How to Build a Sustainability Plan for Your Business

Sustainability planning can sound overwhelming. You might need to be thinking about carbon targets, waste reduction, sustainable materials, supply chains and environmental policies, while also trying to keep projects moving and customers happy. But it doesn’t need to be a huge document that takes months to create. The best plan is one that is practical, proportionate and actually gets used. Here is a straightforward way to build one.

1. Start with an environmental policy

Your environmental policy is a good foundation. It should explain how your business approaches environmental issues and what you are committed to improving. Keep it relevant to the work you actually do. For a contractor, that could include waste, materials, energy, transport, carbon emissions and environmental impacts on site.

2. Set a few realistic objectives

Once you know where you are starting from, decide what you want to improve. Keep the objectives realistic. You might want to reduce waste sent to landfill, improve recycling rates, reduce fuel consumption or start measuring your carbon footprint. You do not need ten different targets. A handful of clear objectives that you can actually track is a much better starting point.

3. Get a handle on your carbon

You do not need perfect carbon data straight away. Start by looking at the things you can measure reasonably easily. Fuel used by company vehicles, electricity at your premises, business travel, waste and materials. Keep the data somewhere accessible and use a consistent approach to calculate your emissions. Over time, you can improve the quality and detail of the information you collect. The Supply Chain Sustainability School has an excellent free Carbon Tool available on their website that automatically does all the calculating and is a great place to start.

4. Look closely at waste

Waste is a big part of construction work, so it is an obvious area for your sustainability plan. Look at what you are throwing away, how much you generate and where it goes. Can materials be ordered more accurately? Can waste be separated on site? Are there opportunities to reuse or return materials? Keep your waste transfer notes and other relevant records. They can help you understand performance and provide evidence when a client asks what you are doing.

5. Think about your materials

Material choices can have a significant environmental impact. Where appropriate, consider recycled, recyclable, responsibly sourced or lower-impact alternatives. This does not mean choosing the most expensive option every time. It means understanding what you are buying and having a conversation with suppliers about what alternatives are available. Keep useful information from suppliers, such as environmental product information or responsible sourcing certificates, where relevant.

6. Bring your supply chain into the picture

Your sustainability plan should not stop with your own business. Think about the suppliers, manufacturers, waste contractors and other businesses you rely on. You do not need to carry out a detailed sustainability audit of every supplier. Start by identifying your key suppliers and asking what environmental information they can provide. Over time, this can help you make more informed purchasing decisions and respond to supply-chain questions from larger contractors.

Our consultancy works to make sustainability manageable and practical. We can help you understand what you need, build a proportionate sustainability plan and put the right processes and evidence in place without creating unnecessary work. If sustainability feels like another job on an already long list, get in touch. We can help make it simpler.