Report from Jonathon Porritt
A bit like Rome, sustainable companies certainly aren’t built in a day! This can be a long, slow process, shaped as much by external factors as by internal aspiration, vulnerable to the ups and downs of the economic cycle. But for Carillion, it’s been a wholly positive process since the demerger from Tarmac 10 years ago. And the benefits are there for all to see in the report.
One of the first breakthroughs for Carillion came in 2002 with the construction of the Great Western Hospital in Swindon. The Carillion team cut its teeth on waste, materials, procurement, energy, community engagement and skills – and it all proved to be very ‘doable’. The business case for Carillion was strongly reinforced. Eight years on, it is encouraging to see those early endeavours translating through to a commitment to make Bristol’s Southmead Hospital the most sustainable hospital in the UK.
That kind of competence builds accumulatively. For instance, lots of companies might aspire to be ‘the employer of choice’ in this sector. Few can draw on their sustainability performance to turn that aspiration into a reality. Carillion hires thousands of people each year, and it matters to a significant proportion of them that Carillion really walks the talk. That it cares about skills, apprenticeships and personal development.
The next 10 years will be very different from the last 10. Genuinely sustainable, low-carbon, socially responsible business behaviour will be a non-negotiable imperative, a material differentiator between companies that will drive shareholder value. Companies like Carillion can see that reality emerging from today’s rather confused picture – and are intent on demonstrating that outperformance on sustainability today is by far the best way of reducing risk and maximising opportunity for the future.
Jonathon Porritt
Founder Director, Forum for the Future
