Sustainability and ESG
Doing It Right for a Sustainable Future
We understand that as a business, we can play a pivotal role in delivering long term, sustainable value that contributes to meeting the economic, environmental, and social wellbeing needs of the communities in which we live and work.
As well as protecting the planet for future generations, sustainability is essential to securing the future of our business. We encourage all Winvic employees – and our supply chain partners – to adopt the ‘Doing It Right’ mindset and carry out their roles and day-to-day activities in a way which embodies ‘The Winvic Way’ culture.
OUR SUSTAINABILITY VISION
We want to raise the bar for delivering sustainable buildings and infrastructure for our clients, while also leaving a lasting positive, social, environmental and economic legacy.
The transition to a Net Zero carbon built environment will have social and economic impacts, which is why we are committed to supporting a ‘just transition’. Our Sustainability Strategy, Sustainable Procurement Framework (SPF) and Sustainability, Environmental and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policies are designed to make this shift towards an environmentally friendly economy fair and inclusive, aiming to enhance the lives and livelihoods of people and communities.
OUR APPROACH AND COMMITMENTS
We first established our Sustainability Strategy in 2020, using the pillars of People, Innovation, Planet and Community. These pillars give us a roadmap to work towards our sustainability goals. We recognise the importance of having a strategy that is aligned to our business goals and agile enough to be able to deliver against the evolving needs of our clients.
We update our Sustainability and ESG Strategy each year, building upon our progress, impact to date and lessons learned through a renewed roadmap. Within each pillar, we introduce new targets, to help maximise positive environmental, social and economic outcomes and support the Global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), against which we measure our performance annually. Our strategy allows for the flexibility to review and adapt our targets each year in line with our business’ and clients’ evolving needs. The KPIs for each of the sustainability goal areas are regularly monitored by the Sustainability Working Group and overseen through the Sustainability Governance structure.
PLANET – PROTECTING THE PLANET
Carbon reduction remains a key focus, and we’re working tirelessly across every area of our business to not only deliver sustainable projects that exceed our client’s expectation, but also to become a Net Zero Carbon business. We started measuring and externally certifying our operational carbon emissions in 2012 and successfully achieved year-on-year reductions, while growing employee numbers and onsite operations. Twelve years on, we have also achieved Achilles Carbon Reduce Programme Certification, which is a globally recognised, third-party verified scheme that is aligned with industry best practice and ISO 14064-1. Furthermore, our strategy directly supports seven of the United Nations’ Global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
INNOVATION – LEADING THROUGH INNOVATION
Winvic’s reputation for impeccable green processes and delivery of low carbon and Net Zero Carbon schemes – that are in line with the UKGBC Framework – continues to grow. The UKGBC also selected Arun Thaneja, Technical Services and Sustainability Director, and Robbie Seal, Senior Sustainability Coordinator, to help shape its new guidance and join the working groups for its Carbon Offsetting and Pricing Project and Embodied Carbon Measuring & Reporting Project. We have completed 16 Net Zero projects, and another 12 are underway – this comprises 3 civils and infrastructure schemes and 25 industrial projects, that total 40 individual facilities. We have also completed 6 Low Embodied carbon projects and have 5 more underway.
PEOPLE – PUTTING PEOPLE FIRST
Our future success relies on our ability to attract, develop, and retain highly motivated, talented individuals who drive performance and excellence. By inspiring, educating, and empowering them to actively contribute to a sustainable built environment, we not only shape our future but also ensure a lasting, positive impact for generations to come. Recognising that our people are our greatest asset, we prioritise their happiness and wellbeing, fostering an environment where everyone can thrive and achieve their full potential.
COMMUNITY – PARTNERS IN COMMUNITIES
A socially responsible ethos has been part of the Winvic Way since day one and our goals centre on enhancing the economic, social, environmental, and cultural wellbeing of local communities. We explore local needs and tailor our activities accordingly, which include employment and training opportunities, educating young people and supporting charities and community projects. Our team members volunteered 653 hours to community initiatives last year so we’ve increased our KPI targets for 2025 and 2030 and will therefore deliver even more benefits to people and communities. In 2023, we introduced a new Employee Volunteering Policy; this enables employees to volunteer their time and talents for a day to a recognised charity or not-for-profit organisations and still be paid to make a positive difference in their local communities.
Read more about our approach to social responsibility here.
Heidi Salmons, Head of Marketing, Communications and Social Responsibility:
“It’s in Winvic’s DNA to leave a positive legacy in the communities in which it works, and we’ve created and executed many tailored social value strategies in partnership with clients to help them meet their goals. Pair our experience, commitment and knowledge with our great relationships with skills and education providers, local authorities and suppliers, and the result is the creation of positive, long-lasting benefits. We don’t just deliver construction and infrastructure schemes, we bring a wide range of benefits to individuals, businesses and communities and make a difference to real people’s lives.”
Read Heidi’s latest blog here.
Neave Thompson, Senior Sustainability Manager:
“From pioneering the Green Supply Chain initiative to achieving ambitious carbon reduction goals, we’ve set benchmarks that inspire our clients, subcontractors, and the wider industry. Our commitment to accreditations such as ISO 14064-1, EcoVadis and PAS 2080 underscores our dedication to transparency and staying ahead of industry standards. Additionally, we’re guiding clients through emerging frameworks like the RICS Whole Life Carbon Assessment, the UK Net Zero Carbon Building Standard, and BREEAM Version 7 to navigate the evolving sustainability landscape. Together, we’re not just meeting standards; we’re shaping a sustainable future.”
Read Neave’s blog here.
Arun Thaneja, Winvic’s Technical Services & Sustainability Director, commented:
“We are immensely proud of the robust processes and sustainable practices we have implemented, enabling Winvic to lead the way in decarbonising its operations and raising the bar for delivering Net Zero assets for our clients and occupiers. By embracing innovation and sustainability in procurement and project delivery, we are empowering our clients to meet their ambitious ESG targets. Winvic is delighted to be recognised as an ESG leader, but we are continually learning and striving to achieve greater things for our clients and the industry as a whole.”
Read Arun’s latest blog here.
ESG GOVERNANCE
Our Sustainability Strategy ensures we leave a lasting, positive legacy for the people we collaborate with, the communities we serve, and the world in which we operate. By partnering with our supply chain, customers, and communities to make responsible, sustainable choices, we can significantly enhance our environmental impact.
Since day one, our Doing It Right ethos and ‘The Winvic Way’ culture have been an intrinsic part of the way we do business and deliver our projects. These guiding principles are supported with a robust governance framework that drive our continued, sustainable success whilst ensuring accountability. View our ESG Governance here.
