Ontario Construction News staff writer
Aecon Group Inc. has released its second annual Sustainability Report, outlining what the contractor describes as โprogress and key accomplishments in responsible Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices.โ
The company says in a statement that the report includes a comprehensive Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventory of direct emissions from all its operations in 2020. Aecon also announced that it has set a target to reach net-zero by 2050, with an initial interim target to achieve a 30 per cent reduction in direct CO2 emissions by 2030 as compared to 2020.
โAecon is proud to release its second annual Sustainability Report, Building Better Together, demonstrating the momentum of Aeconโs sustainability program and our proven resiliency as we continue to deliver vital infrastructure in Canada and beyond amidst a challenging COVID-19 operating environment,โ said Aeconโs president and CEO Jean-Louis Servranckx
โThe completion of a comprehensive GHG emissions inventory with direct and measurable targets positions Aecon as an industry leader in this important area โ underscoring our commitment to harness innovation, reduce waste, boost efficiency and consistently improve business performance.โ
Report highlights include progress in what Aecon describes as four key priority areas:
- People: Aecon completed its first diversity and inclusion census, which will help benchmark ongoing progress in dismantling barriers between talented people of all backgrounds and opportunities enterprise-wide.
- Environment: Aecon expanded its GHG emissions inventory to include its construction projects. Completing a comprehensive emissions inventory has enabled us to develop a strategy to reduce direct CO2 emissions by 30 per cent by 2030 as compared to 2020 and to set an aspirational target of net-zero by 2050 (indirect and direct CO2 emissions).
- Communities: Aecon expanded its procurement program for Indigenous-owned businesses, increased Indigenous engagement accountability, augmented its corporate philanthropy program and advanced multiple innovative community joint ventures and partnerships. Aecon is proud to be a partner of the Inclusive Local Economic Opportunity (ILEO) initiative โ a pilot project with the United Way Greater Toronto to catalyze local economic development opportunities in the Golden Mile area of Scarborough, Ontario.
- Governance and Ethics: Aecon expanded its anti-bribery and anti-corruption training and certification programs, introduced new tools for anonymous reporting of ethics concerns, and fortified its sustainability leadership team.
โAecon is dedicated to both realizing and catalyzing positive change. Along with our partners and clients, Aecon is leading the way in building thriving communities that support the transition to a net-zero economy,โ said Yonni Fushman, executive vice-president, chief legal officer and chief sustainability officer. โAecon is unwavering in our drive to clearly be the number one Canadian infrastructure company and to consistently set industry benchmarks for sustainable operations and ESG reporting. Aeconโs sustainability program is integral to our core business as we move forward.โ
The complete report is available on Aeconโs website at www.aecon.com/sustainability.