News & Insights
Greenwashing & Carbon Neutrality: Navigating the challenges of environmental transparency
At Mercury, we’re proud to be at the forefront of driving sustainable change in the construction industry.
Our framework is built on four key pillars: being an employer of choice, fostering responsible partnerships, minimising our environmental impact, and supporting local communities.
We believe in transparency when it comes to our sustainability efforts and work hard to educate our stakeholders about the most pressing concepts and trends.
That’s why we’re excited about the recent news from the European Commission, which has prepared a draft law that will require organisations to provide evidence for any green claims they make about their services or products, a move that will help to combat “greenwashing” and promote transparency in the industry.
As a leading contractor, our carbon reduction targets have been verified and approved in line with internationally recognised Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi). This ensures that our targets are in line with the latest scientific research and data, allowing us to make informed decisions that will have a positive impact on our operations and the communities we serve.
We’re also focused on educating our stakeholders about important concepts like “net-zero,” “decarbonisation,” and “greenwashing.”
Net-zero refers to a state where the amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs) emitted is equal to the amount removed from the atmosphere, resulting in no net increase in atmospheric GHGs. Decarbonisation can be achieved by transitioning to low-carbon energy sources such as solar and wind power and increasing energy efficiency, while Greenwashing is a tactic used by some organisations to make their products or services appear more environmentally friendly without providing clear and transparent information about their environmental impact.
At Mercury, we know that our planet needs us now more than ever, which is why we have worked in line with the internationally recognised Science Based Targets Initiative to set sustainability targets. We have committed to reducing absolute Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 22.5% before 2030 and have also committed that 77.4% of our suppliers will be in line with science-based targets by 2027.
This involves monitoring the emissions of our vehicles and transitioning to a green fleet by purchasing hybrid vehicles. Furthermore, we have transitioned to a green energy supplier for our facilities in Ireland and to LED lighting options in our facilities. We have also implemented green procurement strategies and procedures and review practices against sustainability criteria before onboarding new suppliers or business partners.
In doing so, we have avoided greenwashing style claims, instead engaging in deep work and taking meaningful action to understand our carbon footprint and define clear pathways to reduce our GHG emissions. As we continue to deliver leading edge construction solutions, we are consistently incorporating more environmentally friendly technologies and lean principles across our operations.
The SBTi publicly discloses temperature alignment based on the ambition of a company’s scope 1 and 2 targets. This ensures transparency in the public arena, and according to their calculations Mercury is set to be ‘well-below’ 2° C by 2030. We also received a “B” rating from the Carbon Disclosure Project, which is above the construction industry average score. The CDP is a not-for-profit charity that runs the global disclosure system for investors, companies, cities, states and regions to manage their environmental impacts. This is a voluntary, third party verified assessment of our sustainable operations.
At Mercury, we’re always looking for ways to improve and innovate, and we’re excited to share our upcoming sustainability report for 2022 in the coming weeks.
OUR PLANET, OUR DUTY
We believe that we each have a role to play in contributing to the sustainable development of our planet. With this in mind, we have launched Our Planet, Our Duty, our sustainability plan. Our Planet, Our Duty is our promise to help create a more sustainable environment around us. It forms one of the foundation blocks of Beyond50, our five year plan to push further and take Mercury beyond our 50th year in business.
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