SYSTRA Ltd sets out route to Net Zero by 2035

Working within Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol guidelines, SYSTRA UK & Ireland has put in place carbon measurement to calculate the business Carbon Footprint related to Scope 1 emissions (covering fuel combustion for business vehicles), Scope 2 emissions (covering purchased electricity) and key operational elements of Scope 3 emissions (covering upstream fuel and energy-related activities, business travel, employee commuting and energy use related to working from home).

Using these carbon emission calculations, SYSTRA UK & Ireland has achieved carbon neutral certification by supporting a programme to conserve rainforest in Peru. The programme will help local farmers transition to sustainable cacao production in the margins of the protected area ensuring that degraded land is restored, reducing the effects of deforestation, and providing local communities with forest-friendly and sustainable livelihoods. The programme also supports SYSTRA’s commitment to diversity, with 27% of farmers being women, and the role SYSTRA takes in promoting human rights, ensuring consideration of the social and political impact of the projects they support.

Recognising that this is just a first step, SYSTRA UK & Ireland has also committed to becoming Net Zero for its entire carbon footprint by 2035 and published its Carbon Reduction Plan, detailing past and future initiatives designed to minimise the company’s carbon footprint and contribute to achieving the global objective of restricting climate change.

SYSTRA’s Carbon Reduction Plan also has a short-term target to reduce Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions by 80% by 2025 and is built around 6 key areas.

• Office energy – reducing overall energy use and setting up zero carbon tariffs for all offices in UK & Ireland.
• Staff Commute and Business Travel – the introduction of initiatives to reduce travel especially using car-based modes through travel planning and other initiatives.
• IT Equipment – focusing purchase of new hardware on low energy solutions and replace current high energy items. Investigate using offsite communications and storage companies that are carbon neutral.
• Working from home – exploring initiatives to increase lower carbon energy in staff homes.
• Purchasing – introduction of climate change considerations into procurement decisions.
• Subcontractors and suppliers – encouragement of suppliers to also address the Climate Emergency

As a specialist transport and infrastructure consultancy, addressing global climate change and minimising carbon emissions is at the heart of SYSTRA’s sustainability mission. The SYSTRA Ltd Carbon Reduction Plan aims to significantly reduce our carbon emissions, ultimately achieve Carbon Net Zero status, reduce the impact of our transport advice and designs on the environment and encourage our staff to lead lower carbon lifestyles.

Nick Salt, CEO, SYSTRA Ltd