Aggregate Industries UK to become nature positive by 2030
Company demonstrates further commitment to a sustainable future with publication of new nature strategy
AGGREGATE Industries UK (AIUK) have published their first company-wide nature strategy – demonstrating their further commitment to a sustainable future.
Recognizing that the business’ operations have the potential to significantly affect nature, Aggregate Industries say they understand the responsibility and critical role they must play in delivering a nature-positive future.
Moreover, the company acknowledges that the nature and climate crisis are intrinsically linked and that nature-based solutions will play a vital role in reducing the impact of climate change.
By launching their nature strategy, Aggregate Industries are looking to accelerate action and build upon a strong foundation, which includes investing £24 million in restoration activity over the last five years.
Other fundamental drivers for the framework set out in the nature strategy include adopting the Science Based Target Network’s Framework for Nature, which outlines how the business interacts with nature, and, the Global Goal for Nature, which sets out how organizations can contribute towards nature positivity by 2030 to help biodiversity to recover and thrive.
Aggregate Industries intend to measure the biodiversity value of all their active aggregates sites by surveying habitats and species and then set out on a journey to reduce future negative impacts, restore nature and habitats, and advocate nature positivity.
In addition, they will ensure that they have biodiversity plans at all their active UK quarry sites and dedicated places for nature across all 200 of their sites, as well as further roll out of a woodland programme building on the 105,000 trees already planted at their Glensanda super quarry in western Scotland as part of a new 64ha woodland.
Woodland creation at Glensanda
Among the other key actions to be carried out by 2026 are:
Increase in the use of construction demolition materials to 3 million tonnes per year
Reduction in freshwater withdrawal intensity in the production of cement (by 30%) and ready-mixed concrete (by 3.9%)
Establishment of Biodiversity Indicator Reporting System (BIRS) and biodiversity baseline roadmap
Creation of new AIUK Wildlife Fund
Production of a heatmap to understand the suppliers that have the greatest potential nature impact
Undertaking nature impact assessments on the procurement of five high nature impact products.
AIUK sustainability director Anna Baker
Anna Baker, sustainability director at Aggregate Industries UK, said: ‘It’s been widely documented that we are currently in a nature crisis. As our primary business model relies on the extraction of natural resources, we know that we need to play our part in contributing to a nature-positive future, which is why I am so pleased to launch our Nature Strategy.
‘It provides clear commitments to ensure we reduce future negative impacts, restore nature and habitats, and advocate for nature throughout our entire value chain.
‘We recognize that during this time we’ll be learning, growing, and sharing our experiences to deliver the nature-based solutions needed to become nature positive by 2030.’
The full strategy can be read here.
