OUR SUSTAINABILITY JOURNEY

Sustainability can mean different things to different people, however in its broadest sense it is an integrated approach to environmental, social, and economic development. The balance between these three pillars is becoming increasingly more urgent as we cannot continue to maintain a functioning society without a huge cost to our environment.

To continue to have a planet where we all can prosper requires us to urgently address climate change and halt biodiversity loss.

Climate Change

We are already seeing the devastating effects of climate change around the world – increased flooding and droughts. Last year more than 25 countries had their hottest year on record. The science is clear. The next decade is crucial for climate action. In line with the goal of the Paris Agreement, we need to reach net zero emissions by 2050 to limit global temperature increases to 1.5 degrees Celsius. However, we will only be able to achieve this goal if we cut our current emissions in half by 2030, which is less than 7 years away.

What this means is that all of us have both a responsibility to act now, both at work and in our own lives. Sustainability is not another department, or project within the company. It needs to be embedded in the work we all do every day. We all need to consider how we can do things differently in our jobs to reduce our impact on the environment. This may include activities such as collaborating on projects with our suppliers and customers, procuring more sustainable materials, measuring the carbon footprint of our projects, re-using materials, and managing waste correctly.

We now need to work together to imbed this framework into our processes and activities across our business divisions.

At Jones Engineering

Many of our clients are now asking us what we can do through tenders, pre-quals and supplier engagement surveys. Right now, they are using a ‘carrot’ approach, but the direction of travel suggests that companies may start to exclude suppliers if they are not addressing sustainability in their business. Globally the construction industry is responsible for 38% of the world’s carbon emissions.

Our sector is going to come under increasing pressure to decarbonise over the coming years, especially given the projected increases in demand for new buildings.

So, What Can We Do?

Our ambition is simple - to continue to grow our business in a responsible and sustainable manner with consideration to the environmental and social impacts of everything we do. While we recognise that sustainability is a journey, we have now established a responsible business framework to manage both our environmental and social impact.

Our Responsible Business Framework will support us in reaching our ambition. It consists of four pillars: Our People, Our Planet, Our Products and Services and Our Community and is aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Our People

Pillar Leads

Carmel Walsh

Sarah Nolan

Ian Davy

Pillar Team

Our Planet

Pillar Leads

Stavros Iacovou

Peter Ennis

Ray Greene

Pillar Lead