Getting the right mix of S in ESG

Over the past decade, the concrete industry has made significant progress in ensuring that its approach to environmental, social and governance (ESG) is comprehensive and robust, especially from an environmental perspective.

Tackling sustainability challenges is particularly pertinent in an industry that contributes 7.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere – equivalent to 1.5% of the UK’s overall total emissions. There have been some considerable improvements in concrete production methods and technologies in terms of its carbon footprint, particularly concerning developments in cement production.

However, as a further inroad into delivering sustainability in the concrete sector, customers and peers are increasingly looking to document and communicate commitments to the “S” of ESG. This means investing beyond standard health and safety measures to ensure not just the basic safety of employees, but that the mental health and physical wellbeing of those teams is prioritised too.

Health and safety remains the priority for all responsible operators in the concrete industry – as evidenced by the MPA’s ‘The Fatal 6’. However, with a developing understanding of the positive impact high-quality workplace conditions can have on colleagues’ motivation, productivity and loyalty, companies are looking to invest.

From the research we did as part of our latest white paper – which focuses on the 'S' of ESG – it is clear there is a direct link between concrete batch plant performance and the wellbeing of site teams who operate batching plants. The foundation of social responsibility in the workplace will always be the elimination of hazards. Following basic hazard reduction comes the avoidance of repetitive, unpleasant and unnecessary tasks - the routine jobs of cleaning-up and making good, compensating for under investment in the plant, but drawing down the goodwill of colleagues who daily go above and beyond for the company. 

However, through good plant design and the purchase of well-engineered, high-quality equipment, many commonplace tasks that are either dangerous or tedious can be eliminated. In speaking with experts from across the industry for 'The Right Mix' white paper, we found that the positive consensus is that social issues are increasingly being brought into the spotlight by the industry – but we have more to do as a collective.

There were some really hard-hitting anecdotes that came out of our interviews for the white paper – a plant supervisor reporting they felt they were constantly 'fighting the plant' and how that is impacting their home life. One quote that really stood out to us was from the conversations we had with a regional manager of a concrete producer. When talking about talent retention, they said that the best talent “shines brightly, but briefly”, so how do we as an industry change that cycle?

In ConSpare’s 45 years of solving problems in the industry, we have made a difference to safety, productivity, quality, and in reducing environmental impact, and we know how that can make a difference to the wellbeing of site staff. Whether that be keeping people out of mixers, reducing the manual handling of waste material, or making plants work better to streamline inefficiencies, the right equipment makes a significant difference in changing the industry for the better.

The challenge is there, and it’s up to us as an industry to meet it head on.

To download the white paper, visit Conspare.com