Challenge
Colas takes its corporate social responsibility seriously, embedding this into business activity. Over recent years the company has undergone major transformation becoming a global leader in sustainability and environmental best practice. Colas adopted low carbon techniques and solutions to pursue its global carbon emission target of 30% by 2030, and Colas LTD’s target of 46% by 2030 against 2019 levels. Colas is one of the world’s top five recyclers through the principles of circular economy like recycling and reusing materials from deconstruction.
Colas didn’t want to stop there. The company has also
signed up to the science based targets initiative,
committing to a net-zero target in line with limiting
global warming to a 1.5°C future.
This ambition goal posed several key challenges:
1. Speed – The data Colas reported on was collated
internally using spreadsheets which created a time lag in understanding actual performance.
2. Consistent and accurate performance reporting
– Colas recognised that comparative analysis would help confirm effectiveness of innovation and implementation of best practice.
3. Effective measurement – The demonstration of global
environmental and sustainability leadership performance data across activities was needed to meet their targets.
The Process
Colas chose SmartWaste because it can effectively manage and report on key performance data and support positive change. Emma Murray, the CSR and Environmental Manager at Colas, had used SmartWaste in the past and found it a simple system to use, a cost-effective solution that catered for the environmental and sustainability topics that Colas is passionate about.
Colas enjoyed working with the SmartWaste team: Diva Shah, Amanda Holt, Chris Abraham and Antonio Hernandez. They were able to bring their ideas about energy and vehicle usage data input to the table, confident that the team would own the challenge and make it happen. SmartWaste also managed the third parties and the project to success so Colas did not need to worry about the technical aspects.
Outcome
Whilst it is early days in Colas’ use of SmartWaste, the implementation is already providing faster availably of accurate and consistent performance data, proving valuable in helping Colas to achieve on its environmental and sustainability transformation strategy.
As a global business they already achieve 60% materials recycling and repurposing, whilst in the UK, using SmartWaste to measure actual performance, they are overachieving on their 98% target for diverting waste from landfill. Colas are working with SmartWaste to deliver on their commitment to a net-zero target in line with limiting global warming to a 1.5°C future. The implementation of Scope 3 across the organisation’s supply chain to deliver on site-based targets is underway. The measurement of supporting activities, such as the roll-out of electric vehicles and switching depots to renewable energy is also being worked on.
Benefits
The implementation of SmartWaste has helped the Colas team to measure how successful it has been in achieving its transformation strategy. SmartWaste has enabled the fast, consistent and disciplined collection of key performance data including:
• Distance travelled (of materials, waste and staff)
• Water usage
• Energy usage
• Fuel consumption for staff transport
• Scope 1, 2 and 3 CO2e carbon emissions
Staff are now empowered to understand the implications of their actions and affect positive change.
The SmartWaste team worked with us to deliver on data capture and reporting
requirements. They took our ideas and manged them through to a successful outcome, co-ordinating third parties and taking on responsibility for delivery.
Emma Murray, CSR and Environmental Manager, Colas Ltd.
About Colas
Colas is a world leader in transport infrastructure, operating across 50 countries with more than 54,000 staff. Its principal business activities include the construction and maintenance of roads, highways, airport runways, reserved-lane public transport (tramways, bus rapid transit), environmental
development, civil engineering and traffic management.
Colas also designs, engineers, constructs and maintains large, complex railway projects, as well as manufacturing, distributing and recycling a range of construction materials.
For more information on Colas:
+44 (0) 1342 711 000
[email protected]
www.colas.co.uk
About SmartWaste
SmartWaste is the leading environmental social and governance (ESG) platform for the built environment. It supports net zero carbon, circularity or social value objectives and captures biodiversity, energy, materials, transport, waste and water data.
SmartWaste can support you on your environmental and sustainability reporting. Book your free demo now:
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