Aggregate Industries sets out net zero plans

Construction materials supplier Aggregate Industries has published its strategy for its journey towards a net zero target.

The business’ sustainability strategy, Building Progress for a Sustainable Future, sets out Aggregate Industries’ vision to become the UK leader of innovative and sustainable building solutions and its ambition to embed sustainability in the future of construction.

‘Our Journey to Net Zero’ outlines what Aggregate Industries is doing today and what it intends to do in the future to decarbonise its operations across the business at pace and achieve net zero before 2050.

It identifies five workstreams that will accelerate the journey towards net zero, and provides clear and deliverable actions and commitments for each of Aggregate Industries’ divisions to achieve by 2025. It then captures a series of long-term commitments that go beyond 2025 that form a long-term process of change.

These include plans to:

• Reduce unblended gas oil usage by over 90% by 2035
• Increase the use of low-carbon fuels and hydrogen to over 50% of fuel mix by 2035
• Use over 2,000 low-carbon trucks, such as electric or hydrogen, within the fleet network by 2040
• Produce over 20GWh of clean energy per year from onsite renewable power generation by 2035
• Begin to capture and permanently store CO₂ from the business’ Cauldon cement plant by 2030

Kirstin McCarthy, Sustainability Director at Aggregate Industries, said: “We are on a journey to become a net zero business before 2050 and, whilst we have made significant progress to date, there is still much to do to meet our targets and ambitions. Our Journey to Net Zero outlines our responsibilities to reduce our carbon footprint as a business and pledges our commitments to support in achieving a sustainable future for our communities, our industry and for the world through tangible and science-based targets. It is intrinsically linked to our sustainability strategy, and will accelerate our transition to net zero, with clear milestones and measurable results along the way.

“The actions we have identified up to 2025 and beyond are part of a long-term process of change that will ultimately transform our business and deliver the net-zero future we strive for.”