Cookstown to reduce carbon emissions by burning less fossil fuel in the kiln. The fuel is used to heat the limestone up
R I G H T AT T H E H E A R T O F
S U STA I N A B I L I T Y
CONTENTS MATERIALITY......................................... 06 CLIMATE..................................................... 11 WATER & NATURE.............................. 21 CIRCULAR ECONOMY..................... 29 PEOPLE & COMMUNITIES ............ 35 OUR PERFORMANCE ...................... 46 VERIFICATION STATEMENT ...... 48
FRANÇOIS PETRY
We would welcome your comments, suggestions and thoughts on this report by emailing
[email protected]
SUSTAINABILITY AT THE HEART OF OUR BUSINESS In addition to the shape of our organisation changing in 2016 to include Lafarge Cement and Lytag, we also redefined our sustainability strategy and targets to 2020 with a longer term view to 2030.
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
For Aggregate Industries, sustainability is not only about the continued success of our company, but also our impact on the environment and on our people and the communities in which we operate. As part of LafargeHolcim, it is our desire to make a positive contribution to the built environment now and for future generations. As a major supplier of building materials it is always at the forefront of our minds how best to prevent and mitigate any impact our products have on people, the environment and the economy. This is why we produce an annual Sustainability Report to externally share progress on our specific targets, which are fundamental to achieving and maintaining our overall goals. After two years in the newly merged LafargeHolcim Group, we have now successfully introduced cement manufacturing into the UK product portfolio, this includes securing essential third party certification to ISO 14001, 9001 & OHSAS 18001 standards.
September 2017
Being at the heart of the construction industry means we take our responsibility to the environment and communities in which we operate in very seriously.
03
Another milestone to highlight is the completion of Lytag’s first full year as part of the business, and achieving BES 6001 Excellent certification. As a product that prides itself on sustainable innovation, we are excited to see its full potential realised within the UK market in the decades to come.
DONNA HUNT HEAD OF SUSTAINABILITY
During the year, we also welcomed the new UK Operational Excellence Team, which is tasked with helping to further drive down energy consumption and improve efficiencies across the business.
Our new commitments focus on the themes that are most material to our business: Climate, Water & Nature, Circular Economy, People & Communities and these 4 themes form the structure of this report.
In addition, we are pleased to report positive progress on the Bardon Hill Extension project, which ensures this key site remains operational for another 40 years. As part of this, we recently launched the first phase of the Bardon Community Fund, which will provide a total of £400,000 to support local community initiatives over the next ten years.
Our responsibility extends to our customers, our employees and the communities in which we operate and there are many examples our progress in this report, some of which are highlighted here.
For us, health and safety is our overarching group value. Therefore, it is at the heart of everything that we do. Nothing is more important to us than the wellbeing of our people, which is why 2016 saw the launch of our three year health and safety Improvement Plan, which we are now delivering throughout the business. Looking ahead, we will continue to look for innovative ways for Aggregate Industries to contribute to solving some of the UK’s sustainability challenges, as we believe we are equipped to effect a real change.
François Petry Chief Executive Officer
• The successful integration of Lytag and their certification to BES 6001 ‘Excellent’. •
We implemented a new LafargeHolcim Sustainable Procurement Standard and rolled out a new Supplier Code of Conduct to align with our focus on human rights assessments and Modern Slavery risks.
•
The number of hours our people have volunteered and the value of materials we have donated to community projects are at an all time high, demonstrating our ongoing commitment to the communities in which we operate.
•
We launched a new ‘Concrete Rugby’ partnership with Leicester Tigers, aiming to engage children in sports, motivating an improvement in lifestyle, wellbeing and safety.
• Our main extractive sites have all achieved The Wildlife Trust’s Biodiversity Benchmark Status and we are working to implement Biodiversity Indicator
Recording Systems across additional sites, encouraging more places for nature. •
Energy and carbon reduction continues to be a challenge and are key areas of focus for us, even more so now that we have 2 cement plants, however the cement plants have made good progress to increase the percentage of alternative fuels utilised. Our Operational Excellence teams are driving energy efficiencies across our own operations and, to extend the benefit beyond our own organisation, 33 of our asphalt plants participate in a scheme that utilises our bitumen tanks to help the National Grid balance the UK’s electricity capacity requirements.
However, our new 2020 targets are challenging and will not be achieved without continued significant improvements. We continue to focus on the areas where our progress is slower and requires improvement. •
Our injury frequency rate increased during the year, which is disappointing. As a top priority for Aggregate Industries we are working hard to reverse this trend and have launched a 5 point Health & Safety Improvement Plan.
•
Our total volumes of waste produced have risen, however we have increased the volumes we recover and recycle by 23,000 tonnes in addition to the almost 600,000 tonnes of asphalt recycled.
• Our water use is still a challenge and we are improving our data monitoring accuracy and systems to enable us to focus our improvement efforts effectively. The progress we have achieved in 2016 is as a result of the hard work and focused effort of our colleagues, suppliers and partners across all our operations, ensuring that we operate responsibly, innovatively and sustainably. Ongoing communication and engagement with our workforce is now essential to enable us to achieve our challenging goals. We will continue to focus on delivering solutions and positive impacts for society and environment and I look forward to sharing our progress as we continue to drive performance towards our targets.
Donna Hunt Head of Sustainability
Sustainability is at the heart of our business, from our values to our vision and is one of our strategic pillars. Our commitments focus on the themes that are most material to our business: Climate, Water & Nature, Circular Economy, People & Communities. Our aim is to be a leading sustainable business, trusted and respected by our stakeholders for the ethics we adopt and the products and services we supply. We continue to collaborate and engage with our customers to build better relationships, develop innovative products and services and enable low carbon sustainable construction.
05 Climate
Water & Nature
Circular Economy
People & Communities
CLIMATE
WATER & NATURE
CIRCULAR ECONOMY
PEOPLE & COMMUNITY
We reduce our impact on climate change through the development, manufacture or promotion of innovative and sustainable products and solutions.
We minimize our impact on water resources by reducing water withdrawal through the use of recycling, the promotion of water efficient practices and a responsible management of water discharges.
We take a whole life approach when considering our impacts and opportunities. In addition to considering the extraction, production, manufacture and transport impacts of our products we also consider the performance of our products in use and the opportunities for reuse or recycling at end of use.
We aim to make a positive impact in the areas in which we operate and we are dedicated to creating shared and sustainable value for all stakeholders. We are committed to being a responsible partner, effectively contributing to improving the quality of life of the members of our workforce, their families and the communities around our operations.
We optimise the use of energy and promote energy efficiency, and, where practicable, the use of renewable energy sources and energy recovery. We aim to reduce the use of nonrenewable resources and, where it is safe as well as technically and economically relevant, replace them with substitute raw materials, alternative fuels and biomass.
We implement biodiversity management plans for all active extraction sites and work to protect, restore and enhance biodiversity habitats and species on and around our sites. We develop rehabilitation / restoration / reclamation plans that take into account the needs and expectations of our stakeholders and, where feasible and relevant, fosters wildlife habitat creation that contributes to the conservation of species. Across our land holdings we also create wetlands, build dry stone walls, plant trees and provide natural landscapes and habitats for plants and animals to thrive.
We improve resource efficiency through reuse, recovery and/or recycling of waste materials in own production processes and, where feasible, minimize the generation of any hazardous and other waste, and we dispose of waste using safe and responsible methods.
Our people and suppliers are the key to our success and integral to our ability to deliver a sustainable and innovative business. We promote a workplace that is safe, healthy, diverse, inclusive and respectful. We also encourage our teams to reach their full potential through ongoing learning and development at every level within the business. We actively contribute to the social and economic development of the communities in which we operate through community engagement and employee volunteering. We are involved in community liaison meetings, we hold open days for the general public, we visits schools and we provide resources, time and materials for community benefit.
07
The 2016 report highlights our performance in our first full year of operation following our integration with LafargeHolcim and provides the progress and commentary against our new sustainability targets to take the business to 2020 with a longer term strategic vision of where we want to be by 2030.
This report covers the reporting period of January to December 2016 and includes information from all our operations, now including Lafarge Cement and Lytag. To provide assurance following the changes to our organisational shape and our new 2020 targets, the key data in this report has been reviewed by an independent verifier. As part of a major global business, this report compliments and should be read in conjunction with the LafargeHolcim Annual Report and the LafargeHolcim Sustainable Development report as these are highly relevant in terms of complete accountability and disclosures.
Corporate governance Sustainable products and innovation Local community engagment and management of local community impacts
HIGH
Materials, recycling and circular economy
Air emissions management
Waste management
MEDIUM
The LafargeHolcim stakeholders material issues were spread across environment, social and governance issues as well as the company's value chain, from supplier management to sustainable products. The LafargeHolcim external stakeholders concluded that due to the size of the company and the impacts, a leadership position was required on most material issues to drive better performance in these areas.
Our commitments focus on the themes that are most material to our business: Climate, Water & Nature, Circular Economy, People & Communities and these 4 themes form the structure of this report.
Water management
Biodiversity and ecosystems management
Human rights management Risk management Local economic value creation
Pricing integrity and anti-trust compliance
Supply chain management
Employee training and development Customer relations and customer satisfaction
Employee diversity and inclusion
LOW
We currently base the decisions about what is material to us on the process carried out by our parent company LafargeHolcim.
Health and safety
Business ethics and compliance Renewable energy sourcing
SOCIETAL CONCERN
MATERIALITY
Greenhouse gas emissions and energy management
Employee relations and engagment
Transport and logistics Employee work-life balance and well-being
LOW
MEDIUM
IMPORTANCE TO LAFARGEHOLCIM
HIGH
09
2016 PERFORMANCE DATA 34 197,590
4,143
process emissions kgCO2e/tonne
569
5.55
staff with over 25 years service
6.18 2015
6.31
14.31 2016
2014
0
2013
employees
environmental, health or safety prosecutions
graduates and apprentices recruited
9
training hours delivered
83% 17%
sites with a Wildlife Trust’s Biodiversity Benchmark
male
female
3.9 2013
over
2,000
4.7
water consumption (million m3)
3.9 2015
2014
9.7 2016
health surveillance checks carried out
2,721
all transport emissions kgCO2e/tonne
2.70 million m3
READY-MIXED CONCRETE
5.40 million tonnes
ASPHALT
1.90 million tonnes PRECAST CONCRETE
3.13
300
2013
operations in the UK, Channel Islands and Northern Europe
3.07 2014
3.02 2015
hours of labour donated
3.57 2016
Lorry movements reduced by...
97%
415,000 ...by using rail and ship transport
AGGREGATES waste to landfill (tonnes)
of all waste recycled
29.90 million tonnes
1,048
educational visits
7,522 2013
1,388 2014
2,082 2015
3,925 2016
£74,489 worth of materials donated
£43,286 in financial donations
CLIMATE At Aggregate Industries we’ll continue our mission to cut our net CO2 emissions of all products. With a strong portfolio of sustainable products and services, we will help our customers avoid CO2 emissions released from buildings and infrastructure over the whole life-cycle.
CLIMATE
11
OUR TARGETS We’ve defined specific targets which are fundamental to achieving and maintaining sustainable climate goals.
By 2030 LafargeHolcim want to produce 40% less net CO2 per tonne of cement than they did in 1990. For our cement plants this represents a 20% reduction in CO2 per tonne, using 2016 as the reference year. This will be achieved by optimising the use of secondary materials in blended cements, replacing carbon based fuels and through the implementation of energy efficiency improvements. The addition of the cement operations to the UK business has seen our energy profile and mix change significantly compared to early 2015. Our cement plants are utilising an increasing amount of waste-derived fuels and sustainable biomass to provide up to 48% of the plants’ energy demand – making our plants net importers of waste and helping to avoid waste going to landfill. Overall we have seen a 5% decrease in electricity consumption compared to 2015. However, our use of natural gas and liquid fuels has seen our overall process emissions intensity increase this year. We continue to purchase 99% of our electricity from renewable sources, as well as generating our own electricity from renewable sources.
OPERATIONAL TARGETS
EMBODIED CARBON
We are committed to tackling climate change. Our climate targets reflect that commitment. We have set ourselves two distinct targets as a step towards our 2030 goals.
We carry out carbon calculations on our products to allow customers to make informed decisions about the products they require. We measure the embodied carbon in our products through the use of third party verified Environmental Product Declarations (EPD).
We are determined to reduce our emissions per tonne by improving the energy efficiency of our production facilities and through the increased use of by-products and waste-derived resources as raw materials and fuels. We continue to focus on providing our customers with lower carbon, resource efficient products and solutions.
During 2017 we will publish more EPD for our products and will continue to provide our customers with carbon calculations for our products.
TARGETS TO 2020 5% P.A. OPERATIONAL ENERGY INTENSITY IMPROVEMENT (18.5% total improvement by 2020)
5% P.A. OPERATIONAL GHG INTENSITY IMPROVEMENT (18.5% total improvement by 2020)
TRACK TRANSPORT GHG INTENSITY INDICATORS IN THE SHORT-TERM TO SET 2030 TARGETS
13
TRANSPORT IMPACTS Delivering our products creates carbon emissions from the fuel used by vehicles. We’re committed to removing as much transport from roads as possible through the use of rail and water transport. Our aim is to maximise the distribution of aggregates by rail and water, but due to the nature of asphalt and ready-mixed concrete (RMX) road transport is the only real option.
CLIMATE
FOCUS AREAS
In 2015, Aggregate Industries were the first UK heavyweight construction company to publish a suite of Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) for our paving and construction products. In 2016 we added a new EPD for the launch of the innovative Eco Countryside Cycle Kerb. EPD are third party verified Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) of products carried out in accordance with European Standard BS EN 15804:2012.
During 2016, we collaborated with our concrete admixture supplier, BASF Construction Chemicals, to produce EPD for three of our proprietary ready mix concrete products. The BASF LCA tool is unique in that it allows two concrete mix designs to be analysed simultaneously in order to allow immediate comparisons of Global Warming Potential (CO2) and 23 other parameters. Aggregate Industries have chosen to limit the scope of our EPD to the assessment of the production stage only (cradle-to-gate) and they are based on single production units. We believe that this gives our customers a true picture of the environmental impacts of a product on the elements we control. In addition, we are able to produce EPD for the full life cycle of a structure or building, which is based on information supplied by the client rather than generic data. We also offer our customers a CO2e calculation service using Product Carbon Footprinting tools (PCF) developed for us by the Carbon Trust. This allows our Sales and Technical staff to calculate the embodied carbon within a matter of hours of receiving requests from customers. The PCF uses the mix design, transportation of raw materials, plant operations and delivery to site to calculate the CO2e of a concrete mix. As these calculations are based on each mix design, the calculations are bespoke per project and are not based on generic information. By using this calculation facility prior to a project starting, customers can be confident they are ordering a concrete mix that has the lowest possible embodied CO2e.
BASF are proud to be working with Aggregate Industries using our Life Cycle Analyser tool. By working together, we have released the first BS EN 15804 compliant EPD for ready-mixed concrete. Over the next few years there will be an increasing focus on the LCA and EPD of construction products; this will create a step change in materials specification and lead to more sustainable products and solutions for the wider construction market.
Dr Geoff Mackey, Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Director, BASF.
We are always looking for ways to reduce our energy consumption and costs, and at the same time reduce our emissions. When we found out that Demand Side Response (DSR) could help us do all these things, we became very interested. Open Energi with Aggregate Industries Winner of the ADE award for Industrial Project of the Year.
WHAT WE DID We teamed up with energy specialists Open Energi to identify our activities that fit the dynamic frequency response management profile. In other words, activities where we can safely automate the switching on or off of power – without affecting quality – in order to help balance the national electricity grid.
The first equipment we included in the scheme was our bitumen tanks which heat bitumen for making asphalt. We found that turning off our bitumen tank heaters in response to short-term fluctuations in supply and demand doesn’t affect the quality of our product at all. Well-maintained and insulated bitumen tanks can be switched off for over an hour with only a one-degree change in temperature. The tanks’ temperature bands act as control parameters; if the temperature is within those bands switching can take place automatically. The average duration of a switch is less than five minutes. Essentially the intervention is invisible and has no impact on our operations, yet we are providing a valuable service to National Grid 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Equipment was initially fitted to 133 of our bitumen tanks at 42 asphalt plants around the country. It has proved so successful that we’ve extended it to 11 quarry pumps at two quarries, and we are also reviewing all our sites, operations and equipment to identify further activities to bring into the scheme.
Embracing this innovative technology has helped us achieve 3.6MW per year of flexible demand for the grid. In terms of emissions that is almost 50,000 tonnes of CO2 avoided over five years – equivalent to saving 390,000 flights between Paris and London! And thanks to Open Energi’s metering and monitoring equipment, we have new data which can help us identify where the bitumen tanks may be inefficient or not running correctly, which in turn we can use to make adjustments to achieve even more energy savings. We’re really pleased to be part of the DSR scheme with National Grid and Open Energi and we want to help get the message about how well it works. Through our partnership with the Living Grid network, we share our experience of this emerging technology and encourage others to take up the opportunity too. Together we can create a positive change in the energy system that extends beyond our own organisation.
CLIMATE
DEMAND SIDE RESPONSE (DSR)
15
Collaborative relationships are at the heart of our success, especially when it comes to innovative solutions. Our early involvement in the A556 project allowed us to plan both an environmentally friendly materials solution, whilst keeping logistical carbon emissions as low as possible. The perfect example of this is our work improving a 4.5 mile stretch of the A556 by de-trunking the old A556 and constructing a new dual carriageway section of road between north Cheshire and south Manchester. Before the formal tender process began we were invited by Highways England to join competitors and designers for a unique industry workshop with the shared goal of uncovering the optimum scheme solution that would provide significant efficiencies to Highways England. This early involvement allowed us to fine tune those ideas when we eventually won the contract, developing an innovative, environmentally friendly concept using a circular economic model.
WHAT WE DID The idea was a composite paving solution, an approach which offered two key advantages. Combining Cement Bound Granular Mixture (CBGM) sub-base with a flexible asphalt pavement would provide both the reduced depth necessary to deal with a challenging subgrade, alongside the opportunity to recycle materials. We used a Vogele Super 1803-3i paver, with tier4 diesel with AdBlue® to minimise harmful diesel emissions with no compromise on performance or quality of the finished pavement. In addition, the paver worked at 108db which reduced the noise impact on the local community.
HOT-ON-HOT PAVING SITEBATCH TECHNOLOGY The composite CBGM design was able to encapsulate hazardous planings. We were able to use surplus stock from our Sheffield PFI contract. Since road emissions present a core part of our carbon footprint, we wanted to ensure the environmental benefit of recycled materials wasn’t undone by the transport logistics. Our solution was to move the recycled planings using vehicles returning to our Millom quarry in Cumbria. Establishing a mobile batching plant using SiteBatch Technologies® allowed us to save an additional 20% of CO2e emissions.
Highways England Pavement Efficiency Build Sub-Group identified pavement construction joints as the leading cause of pavement failure. Working alongside Kier Highways, we collectively developed an innovative solution to assist Highways England in achieving £1.2bn of efficiency savings to support its Road Investment Strategy.
WHAT WE DID We worked with Kier Highways to identify the ‘Hoton-Hot’ inline paving process. This solution reduces joints in pavement construction and improves pavement performance and longevity, ultimately delivering value for money to the taxpayer. Inline paving is the process whereby both asphalt layers are applied directly on top of one another hot-on-hot; without using a bond coat, in a single pass. The idea is that the material layers (Binder and Surface course) will interlock and form a tighter bond because they are being laid directly over one another whilst hot. The process is robust and enables changes to be made to pavement design thicknesses, while maintaining and enhancing its performance. Although specialist training was required for Supervisors and Operatives relating directly to the new process and equipment. We used core resources, coupled with revised scheme-specific method statements, training and pre-shift induction processes.
RESULTS During the trial stage, we collected positive data: • A stronger interlocking bond between hot Binder and Surface course layers • Material savings (reduced surface course volumes and bond coat) • A joint-free homogeneous pavement, resistant to water ingress damage • Higher shift output • More than 700 tonnes of pavement was laid in just over four hours!
CLIMATE
MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS MADE TO A556 BOWDON TO KNUTSFORD
17
MORE EFFICIENT TRANSPORTATION
It is important for Aggregate Industries to support construction techniques and systems that use concrete as their main structural medium, while providing exceptional thermal and air-tightness properties for new house-building projects.
We want to reduce our CO2e emissions, which meant driving down the number of lorries delivering materials via road, but ensuring that we are not compromising on our service to customers.
Houses constructed using these methods give the occupants high levels of thermal comfort together with low energy bills, attractive benefits for all home owners but particularly important for low income occupants and social housing clients.
WHAT WE'RE DOING As part of her Engineering Doctorate thesis, researcher Eirini Mantesi is undertaking a major evaluation of the energy consumption of Twiga Lodge in Surrey, newly built using Insulated Concrete Formwork (ICF) and constructed to high levels of thermal efficiency and air-tightness. This will form part of a unique research project providing invaluable data to allow comparisons to be evaluated between software predicted performance and “as-built” performance and is the first research project of this type in the UK. Twiga Lodge is designed to achieve near to Passivhaus levels, it is a two-storey, three-bedroom home, with a floor area of approximately 250m2. The research data provides an invaluable and accessible snapshot of how a building actually performs over an extended period of time and the comparisons made with simulation software can then be made and analysed accordingly. The monitoring study is designed to provide information on performance of ICF construction in the UK climatic context. The monitoring period is planned to last for 18 months, to investigate the thermal performance of ICF under all climatic conditions representative of a UK year, including at least two summers.
WHAT WE DID
In order to achieve this goal we moved as much of our logistics from road to rail and sea as we could. Over the year we transported over 10 million tonnes of aggregates by ship and a further 4 million by rail. Along with our major aggregate import terminals in Kent, Essex and Liverpool and their associated concrete plants we also have two smaller delivery wharfs with concrete plants both using aggregates delivered by ship from our Glensanda quarry, these are our new plants at Leith Docks serving the Edinburgh market and our newest plant at Barrow in Furness in Cumbria. The plant at Barrow has been built specifically to supply the BAE Systems project to upgrade the submarine construction yard located in the heart of Barrow. This large project includes an extension to the main production building (269m long x 51m wide x 59m high) along with engineering workshops and a range of other buildings and facilities.
3 quarries with on site rail sidings 3 aggregates import wharfs 4 rail linked aggregates depots 4 wharf side concrete plants 6 rail linked asphalt plants 14 rail linked concrete plants
The concrete for the project will be supplied from our new wharf side plant which uses aggregates delivered by ship directly to the wharf. The location of the plant has allowed us to reduce our impact on the environment by eliminating road deliveries of aggregates, the location of the plant also means concrete deliveries do not use the local road network alleviating congestion on the roads in Barrow town centre.
RESULTS Several of our plants achieved production milestones in 2016. Our plants at Heathrow and Sheffield – both less than three years old – produced over 1 million tonnes of asphalt, while our London Concrete plants produced over 1.25 million m3 of concrete – all of them using aggregates delivered by ship and rail.
CLIMATE
SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS
19
WATER & NATURE As water scarcity and flooding are increasingly important issues for society, our concern for responsible water use and management goes beyond our operational boundaries. We are committed to showing a positive impact, by reducing our own water consumption and by using current and former quarries as flood relief areas.
WATER & NATURE WATER AND NATURE
21
OUR TARGETS We aim to minimize our impact on water resources by reducing water withdrawal through the use of recycling, the promotion of water efficient practices and a responsible management of water discharges. We implement biodiversity management plans for all active extraction sites and work to protect, restore and enhance biodiversity habitats and species on and around our sites. We develop rehabilitation / restoration / reclamation plans that take into account the needs and expectations of our stakeholders and, where feasible and relevant, fosters wildlife habitat creation and contributes to the conservation of species. Across our land holdings we also create wetlands, build dry stone walls, plant trees and provide natural landscapes and excellent habitats for plants and animals to thrive.
TARGETS TO 2020 5% P.A. WATER INTENSITY REDUCTION 100% ACTIVE QUARRIES WITH BIRS IN PLACE (BIODIVERSITY INFORMATION RECORDING SYSTEM)
YEAR ON YEAR IMPROVEMENT IN NUMBER OF VALIDATED COMPLAINTS
23
WATER MANAGEMENT
PLACES FOR NATURE
To help us reduce our water consumption we are guided by the LafargeHolcim Water Directive that sets rules and regulations for managing water in a responsible manner. It also sets the framework for appropriate actions to manage risks and make a positive contribution to water resources and ecosystems. The reduction in water consumption will be achieved by increased use of recycled or grey water, the promotion of water efficient practices and responsible management of water discharges.
We will implement biodiversity management plans for all extraction sites and work to protect, restore and enhance habitats and species on and around our sites. The restoration plans for extraction sites will take into account the needs and expectations of our stakeholders. At smaller production sites (for example concrete and asphalt sites) we will create a “place for nature” to create habitats to encourage wildlife, examples include bird boxes, bug hotels or small areas of planting.
BIODIVERSITY INDICATOR REPORTING SYSTEM (BIRS) Our positive contribution to ecosystems is driven by the LafargeHolcim Biodiversity Indicator Reporting System (BIRS), this was developed over 3 years with a panel of experts from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The BIRS methodology requires annual surveys of site habitats that generates a numerical biodiversity score per site. Over time we expect each site score to increase, while extraction is taking place scores may be reduced before increasing as restoration takes place to create an enhanced landscape.
9
SITES CERTIFIED
We have nine extraction sites certified to The Wildlife Trusts Biodiversity Benchmark, we will increase the number of sites certified and continue to work with partners on Living Landscape projects in the South Mendips in Somerset and the Charnwood Forest in Leicestershire.
WATER & NATURE
FOCUS AREAS
Aggregate Industries are committed to the sustainable use of water in all its operations. Some are more challenging than others, however they all managed to protect water and biodiversity. Glensanda quarry shows the effort we will go through to achieve this. Understanding how water flows through our sites is an important element of managing a modern quarry and can be complex. In 2016, Aggregate Industries conducted in-depth research into the water balance of our quarry at Glensanda.
We improved our data collection and interpretation with phases one and two of the water metering project. The system and data reporting have been further developed and tested during 2016. Staff at all sites have been given access to the water metering platform. We envisage the system will go live for formal reporting in 2017.
2016 saw significant increases in Aggregate Industries’ water consumption. This is a result of the addition of the two cement plants and their associated quarries, improvements to water records at quarries as a result of the metering project and our new Lytag and Charcon factories.
Located on the Morvern peninsula in Scotland, Glensanda covers over 9 square kilometres and receives an annual average rainfall of 7.5mm per day (2.73 metres per year).
ABSTRACTED WATER m3 2015 2,499,924
+70%
2016 8,210,031
MAINS (POTABLE) WATER m3 2015 628,413
+2%
2016 638,187
This rain water is critical not only to the biodiversity and people living and working on the site, but also to our overall operation. Rain water is the only source of water available for use on the site and ensuring our use of it is sustainable over time is of vital importance. To aid this we have installed water monitoring equipment at eight key locations, which has been challenging as the equipment has to withstand extreme weather and the occasional deer with a liking for cables, which means all installation have to be reinforced to withstand both of these forces of nature.
We have used this research to further enhance our understanding of the sites 6 distinct water catchments. Each has unique values and uses, including supplying the sites accommodation blocks and offices with clean safe potable water, for utilisation in production processes, the creation of biodiversity rich habitats all while maintaining an ecological system that supports the existing wildlife. The top catchment area is 600 meters above sea level and there is a network of water channels and bodies that have to be maintained to support the existing wildlife. In the future having this understanding of the nature, quality and flows of the site water resources and what impacts our activities are having on it will continue to have a direct impact on how we manage the water resources at this important site. Coupled with our extensive metering project it allows us to actively protect and enhance water quality and the biodiversity value of the sites water features both now and for the future.
This research at Glensanda illustrates Aggregate Industries commitment to managing our future investment and ensuring our activities are in line with our industry wide commitments. This is to prioritise our use of the most sustainable water sources and protect the water environment by managing water being used and passing through our sites.
WATER & NATURE
WATER, A VITAL RESOURCE
The focus of activities in 2016 has been targeted on meter installation and telemetry development.
Phase two of the water metering project was completed during 2016, with an additional 20 quarry sites having been metered for abstraction, process water used and discharges. The project sees real-time data being collated centrally and analysed and reported throughout the business via a single point.
25
MILTON MATOR COMMON
Biodiversity is an important aspect of our whole business.
As well as large-scale initiatives, we work with various local and national conservation groups at a number of our sites. One such example is the Kingskerswell Natural History Society who hold work parties at our Stoneycombe quarry in Devon.
Aggregate Industries is a member of LafargeHolcim Group and biodiversity is a key component of the Group 2030 sustainable development ambitions. We take our responsibilities very seriously where our operations can impact on local areas, especially where habitats are fragmented or where infrastructure have impacted habitats. A great example of our care and attention in this area is the Charnwood Forest in Leicestershire. The Charnwood Forest is split by the M1 motorway. It’s also where we have extensive land holdings at Bardon, a working quarry producing 3 million tonnes of aggregates a year and where we are currently spending £80 million on a major extension of the quarry.
WHAT WE'RE DOING Bardon Hill Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) comprises a remnant of the once extensive Charnwood Forest heaths, including both heathland and woodland, possessing an interesting invertebrate fauna. Our SSSI is lowland heathland and is a priority habitat in Leicestershire. Since 2003 we have been managing the site with the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust and The Conservation Volunteers. The management works involve grazing with rare breed sheep and cattle between March and September, then a winter programme of clearance of birch scrub within the heathland.
RESULTS We are linking a substantial landholding via wildlife corridors to enable wildlife to flourish in an area containing several sites of special scientific interest (SSSI) including Bardon Hill. We are creating a healthy environment, rich in geology, wildlife and wild places
WHAT WE'RE DOING The area is threatened by scrub encroachment, so we have joined together with the Society and Butterfly Conservation to create favourable habitats for the Grizzled Skipper by holding work parties to clear scrub.
RESULTS The population of the Grizzled Skipper has been monitored and the results are encouraging. Moving forward we are liaising with Butterfly Conservation in planning the restoration of an area of the quarry to limestone grassland which it is hoped will become another grizzled skipper habitat. By tailoring our management of the site, we have also managed to create a diverse habitat that will support many other species of flora and fauna.
WATER & NATURE
CHARNWOOD FOREST, LEICESTERSHIRE
27
CIRCULAR ECONOMY At Aggregate Industries, we take a whole life approach when considering our impacts and opportunities of our products and activities. In addition to considering the extraction, production and transportation impacts of our products, we consider incorporating non-primary materials and the potential to recover, reuse and recycle products at end of use.
CIRCULAR ECONOMY
29
Our focus on the circular economy drives the efficient use of natural resources throughout their life cycle. There are a number of ways in which we are improving resource efficiency. Wherever feasible we aim to minimize the generation of waste in the first instance by focusing on design, or developing products that have greater durability or longevity in use. We recover and recycle waste materials and look for opportunities to increase the amount of recycled content in our products. We have access to LafargeHolcim’s global research and development facility to help us develop more innovative, resource and energy efficient products and solutions for our customers.
OUR AMBITION IS TO SEND ZERO WASTE TO LANDFILL TARGETS TO 2020 Year on year reduction to hazardous and nonhazardous waste to landfill intensity (kg/tonne) Year on year reduction to inert waste to landfill intensity (kg/tonne)
IMPROVED PERCENTAGE OF RECYCLED MATERIALS USED IN OUR PRODUCTS Total of 2.1 million tonnes reclaimed material used
31
ZERO WASTE TO LANDFILL
FUEL FROM WASTE
At our manufacturing sites and offices we have restructured our collection and recycling facilities to better reflect the nature of wastes being generated from these sites. We are continuing to strive towards our target of zero waste to landfill and we are working closely with our waste management service providers to increase our material recovery and to identify the sources and nature of our non recoverable waste materials. In this way we plan to reduce the volumes of non recyclable materials entering our waste stream.
At Aggregate Industries we are committed to sustainable and environmentally sound methods of disposal for all our waste including the wastes we use as fuel. We are actively sourcing waste as fuels from sources which have undergone effective material recovery prior to sending this material to our cement sites, where it is used as fuel for cement production. These fuels consist of a wide range of materials from wood and domestic waste to sewage sludges and tyres. Europe produces 350 million waste tyres each year, with only a limited market for their disposal. Working with GeoCycle, we are committed to identifying more sustainable and carbon efficient fuels.
CONSTRUCTION & DEMOLITION WASTE We will take construction and demolition waste (CDW) from redundant buildings and infrastructure to produce a recycled aggregate that can be used to replace virgin aggregates. Our aim is to produce a material that can be used in the whole construction chain, not just as low grade fill material. At our asphalt plants we will take worn out roads and reuse the aggregates and bitumen to produce new roads, reducing the embodied carbon of the new road.
CIRCULAR ECONOMY
OUR TARGETS
FOCUS AREAS
CEMENT KILNS FIRED BY WASTE
Ashley Farmer, one of our Higher Apprentices, was responsible for a project to improve Bardon Hill quarry’s waste management.
The use of waste to fuel cement kilns is not new, but until 2016 the Cookstown plant relied on traditional fuels. Since becoming part of Aggregate Industries this has changed.
The site had 75 individual general waste containers kept in 13 different locations on the site. The problems this created were: • Unnecessary cost of waste containers and frequent uncoordinated collections. • Prolonged visits of waste collection vehicles, and associated safety risks • Waste containers missed and left un-emptied • Overflowing containers when the more remote ones were not emptied • Poor segregation of waste due to lack of business unit ownership
WHAT WE DID
RESULTS
Ashley Farmer managed the whole project including developing toolbox talks and communicating the project to staff across the Bardon operation.
10% REDUCTION
The new system is much improved with clear collection points, fewer containers and where needed larger containers. The waste system is now supporting sites operations, reducing risk and saving us money.
in site total non hazardous waste generated and 100% of this material now being recovered or recycled.
30% REDUCTION in container locations
35% REDUCTION in waste containers on site, replacements are of the appropriate size and type.
CLEANER, SMARTER, CENTRALISED STORAGE BAYS with clear ownership and robust policing
BETTER SIGNAGE to reduce mixed waste disposal
After signing an agreement with Northern Ireland’s Environment Minister Mark. H. Durkan in 2015 our Cookstown Cement site has invested in the infrastructure to start utilising alternative fuels as a replacement for traditional fossil fuels. Trials of alternative fuels started in 2016. They demonstrated that the concept was viable and it would allow Cookstown to reduce carbon emissions by burning less fossil fuel in the kiln. The fuel is used to heat the limestone up to 1450°C to produce clinker, the main component of cement.
These early trials used plastic waste derived from old cars and domestic non recyclable waste, both were previously sent to landfill. Other non fossil fuels will be trialled and if successful used in due course. The alternative fuels produce up to 60% less carbon emissions compared to coal. During an average year we expect to save approximately 10,000 tonnes of carbon emissions at Cookstown plant and divert a similar tonnage of waste away from landfill.
Whilst we would all like to see our waste resources being recovered for direct reuse this is not currently practical and burning of fuels derived from waste has some distinct advantages over other methods of disposal. The high temperatures completely destroys the waste materials, which avoids the formation of dioxins and furans. It leaves no residue that needs to be landfilled, as the ash reacts with other components to form the manufactured product. Co-processing of wastes is an ideal solution to the waste problem that involves no risks to the environment.
CIRCULARECONOMY ECONOMY CIRCULAR
BARDON HILL WASTE MANAGEMENT
33
Our people and the communities in which we operate are important to us. We are committed to being a responsible partner, effectively contributing to improving the quality of life of the members of our workforce, their families and the communities around our operations.
PEOPLE & COMMUNITIES
PEOPLE & COMMUNITIES
35
OUR TARGETS We are committed to being a responsible partner, effectively contributing to improving the quality of life of the members of our workforce, their families and the communities around our operations.
HEALTH & SAFETY Health and safety is LafargeHolcim’s overarching value. Therefore, it is as the heart of everything that both Aggregate Industries and Lafarge Cement do.
OUR AMBITION IS ZERO HARM TO PEOPLE
Continual improvement in health and safety practices and process help us strive towards achieving our goal of ‘zero harm’ and ensuring a safe and healthy workplace.
TARGETS TO 2020 Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR) 1.37 or less Total Injury Frequency Rate (TIFR) 2.93 or less
CARING ABOUT HEALTH
We promote a workplace that is safe, healthy, diverse, inclusive and respectful. 25% of our graduates and 33% of our higher apprentices recruited this year were female which is encouraging progress. We develop and empower our people to reach their full potential, and we continue to bring in new talent – a total of 43 graduates, apprentices and industrial placements in 2016.
20% GENDER DIVERSITY
We attach as much importance to health as we do to safety, with a focus on controlling workplace health risks, ensuring fitness to perform work tasks safely and promoting the health and wellbeing of our employees and contractors.
We actively contribute to the social and economic development of the communities in which we operate through community engagement and employee volunteering. We are involved in community liaison meetings, we hold open days for the general public, we visits schools and we provide resources, time and materials for community benefit.
Number of people benefiting from: Labour hours volunteered during working hours Donations of products or finance
Health and Safety is our overarching value and continual improvement helps us towards our ultimate goal of ‘Zero harm’ and achieving a safe and healthy workforce.
260,000 BENEFICIARIES FROM OUR SOCIAL PROGRAMMES BY 2030
As well as having forty five mental heath first aiders throughout the business, we have an Employee Assistance Programme dedicated to providing resources to help employees overcome life's many challenges
STAKEHOLDER & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Aggregate Industries recognises the value of engaging with the communities in which we operate. By 2020 our extraction sites and cement plants will have formal Stakeholder Engagement plans (SEP). An SEP is developed in collaboration with local stakeholders which includes representatives from local government, associations, schools, and local NGOs. These stakeholders also participate in our Community Advisory Panel (CAPs) where community project ideas can be discussed as well as resolving any complaints about traffic, noise or blasting or any other issues that have impacted the community.
NURTURING TALENT Our focus remains on developing people and their capabilities, including identifying our talent pipeline and succession planning. We aim to enhance the skills of our people, offering them growth opportunities and improving performance.
37
DIVERSITY & INCLUSION Aggregate Industries values diversity and promotes a workplace that is inclusive, fair and which fosters respect for all employees. We promote equal opportunities in recruitment, employment, promotion, development, compensation and retention. We treat employees at all times with dignity and respect – this includes direct and contracted employees.
BUSINESS ETHICS & SUPPLY CHAIN We have introduced the LafargeHolcim Code of Business Conduct that is provided to all employees. We have risk profiled all job functions within the company, depending on the risk associated with a role either face to face training or e-learning is provided annually. All our suppliers were sent a copy of our Suppliers Code of Conduct and our terms and conditions have been updated to reflect these requirements.
PEOPLE & COMMUNITIES
FOCUS AREAS
voluntary labour to benefit the communities in which we operate.
During 2016 LafargeHolcim launched a three year Health and Safety Improvement Plan (HSIP). The HSIP focusses on five key aspects:
2016 saw a rise in the value of materials we donated and the number of hours our employees volunteered on community projects.
• Leadership and accountability • Health and Safety Management System • People capability • Effective execution • Transport and Road Safety
NURTURING TALENT
The Executive Committee of Aggregate Industries developed an improvement plan using this process to reduce the key health and safety risks in the business and improve safety performance across operations.
CARING ABOUT HEALTH A healthy workforce means fewer absences and incidents and means improved staff morale, employee engagement and overall business performance. All our employees have regular health checks and we’re focussing more on mental health, providing awareness courses and training for people to become mental health first aiders. This combined focus on physical and mental health will be part of the individual health plan we will launch in 2017.
STAKEHOLDER & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT We are involved in community liaison meetings, we hold open days for the general public, we visit schools and we provide materials, resources and
We encourage our people to reach their full potential through ongoing learning and development at every level within the business, and we provided almost 200,000 total hours of training in 2016. We develop and empower our people to reach their full potential, and we continue to bring new talent into the industry. We introduced 9 new Industrial Placements in 2016, bringing the total number of graduates, apprentices and industrial placements to an all time high of 43.
BUSINESS ETHICS & SUPPLY CHAIN We were the first company to be certified to BES 6001 (Responsible Sourcing of Construction Products) and have certified new sites and businesses as they joined Aggregate Industries, the latest being Lytag which is certified as Excellent. BES 6001 requires us to know our supply chains, so over the last five years we have built up a picture of our suppliers to ensure that we know who is supplying us and where raw materials are sourced from. In collaboration with the Sustainability Supply Chain School we carried out an industry first by mapping the full supply chain for the ubiquitous high visibility vests worn throughout the construction industry.
DIVERSITY & INCLUSION We will champion diversity and want to promote equality and diversity, we want to achieve a minimum 30% gender diversity at all management grades around our business by 2030. To achieve this, now and over the next few years we are investing heavily in our business diversity and inclusion programmes in order to ensure we have a more balanced workforce – with a particular focus on attracting more women. Remaining a male-centred business is not sustainable; if we are to plug the skills shortage then we can’t afford to dismiss half of the working population, there is a lot of work to be done if we are to achieve this but the wheels of change are in motion. Our research shows that more female students are taking up trade apprenticeships and we are seeing more female graduates every year. We have actively tried to increase the female intake for our graduate and higher apprenticeships schemes over recent years. As a result 25% of all graduates recruited in 2015 and 2016 were female and 33% of higher apprentices employed were female. Recent research conducted by LafargeHolcim, shows that women are slowly closing the gender gap when it comes to studying the trade-centred topics of science and engineering. In 2008, this figure stood at 32% and rose to 40% in 2015. It also found having a more diverse and inclusive workforce can help achieve a higher return on equity and better financial performance. This is because it can strengthen an organization’s intellectual capacity, providing the conditions to innovate and adapt in a fast-changing environment.
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH MEDICAL SCREENING All employees receive mandatory health medicals when they join the company. This is then repeated every two years for higher risk colleagues, including site and nightshift workers, and every three years for all other employees. In 2016 three colleagues were diagnosed with prostate cancer, following their company medical. All have had surgery and are now on the road to recovery.
MENTAL HEALTH We acknowledge that mental health is just as important as physical health. We run workshops and mental health first aid courses in partnership with the charity Mind. In 2016 300 employees attended awareness workshops and we now have 45 trained mental health first aiders in the business. These individuals can now provide help on a first aid basis and offer guidance to their colleagues about where to go for support. Just like our traditional safety first aiders, posters are placed at sites so our colleagues know who their site Mental Health First Aiders are and how to reach them for support.
FUND RAISING FOR CANCER RESEARCH Raising money to help fund cancer research is a topic close to the heart of the business. To raise the profile of the issue, in conjunction with Volvo Construction Equipment we have a Pink Paver to remind people of the issue. The machine has been so well received we have commissioned a second pink paver. Increasing numbers of offices and sites take part in the Macmillan "World Biggest Coffee Morning" while individual initiatives include a sponsored sky dive and pink hair dying. Louise Clerk from the Contracting Accounts Office is training to run the Brighton Marathon in aid of breast cancer. (shown below next to our first Pink Paver).
PEOPLE & COMMUNITIES
HEALTH & SAFETY
39
We care about the environment and communities around our sites and we expect that our suppliers products and services do the same. We collaborate with our suppliers to share best practice and develop their policies and procedures so they meet our requirements. In late 2016 all suppliers were issued with our very first supplier code of conduct which is based on the standards enshrined in the United Nations Global Compact.
MODERN SLAVERY To meet the requirements of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 (MSA) we will publish our transparency statement by June 2017. In September 2016 we published an interim statement on our website to enable stakeholders to see progress. We formed a company wide working group who have worked together to train, educate and support our colleagues and our supply chain in tackling modern slavery.
0% OF OUR ANNUAL 7 TURNOVER IS SPENT WITH OUR SUPPLY CHAIN OUR SUPPLY CHAIN PROFILE: • Based within 20 miles of an AI site • Have less than 50 full time employees (FTE’s) • Predominantly male • Aged 31-40 • 97% of high risk suppliers were assessed through Avetta • 122 key suppliers attended Supply Chain Sustainability School events
SUPPLIER ASSESSMENT
SUPPLIER DEVELOPMENT
Since 2012 to help us understand our supply chain for natural stone, we have partnered with The Forestry Trust (TFT) Responsible Stone Programme to audit suppliers based outside the EU. This enables us to source natural stone that is produced by operators who respect the environment and ensures they meet all their legal requirements including for pay and conditions, this in turn helps us meet the requirements of the MSA.
As a founding partner of the Supply Chain Sustainability School and a Gold member, we use the school to help us engage with our supply chain, as they represent a common approach to addressing sustainability within construction, facilities management, homes and infrastructure sector covering topics from circular economy to modern slavery and apprenticeships.
We use the Avetta (previously PICS) online tool to assess our high risk suppliers against safety, health, equal opportunities and environmental requirements set by the MPA and ourselves. The tool allows sites to review supplier performance to ensure that standards are maintained and if standards begin to slip for us to provide support.
In June we partnered with Morgan Sindall and Highways England at an Infrastructure Supplier Day in Derby to present and facilitate discussions on sustainable materials. In December Brian Downes, Major Projects Director, presented alongside Peel Ports in Manchester on sustainable logistics for the Liverpool 2 project. In 2016 all members of the Procurement team engaged with the School either through e-learning, supplier days or workshops.
CONCRETE RUGBY 2016 marked the launch of our new programme Concrete Rugby in partnership with Leicester Tigers RFC. The programme is aimed at introducing children to the challenge, discipline and fun of rugby, as well as teaching them valuable life skills.
WHAT WE DID
RESULTS
We’re proud to have a long history with Leicester Tigers, and Concrete Rugby is a great way to engage with the community, investing in people and helping them realise their full potential. From social media awareness and healthy eating to road and quarry safety, the programme covers a wide range of life coaching skills. Most importantly, it is the joy of discovering a new sport and competing with friends.
The Concrete Rugby programme has taken place in 13 schools this year alone, with over 1,000 children benefiting. Three schools took part in the Concrete Rugby Festival at Bardon Hill Sports Club. Aggregate Industries staff have had the opportunity to take part in the sessions, bringing the expertise that they have gained through their work to the life coaching sessions – and learning a bit of rugby too!
PEOPLE & COMMUNITIES
BUSINESS ETHICS & SUPPLY CHAIN
41
DEVELOPING AND SUPPORTING OUR PEOPLE We are driven to invest in our people, ensuring they are trained to the highest standard of safety and to their very best ability. This includes recruiting and developing young talent to fill skills gaps in our business and encourage a more sustainable future for us.
WHAT WE'RE DOING
THE HIGHEST QUALITY TRAINING RESULTS
Our Learning and Development team develop and review courses to improve and change their offering over the years. We have collaborated with people from different divisions to tailor training courses and apprenticeships that are relevant to our industry.
When it comes to training our people, we look at the best option for our employees – not the best price! The Government have introduced an Apprenticeship Levy of 0.5% of payroll costs to be paid by any company with a payroll of over £3 Million to encourage organisations to train their workforce. We attended a number of Apprenticeship Levy events in 2016 to understand what the levy would mean to our business and how we could use it to invest in the development of our employees.
APPRENTICESHIPS AND COACHING Our high standard apprenticeship scheme attracts and retains the very best young people. Along the way we are still learning, diversifying and improving the schemes that we offer.
As a business, we don’t want to compromise on quality and therefore we will not just be offering apprenticeships to reclaim the levy paid, instead we will ensure that there is a requirement for the apprentices recruited and there is support for them in the business. We currently offer nearly all our graduates and apprentices continued employment and expect this to continue in the future.
Our coaching has been so successful in Sales that during 2016 we started to roll this out across the Operational divisions. In 2016, 15 Engineering apprentices completed their apprenticeship.
IN 2016 WE RECRUITED: 3 Business & Finance apprentices 21 Engineering apprentices 5 Higher apprentices 5 Graduate trainees 9 Industrial Placement Students who will work in the business for a year before returning to university.
We joined the Aggregate Industries Higher Apprenticeship Scheme as we are both practical learners and felt that gaining hands-on experience in a company that has operations in over 70 countries means that the opportunities for progression are endless. Our apprenticeship has proved to be challenging but fulfilling, the reason for this is that we get to experience a little bit of everything and this has allowed us to have a better understanding of what career path we want to follow. We are now training to be Quantity Surveyors and are both heavily involved in measuring and managing our own zones. We have also both had the opportunity to embark on placements in different areas of the business including; Asphalt, Technical
and the Aggregates division, these placements have allowed us to gain a good understanding of the business and how diverse it really is. Aggregate Industries offers numerous opportunities for development and is especially good when it comes to developing apprentices. We both have our own tailored training plan and this allows us to ‘unearth our potential’ and drive our personal and professional development forward. At Aggregate Industries, everyone works together and we have both built fantastic relationships with a variety of people, and it is the focus on people that Aggregate Industries has that makes our job more enjoyable and rewarding. Isabel Keeton and Adam Wheeler Higher Apprentice scheme
I joined Aggregate Industries in 1989 as a temporary operative working at a concrete block manufacturing facility; in 1990 I was transferred to work at a quarry and became full-time. I learnt all aspects of drilling and blasting and shortly controlled all blasting activities. Aggregate Industries has provided me with countless opportunities to develop and has supported me since joining the business to become Operations Manager of the super quarry, Torr, which produces in excess of 5 million tonnes per annum. My main responsibilities as Operations Manager are to ensure the safety of everyone on site, that we operate to the highest of standards in all departments, we deliver to customer expectations, strive for innovation whilst safe guarding for the future generations and obviously delivering maximum returns.
I have thoroughly enjoyed the 28 years I have had at Aggregate Industries and the diversity the business has to offer makes every day a challenging but exciting one. The teams I have worked with throughout my time at the company have always been extremely close knit, meaning that support is always there when I need it. Aggregate Industries has provided me with a job for life and has supported my development from the very start, with training ranging from soft skills to gaining certifications and diplomas in management which were all sponsored by Aggregate Industries, proving the fact that the company are an investor in their people. Scott Ford, Operations Manager
PEOPLE & COMMUNITIES
43
Plymouth city centre vehicle safety demonstration The Queen's jubilee celebration, lighting the beacon on top of Bardon Hill
Cauldon school calendars
Uffculme school project before...
...and after
Defibrillator donation to Cauldon's community
PEOPLE & COMMUNITIES
PEOPLE & COMMUNITIES
45
Christmas lunch for the Duntilland community
47
2013 – 2016 PERFORMANCE DATA ENERGY & CARBON
2013
2014
2015
2016
7,522
1,388
2,082
3925
2013
2014
2015
2016
Gas usage (MWh)
217,067
281,295
256,695
287,366
Total waste to landfill – tonnes
Electricity usage (MWh)
159,659
156,022
158,653
316,051
Total waste recovered – tonnes
8,964
1,322
1,716
2008
Liquid fuel – all grades (MWh)
606,616
579,652
587,117
558,005
125,838
104,832
104683
–
–
–
456580
Total waste recycled including inert waste recycled – tonnes Total waste produced – tonnes
142,324
107,542
108,481
Waste derived fuels (MWh) Solid fuels (MWh)
–
–
–
638237
Process Emissions kgCO2e/ tonne
5.55
6.31
6.18
14.31
Transport Emissions kgCO2e/ tonne
3.13
3.07
3.02
3.57
Total Emissions kgCO2e/tonne
8.68
9.38
9.2
17.88
WATER 2013
2014
2015
2016
106,692,584
106,665,939
100,040,459
110,342,228
Discharge – sewer m3*
258,611
230,506
230,506
258,611
Quarry dewatering m3
16,843,623
19,648,688
16,943,259
19,876,604
Abstracted water m3
2,474,760
3,406,072
2,499,924
8,210,031
Grey water m3 (recycled process water)
808,390
725,178
761,202
611,845
Mains (potable) water m3
584,628
612,699
628,413
638,187
Consumption – total m3
3,867,778
4,743,949
3,889,539
9,760,844
Discharge – surface m3*
*Based on maximum licensed discharge
2013
2014
2015
2016
Fatalities (Employees, sub contractors and third party workers)
0
1
0
0
124677
Total Injury Frequency Rate (TIFR)
3.83
3.26
2.43
2.82
130610
Lost Time Injury Frequency (LTIFR)
0.65
1.26
0.97
1.69
Lost Time Injuries (Employees and subcontractors)
7
12
10
14
Lost Time Injuries (Third Party workers)
7
5
11
10
RAW MATERIALS USE 2013 Aggregates – million tonnes
2014
2015
2016
10.59
11.43
11.35
Cement – tonnes
761,856
766,582
796,055
874,777
Pulverised Fly Ash (PFA) – tonnes
162,035
159,043
75,754
32,650
Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBS) – tonnes
197,596
300,752
388,469
431,347
Water complaints
Recycled asphalt – tonnes
455,893
545,152
609,700
596,075
Packaging – tonnes
13,771
12,822
15783
15178
PRODUCTION FIGURES†
PEOPLE & COMMUNITIES
2015
2016
96
94
93
96
Full time equivalent employees (FTE)
3,543
3,441
4042
4143
Training hours per FTE Top and Senior management
10.39
10.6
10.43
10.31
Training hours per FTE middle management
25.32
26
25.04
25.19
Training hours per FTE others
53.36
55.1
52.17
53.41
Total hours of training per FTE
47.8
50.53
46.6
47.69
169,380
173,886
188340
197590
Leavers – total FTE
814
560
457
541
Leavers aged under 30
14%
20%
21%
17%
% of employees receiving a regular review
2014
2015
2016
Leavers aged 30 to 50
54%
53%
46%
47%
1
0
4
3
Leavers aged over 50
32%
27%
32%
36%
Visual complaints
3
0
0
0
Graduates recruited
0
9
4
5
Transport complaints
6
2
11
14
Apprentices recruited
28
23
31
29
Odour complaints
3
3
1
1
–
–
–
9
Blasting complaints
17
4
3
9
Dust complaints
11
8
8
3
1.80%
2.30%
2.5%
2.7%
Noise complaints
2
5
4
9
White FTE
79.00%
82.20%
75.5%
80.1%
Open days
2
3
2
0
Not disclosed FTE
19.20%
15.50%
22.0%
17.2%
1,614
2,076
1,898
1,048
–
–
–
83 % / 17%
2014
2015
2016
28.4
30.8
30.65
29.90
Ready-mixed concrete – million m3
2.1
2.4
2.61
2.70
Number of visitors
Asphalt – million tonnes
4.7
5.4
5.66
5.40
Recorded cash donations (£)
76,436
38,393
83462
43286
32,473
9,529
57,275
74,489
2,686
1,035
814
2,721
2
1.8
1.88
1.90
Value of materials donated (£)
Secondary aggregates (processing) – million tonnes
0.9
0.4
0.26
0.20
Sales of recycled material – million tonnes
Number of hours labour volunteered to community projects
0.5
0.7
0.70
0.80
†Cement production cannot be reported due to the Cement Market Order restrictions
2014
2013
2013 Aggregates – million tonnes
2013
Total hours of training
10.06
Precast – million tonnes
2013 – 2015: Aggregate Industries data 2016: Aggregate Industries & Lafarge Cement data
EMPLOYEES, RECRUITMENT & TRAINING
HEALTH & SAFETY
WASTE
2013 – 2015: Aggregate Industries data 2016: Aggregate Industries & Lafarge Cement data
Industrial placements ( 1 year) new for 2016 Ethnic minority FTE
Gender Split Male/Female
VERIFICATION STATEMENT Responsible Sourcing has become an increasingly significant part of the standards landscape in the construction industry. As a result, a number of construction product manufacturers have achieved certification to the BES 6001 standard for responsible sourcing. BES 6001 requires construction product manufacturers to demonstrate levels of achievement against a series of specific requirements. Within these requirements, some clauses contain compulsory requirements, with many also offering additional credits for achieving additional progress beyond the compulsory level. Depending upon the score achieved by the organisation, it is possible to gain a Pass, Good, Very Good or Excellent rating. Higher rating levels often require that the environmental and social data communicated to stakeholders is externally verified. This is Responsible Solutions Ltd statement on BES 6001 environmental and social activities (qualitative and quantitative) based on Aggregate Industries Ltd 2016 sustainability report.
49 NATURE AND SCOPE OF VERIFICATION
RESPONSIBLE SOURCING ISSUES
Responsible Solutions was commissioned by Aggregate Industries to verify a number of environmental and social issues which are communicated to stakeholders through the sustainability report. The scope of the data verified included all Aggregate Industries sites listed on the main certificate, as well as the Lytag and Lafarge cement sites.
The specific clauses of BES 6001 relevant to this verification are Greenhouse Gases (3.4.1); Resource Use (3.4.3); Waste (3.4.4); Water (3.4.5); Employment & Skills (3.4.9) and Community (3.4.10). The majority of the verification process focused on the metrics communicated to stakeholders; however, part of the process examined existing policy as per the requirements of the BES 6001 framework standard.
The scope of the verification focused on specific clauses in the BES 6001 V3.1 Framework Standard for the Responsible Sourcing of Construction Products.
The exercise was conducted to ensure that the information communicated to stakeholders was:
Responsible Solutions has not been involved in the preparation of the report in any circumstances.
STATEMENT ON RESPONSIBLE SOLUTIONS AND INDEPENDENCE Responsible Solutions has been supporting clients in demonstrating their sustainability credentials for over 10 years. Our team has, between them, over 120 years’ experience in supporting companies in a range of services including; Environmental Management Systems (including ISO 14001 and BS 8555); Responsible Sourcing (including BES 6001); Corporate Responsibility Strategies; Performance reporting/ verification and other services. Responsible Solutions is completely independent from Aggregate Industries without any bias or conflict of interest. The verification exercise was conducted by Dr James Upstill-Goddard who has experience of Responsible Sourcing in both commercial and academic capacities. Dr Upstill-Goddard has supported a number of different product manufacturers to certification to BES 6001 since 2011, and has also been involved in collaborative research on the topic in this time.
a) Materially accurate; b) Supported by appropriate documentation and evidence.
VERIFICATION STANDARD There is no specific verification standard for BES 6001, although greenhouse gas emissions are required to be calculated to the principles of ISO 14064-1. Many organisations often fall into a number of carbon measurement schemes such as EU ETS, CRCEES and CCA; therefore, direct emissions data are often already verified as part of legal compliance to a scheme. In such instances the existing verification can be accepted and other indirect energy streams verified to meet the principles of ISO 14064-1.
VERIFICATION OPINION Based on the information and data contained within the sustainability report we are satisfied that it provides a fair and balanced representation of Aggregate Industries’ sustainability activities in 2016 with respect to the requirements for BES 6001 clauses as described above. This verification opinion relates to Aggregate Industries’ operations based on a representative sample set. Based on our work we conclude that:
• The information presented in the sustainability report is materially accurate; • A reasonable level of assurance is given to the greenhouse gas calculations meaning that the GHG assertion is:
• Materially correct and a fair representation of the GHG data and information; and
• Is prepared in accordance with the requirements of the EU ETS.
• There was a process by which primary information was collated (i.e. bills, invoices, meters) and used for reporting purposes; primarily for clauses 3.4.1, 3.4.4 and 3.4.5; • Constituent materials were able to demonstrate environmental stewardship at source, primarily for clause 3.4.3 with a significant percentage of the supply chain having certification to ISO 14001; • Statements are materially accurate and supported by a range of documents from within the management systems and from reports, minutes, company publications and other sources; primarily for clauses 3.4.9 and 3.4.10.
Ian Nicholson 16 June 2017 Managing Director Responsible Solutions Ltd Building One, 30 Mountsorrel Road, Mountsorrel, Leics. LE12 7AT
Aggregate Industries Bardon Hall, Copt Oak Road Markfield, Leicestershire LE67 9PJ Tel: +44(0) 1530 816600 Fax: +44(0) 1530 816666 Email:
[email protected] www.aggregate.com
© Aggregate Industries UK Ltd 2017. Registered address: Bardon Hall, Copt Oak Road, Markfield, Leicestershire LE67 9PJ. No: 00245717
