At Lionweld Kennedy, we want to shout about our commitment to ESG for all to hear. Now part of Hill & Smith PLC, we have been manufacturing steel grating products in the UK for over 100 years, and our dedication to ESG initiatives is stronger than ever. But what exactly does this mean?
We aim to protect the world we live in and enhance the lives of those around us, and we’re focused on sustainable business practices and minimising our environmental impact. This is all a part of our ESG plan.
To help you better understand the importance of ESG and how we implement it at Lionweld Kennedy, we have put together a guide with all the information you need and the steps we are taking to achieve our ESG goals.
What is ESG?
Before diving into how we implement our ESG plan, let’s define what it is.
ESG stands for Environmental, Social and Governance, which is a set of standards that define a company’s behaviour. Each component represents different criteria which all work together to present a solid improvement across these various guidelines.
Firstly, the environmental criteria covers how a company may take steps to safeguard the environment in which they operate. These issues may include corporate climate policies, energy use, pollution, waste, natural resource conservation, and even the treatment of animals.
The social element considers how relationships with employees, suppliers and customers are managed, as well as the community in which the company operates. For example, it may question whether a company’s suppliers are held accountable to the same ESG standards. It also examines whether a company’s working conditions reflect a high regard for employees’ health and safety or if they take unethical advantage of its customers.
Finally, the governance criteria deals with a company’s leadership in terms of executive pay, audits, internal controls, and shareholder rights. This might include whether the company has accurate and transparent accounting methods, pursues integrity and diversity in selecting its leadership, and is accountable to shareholders.
Why is ESG important?
So, why is investing in ESG important, and what role does it play within a company?
Environmental, social and governance plans are most significantly used to screen investments based on their company policies and ensure that companies act responsibly.
Our ESG Plan at Lionweld Kennedy
Now you know the fundamentals of ESG, let’s discuss how we implement environmental, social and governance criteria at Lionweld Kennedy.
We are committed to creating sustainable infrastructure and safe transport through innovation, which is in line with the criteria in place with the Hill & Smith ESG strategy. We weave improving sustainability into our daily working lives, and are ahead of schedule to reach our target of becoming Carbon Net Zero by 2040. But how are we achieving this?
Our Carbon Reduction Plan
Of course, we are committed to every aspect of the ESG criteria, however, we are especially proud of our plans to reduce our carbon footprint and the way that we look after our employees and community.
At Lionweld Kennedy, we have a carbon reduction plan in place, which seeks to achieve a total electricity saving of 3kWh/tonne of steel produced. As well as a total carbon reduction of 340Te or 037Te CO2e/tonne of steel produced.
So far, we have introduced the following carbon-reducing measures to our workplace;
- The installation of solar panels at our manufacturing facility in Middlesbrough generates an estimated 300,000kWh of electricity annually and reduces our CO2 emissions by 70 Tonnes each year.
- Our fleet of diesel forklift trucks and Combi Lifts are now fully electric, resulting in an annual reduction in diesel use of 10,000 litres.
- Our Middlesbrough site is 100% heated by hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO), reducing our carbon use by approximately 250 Tonnes of CO2e per year (or 37% annual reduction).
Our Employees
Another vital part of our ESG plan is to develop the opportunities we offer to our employees. We are committed to developing talent and providing skilled roles in our community, which we accomplish through our award-winning apprenticeship programme. In fact, in 2022, we were ranked by the government as one of the top 50 SME apprentice employers in the country.
Beyond our apprenticeship schemes, we also work with local schools and colleges to provide work experience opportunities and tours.
We’re also not forgetting about our long-standing employees who are dedicated to creating a happy and motivated workplace. We have an employee-led charity committee promoting money raising activities to support local good causes and we also operate an employee engagement committee to listen to our employees’ suggestions and concerns, encouraging a happier and more motivated workplace.
Our Continued Commitment to ESG
If you want to learn more about our commitment to environmental, social and governance at Lionweld Kennedy, don’t hesitate to find out more today. For help and advice with any questions and queries, you may have, contact our expert team today who will be happy to advise you further.
Alternatively, learn more about us today and how we can help you with our products and services.