Wienerberger Limited, a UK building solutions provider, has published its new sustainability strategy ‘Let’s Build Beyond’, a rallying call to Wienerberger’s people, partners and communities to collaborate and drive an equitable transition to a net zero emission, nature-positive built environment.
The construction sector is currently the UK’s largest consumer of materials, and the built environment accounts for around 40% of the UK’s annual carbon emissions. Wienerberger Limited understands that transformative change is required in the construction sector and its supply chain to tackle the challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss and resource scarcity. Our new sustainability strategy ‘Let’s Build Beyond’ provides a framework for progress within and beyond Wienerberger Limited.
The new sustainability strategy sets out the company’s ambitions for 2030 and has three guiding principles:
- Safeguarding the planet: tackling the issues of climate change, biodiversity loss and resource scarcity head-on.
- Innovating for the future we want: developing new products and services that reduce our impact on the planet.
- Moving forward together: transitioning to a net zero, nature-positive, equitable society together.
The sustainability strategy highlights the role of innovation, where improved manufacturing processes, circular initiatives and new products and services will be necessary to reduce the impact of the built environment and minimise the impact of Wienerberger’s own operations. Specifically, the company will invest in emerging technologies that facilitate the transition to low carbon manufacturing. Wienerberger hopes to achieve net zero emissions (Scope 1 & 2) at a concrete roof tile factory by 2025 and establish a net zero emission (Scope 1 & 2) ceramic production line before 2030, with net zero emissions for the company targeted by 2050.
Commenting on the strategy, Keith Barker, Regional Managing Director UK & Ireland at Wienerberger said: “Let’s Build Beyond is Wienerberger’s response to the crises of climate change, biodiversity loss and resource scarcity. Every company has a role to play in tackling these issues, and our new sustainability strategy is an invitation to our people, partners and communities to collaborate and drive the transition to a net zero emission, nature-positive built environment.”
Adding to this, Stephanie Palmer, Head of Sustainability at Wienerberger commented: “‘Let’s Build Beyond’ is our blueprint for building back better after the pandemic. Wienerberger has a genuine opportunity to drive change in the built environment and urgent action is required if we are to avoid 1.5˚C of global warming. I am proud that Wienerberger Limited’s leadership team has increased the company’s ambition for ‘Let’s Build Beyond’, which includes immediate actions to respond to climate change, biodiversity loss and resource scarcity. We welcome collaborations to deliver a truly sustainable built environment.”
The new strategy builds on energy efficiency improvements and carbon emission reductions the company has made since 2010. During this period, Wienerberger Building Solutions (the European business unit under which Wienerberger Limited’s performance is reported) reduced its energy consumption per tonne of product manufactured by 13% and Wienerberger Limited moved to a deep green renewable electricity tariff to further reduce its carbon emissions.
For more information about Wienerberger, please visit: www.wienerberger.co.uk/
