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Key issues

Key issues

After our fifth year of UK data collection, we have an established picture of our most significant environmental impacts, and how these vary across our different businesses.

• Resource usage and sourcing are increasingly important for some customers, with the focus on sourcing of timber, aggregates and cement
• Waste generation is an issue in most companies, particularly inert material in our civil engineering businesses. All seek opportunities to recycle waste and to utilise recycled materials
• Energy usage is important for all companies. Key components are fuel for plant and our vehicle fleet, and heating in our permanent and temporary site offices
• In some operations, the ability to work alongside sensitive environmental areas (eg SSSIs) is paramount – these businesses have developed biodiversity plans.

The relative importance of these issues varies significantly across our different companies. Each seeks to manage effectively those issues relevant to its business

Environment Performance Indicators

Indicators

We have a range of indicators to judge our performance. We measure the following for all operating companies and significant JVs:

Environmental Management Systems

We assess our progress by monitoring:

• The proportion of the business with formal environmental management systems certified to ISO 14001
• Our rating in independent benchmarking such as the Business in the Environment Index
• Environmental training, awards and audits

Incidents and Regulatory Action

We monitor:

• Environmental incidents, classified by severity
• Environmental notices, prosecutions and convictions

Environmental Performance

Since 2002 we have also measured a comprehensive suite of environmental indicators in the UK. In 2005 we extended this to our European operations and 2006 extended further to include all other overseas operations.

Resource usage	Timber from FSC and sustainable sources Other resources
Energy	Fuel and electricity usage in offices, sites, industrial processes, and in vehicles Ozone depleting substances and sulphur hexafluoride
Waste	Waste by type, recycling and reuse of inert material
Water	Water usage in offices, factories, abstraction and other large water usage
Other impacts	Damaging substance use, e.g. persistent herbicides Noise and vibration nuisance Supply chain activities Biodiversity and operations in proximity to sensitive areas Biodiversity and operations in proximity to sensitive areas

Reporting

In 2006 we implemented an online reporting system, Enablon.

This web accessed database will help us collect, monitor and manage our environmental performance data and so understand and improve our environmental footprint.

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