Perfect Circle's founding partner's ambitious sustainability initiatives receive renowned recognition

The announcement is a considerable step forward for helping Perfect Circle’s clients and supply chain partners reduce their carbon footprints.

To counteract the adverse effects of climate change, the SBTi introduced science-based targets to help businesses meet the goals of the 2015 Paris Agreement, which is to currently limit global warming to below 2°C.

Victoria Brambini, managing director of Perfect Circle, said: “Setting a science-based target is a major achievement and I would like to extend my congratulations to AECOM for raising a high bar for sustainability within the built environment.

“The construction industry is taking much-needed action to greatly reduce its emissions.With AECOM putting these ambitious new measures in place, we are hoping that it will help us future-proof a sustainable supply chain and client base.”

AECOM’s approved targets will be adopted in every country it operates in, including the UK. The measures include a 20 per cent reduction in scope one (greenhouse gas) and two (indirect) emissions as well as a 10 per cent reduction in supply chain emissions by 2025 from the firm’s 2018 baseline.

In order to achieve these targets, AECOM will be working closely with its significant suppliers to take the following measures:

• Phasing out inefficient fleet vehicles
• Pursuing vehicle emissions reduction technology options
• Right-sizing our real estate portfolio
• Focusing on office energy efficiency and renewable energy
• Working with our suppliers to identify emissions hotspots and aim to set science-based targets

At the time of the announcement in early April, AECOM was the only US-based organisation in the engineering and construction industry to meet the required STBi targets.

Speaking of the achievement, Michael S. Burke, AECOM’s chairman and chief executive, said: “During these unprecedented times, business resilience and continuity are at the forefront of what we do and how we operate so that we can help deliver a better world.

“AECOM is fully committed to mitigating the impact of climate change through our SBTi-approved greenhouse gas emissions targets as we take meaningful action to protect tomorrow for the benefit of future generations, our communities and the planet.”

The SBTi is a collaboration between the CDP, United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute and the World Wide Fund for Nature. It was set up to help companies determine how much they must cut emissions to prevent the worst impacts of climate change.

For more information about SBTi, click here.