaining sites by 2025

Resource use and the circular economy

We will conserve natural resources by avoiding or reusing waste and by continuously increasing the use of alternative resources as substitutes for natural raw materials.

Our 2030 commitments
Maximise use of recycled asphalt planings (RAP), Regen GGBS (ground granulated blastfurnace slag) and alternative fuels within our cement plants
A new commitment to develop formal targets for the use of recycled aggregates in ready-mixed concrete
Reduce non-product site waste by 20% and waste to landfill by 50% from a 2018 baseline

Being a good neighbour

We are committed to making a positive contribution to the communities around our operations and ensuring transparent communication to all our stakeholders.

Our social value commitments
We will fully integrate our social value policy and practices together with social value impact measurements
All employees will take advantage of one paid day per year for volunteering activities

Fairness, Inclusion and Respect

We will be a fair, respectful and inclusive company; encouraging a culture that values openness and transparency and recognises individual achievement.

Our 2030 commitments
We will employ a minimum of 10% of women in operational roles and 20% overall within Hanson
25% of our senior roles will be filled by women by 2025
We will ensure all employees are fully trained and competent for their roles
We will identify the specific diversity-related requirements of our employees, and fully integrate these into our business culture

Our revised 2030 commitments

The 2023 sustainability report reflects the existing 2030 commitments and will be the final year of reporting on our current sustainability targets and indicators. Due to the rapidly evolving sustainability topics, we are developing updated commitments for 2030 and beyond to reflect the revised Heidelberg Materials sustainability strategy that builds on those already in place but reflects the key drivers within the UK construction industry.

Our revised 2030 commitments have been drawn up after extensive consultations with various stakeholders to reflect the ever-evolving sustainability agenda.

At their heart are the four sustainability pillars of our parent company, Heidelberg Materials to build a more sustainable future:

Net Zero
Circular and resilient
Safe and inclusive
Nature Positive

Around 60 indicators have been created to reflect the interests of each sustainability topic with specific targets to be achieved by 2030 with the remainder being monitored and reported on. As with our existing 2030 commitments, we will track and publish the key indicators, in future sustainability reports.