Carillion misses half its sustainability targets

Contractor Carillion is behind schedule on meeting half of it sustainability targets, its annual sustainability report reveals.

The firm has yet to meet 11 of its 22 targets it set itself for the year.

Among the targets missed are goals to divert 87% of waste from landfill; to source all timber from certified responsible sources and to reduce electricity consumption in Carillion’s offices by 5%.

However, the firm exceeded a number of other targets.

It aimed to reduce gas consumption in its offices by 5% but reduced it by 17%. It also reduced its All Accident Frequency Rate by 20%, when it had only aimed for a 12% reduction.

On many of the missed targets the firm committed itself to reach even higher standards in 2013. For example it pledged to divert 91% of its waste from landfill in 2013 despite only diverting 86% in 2012.

Carillion met ten of its targets in total and one was flagged as on track.

It also reduced its carbon footprint by 20% from 265,743 tonnes of CO² in 2011 to 211,795 tonnes of CO² in 2012. Much of this reduction was in the UK business which reduced carbon footprint by 31%.

Writing in the report Richard Howson, chief executive of Carillion, said: “We are well positioned to meet the challenges of developing a low-carbon economy and to take advantage of the growing number of opportunities that this will generate, in terms of helping our public and private sector customers to cut carbon and reduce their energy costs.”

Speaking at the reports launch energy minister Greg Barker said Carillion was “rising the challenge” of being more energy efficiency.

He added: “Carillion is also helping drive forward ground breaking projects, such as the Birmingham Energy Savers programme, raising awareness of the benefits of the Green Deal and encouraging householders to get onboard. I wish Carillion every success with their endeavours.”