The progress Skanska is making in achieving its carbon targets has gained international recognition as the company has been included in the “Europe Climate Leaders 2022” list published by the Financial Times newspaper and Statista data insight firm.
The second edition of the list presents over 400 European companies that have achieved the greatest reduction in their core* greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions intensity over five years. The listed companies were selected by the authors of this collation following a rigorous review of data from 4,000 organizations and the actions they are taking to reduce the emissions.
A science-based target and significant reporting experience
By 2030, Skanska aims to reduce its carbon emissions (Scope 1 and 2) by 70 percent and its scope 3** emissions by 50 percent in its project development operations, to reach net-zero across our value chain by 2045. With 2015 being the reference year, to date, the company has reduced its carbon footprint by 46 percent.
Skanska’s climate target is accredited by the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi), which confirms that the company is contributing to achieving the Paris Agreement goal of keeping global warming at 1.5 Celsius degrees.
Skanska’s experience in sustainability reporting spans 25 years. It started in 1997 by disclosing information about its environmental impact in form of dedicated “Environmental reports” that evolved into “Sustainability reports”, covering environmental, social and corporate governance aspects, published between 2002 and 2018. Since 2019 sustainability is reported jointly with Skanska’s annual results in the company’s “Annual and sustainability report”, reflecting its strategic importance.
“At Skanska, we have a long-term experience in taking measurable actions for sustainable development. ESG aspects are embedded in the full lifecycle of our projects – starting from considerations before the purchase of land, through the selection of climate-smart building materials and design that includes circular economy rules, to installing environment and user-friendly fit-outs and ensuring efficient operations of the projects. Sustainability is part of Skanska’s strategy – it is one of the enablers of greater value creation,” said Jacob Møller-Nielsen, Executive Vice President Center of Excellence at Skanska commercial development business in Central Eastern Europe.
Skanska’s office buildings are designed and built by ESG principles. The company develops office spaces that support the health and safety of users and visitors, applies the highest ethical standards, requires the same from its subcontractors and suppliers, implements climate-smart solutions at each stage of the building lifecycle, and contributes to the development of local communities and supports their needs. “By doing so, we’re working towards achieving our sustainability aspirations and helping our customers, tenants and investors, fulfil theirs,” adds Jacob Møller-Nielsen.
