More BMF members become net zero Business Champions

 

5 October 2021

A further five BMF members were amongst the ten companies announced today as net zero carbon Business Champions supporting the Construction Leadership Council’s CO2nstruct Zero initiative. 

Velux, Forktruck Solutions, The Pallet LOOP, Genuit Group and Marshalls plc achieved Business Champion status in the fourth wave of monthly applications. This brings the total number of BMF net zero Business Champions to eighteen.

Velux launched its 2030 Sustainability Strategy in September 2020. The 15 point plan targets Velux becoming a net zero business by 2030, and reducing the embodied carbon in its products and thus its supply chain by 50%. By 2041 they have committed to become Lifetime Carbon Neutral and also to repay their historic carbon footprint.

Diesel emissions are a key area of concern for Forktruck Solutions, and they have committed to scrap fossil fuels completely from their field sales vehicle fleet, opting for full EV.  They also have a mission to convert every relevant business in the UK to use Lithium powered material handling equipment and forklift trucks.

Net zero is central to The Pallet LOOP’s business. Due to launch in Q4 2001, and for operational roll-out in 2022, this brand new, circular economy deposit-based pallet reuse scheme is founded on the premise of recover, repair, reuse.  Less than 10% of the 18 million pallets distributed throughout the UK construction industry every year are currently reused. The Pallet LOOP is on a mission to change this, repositioning pallets as a valuable resource that can be used again and again, actively eliminating avoidable waste from the supply chain. 

Genuit Group manufactures low energy ventilation systems including a wide range of mechanical ventilation and heat recovery solutions. The group is actively engaged in developing new products and solutions which will allow the UK to scale up the transition to low carbon heat sources. This includes scaling the use of heat pumps, developing solutions to enable local heat networks and infrastructure solutions for hydrogen transmission.

Marshalls plc has been working to drive carbon out of their operations since 2008. By 2020 they had reduced their carbon footprint by 50%, during a period of significant growth, and have committed to reducing emissions by a further 40% by 2030. They are constantly looking for ways to reduce the embodied carbon of their products and have replaced at least 45% of cement in their concrete blocks, and as much as 60% at some sites.  

 The five BMF members were amongst 10 organisations confirmed in the fourth wave of CO2nstruct Zero Business Champions, the others being Arup, Baxall Construction, Ferrovial Construction, GKR Scaffolding Ltd and Bam Nuttall. 

The CLC is running an ongoing monthly recruitment drive for more companies to commit to CO2nstruct Zero as Business Champions. If any BMF member would like to be considered, please email [email protected] in the first instance.