BALFOUR Beatty has announced an update of its Building New Futures Sustainability Strategy.
The contractor explained the strategy ensures a ‘holistic approach’ that addresses the interconnected challenges and opportunities with six focus areas encompassing climate change, nature positive, resource efficiency, supply chain integrity, community engagement and employee diversity, equity and inclusion.
The updated strategy sees the company commit to new UK targets in two focus areas: community engagement and nature positive.
An increased social value target which will see the company aim to deliver £6 billion of social value in the UK by 2030 (previously £3 billion by 2025), while a new UK social impact targets dedicating 60,000 hours to education engagement by 2030.
Balfour Beatty also has its sights set on measurable, annually evolving targets to halt UK nature loss by 2030, which align with an initiative to reverse biodiversity loss.
These community engagement targets will be supported by the appointment of STEM Learning as Balfour Beatty’s UK corporate charity partner through which the company will support teacher training, mentoring, and work placements.
The business is also introducing a new community engagement platform to connect employees directly with community projects in need of funding or volunteers. The platform will be launched in phases over the coming months.
Balfour Beatty’s nature positive targets will be overseen by its team of in-house ecologists.
Jo Gilroy, group director of sustainability at Balfour Beatty, said, “By strengthening our community engagement targets and introducing a new nature positive approach, we’re turning words into action; ensuring that we’re building communities and protecting and enhancing the natural environment side by side.
“We’re focused on six areas which form our Building New Futures Sustainability Strategy and are committed to ensuring each and every part of our business has the knowledge, tools and support needed to deliver meaningful, measurable and lasting benefits in each of these areas for people, places and nature. It is critical that we take responsibility for safeguarding the natural resources and communities we depend on. Every action counts.”
To read Balfour Beatty’s updated Building New Futures Sustainability Strategy in full click here.
