Sustainability at Sweco
Solving the greatest societal challenges of our time is more relevant and inspiring than ever before. Together with our clients and employees, we shape the sustainable communities and cities of the future.
The world is in transition. We will have to deal with resources differently. Whether that is space, energy, materials, water or other scarce goods. This requires the necessary knowledge and cooperation. Sustainability is in our DNA, in projects and our own business operations. ‘Sustainability by Design’ is our guiding principle, anchored in the Global Goals for Sustainable Developments (SDGs).
At Sweco, we aim to be a role model in sustainability, taking responsibility for and being part of the solution to society’s sustainability and carbon reduction challenges. Our commitment is to do more to support and challenge our clients in delivering innovative solutions through expert consultancy and high-quality design.
Max Joy President Sweco UK
Sweco UK & Ireland’s journey to reach net zero by 2040
Sweco is in the unique position of not only designing the sustainable communities and cities of the future, but also working with clients and partners to help transform society as a whole with positive outcomes for all.
We have delivered carbon efficiencies and positive environmental impact across thousands of projects to date, and our teams of multi-disciplinary sustainability experts pride themselves on sharing climate insights with clients and professional institutions alike. But we know that even more must be done to avert environmental catastrophe, and quickly.
By focusing first on our Environmental, Social & Governance ambitions over the next five years, and going on to achieve Net Zero across Sweco UK & Ireland by 2040, we aim to become the go-to environment partner for clients who need to set and meet their own climate action ambitions in line with local and global targets.
View public reporting data for our Pledge to Net Zero performance here
As signatories to the Pledge to Net Zero and as part of our contribution to the Race to Net Zero campaign, we recognise that we must lead by example by setting ourselves ambitious internal targets.
How we help businesses drive climate action
Strategic support
There is growing understanding that drastic change is required. But clear guidance is in short supply. Sweco’s role is to join the dots between strategic climate ambitions and practical implementation. We show our clients where efforts can be best directed.
Insight leadership
We want to go beyond simply enabling carbon reduction in our projects. We need to make it happen. To do this, we continue to raise industry awareness and make carbon reduction a contractual standard across the supply chain, by providing thought leadership as well as practical direction.
Carbon collaboration
Through a programme of continuous carbon management, including design team training and the introduction of enhanced digital techniques, we highlight new opportunities for carbon reduction to clients. If carbon management is applicable to a project but not requested, we set out the opportunities that it offers.
Digital transformation
We have developed digital techniques to clearly communicate the carbon impact of design decisions. This helps to build awareness among clients, engineers, and key stakeholders. Developments in artificial intelligence are set to automatically optimise carbon and associated costs in the near future.
Lifecycle foresight
We help clients in every sector actively challenge their supply chain, through procurement mechanisms that require carbon reduction and encourage innovation. Critically, we also ensure that focus is maintained on carbon impacts throughout project lifecycle, and post-completion.
UNSDG mindset
Each project we undertake is aligned to multiple United Nations Sustainable Development goals. Sustainability is at the heart of our building designs, transportation projects, landscape architecture visions, and infrastructure planning workflows – which allows us to truly transform society.
Sustainability highlight: Velum Sky (Geneva Biotech Campus)
Providing a sustainable building design which met the Client’s and local authority’s expectation on the excellent view out to Lake Geneva along with a visually appealing building which fits in with the surroundings.
The design concept agreed with the planners was for a glazed design, and this proved to be a challenge to optimise for sustainable design.
360 degree sustainability
We support the delivery of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals both through our daily business operations and by working with our clients to address the issues that are material to them.
Our operations are primarily focused on ‘combating climate change’ (Goal 13), ‘promoting the development of sustainable cities and communities’ (Goal 11), ‘sustainable energy for all’ (Goal 7), ‘gender equality’ (Goal 5) and ‘sustainable industry, innovation and infrastructure’ (Goal 9).
What are the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals?
The Sustainability Sun measures organisational performance against the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – created by the United Nations in 2015 to provide common, achievable aspirations which act as a “blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all”.
