Proof of progress - Skanska

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52 53 56Safety training andawarenessProof of commitment –SOS Children’s VillageProof of performance –Empire State BuildingSkanska is committed to providing sustainable living and workingenvironments for future generations. During 2008 the Company madesignificant progress across all aspects of its sustainability agenda.What a ratingsagency says:“In the recent oekomCorporate Rating for theconstruction industry,Skanska is one of only threecompanies to have reachedoekom Prime Status, showingthat it is among the leadersin the industry and thatit meets industry-specificminimum criteria.Skanska showed astrong performancein environmental aspectsrelated to its products andservices such as energyefficiency, water andresource efficiency as wellas hazardous substances. Italso performed well in theoverall staff and suppliersection.The company still needsto tackle some issues,especially with regard tobusiness ethics and theprevention of business malpractice.Skanska’s reportingis comprehensive, andfocuses strongly on casestudies. From the point ofview of a SRI rating agency, amore consolidated approachto reporting would bewelcome.”oekom Research is one of theworld’s leading ratings agencies,specialising in sustainableinvestment.The world economy is undergoing rapidchange; with many countries experiencingrecession for the first time in a generation.The economic downturn has beenboth swift and deep, having a profoundeffect on industry. Construction is one ofthe sectors that has been hardesthit by recent events in the financial markets. At the sametime, it is the very sector that can contribute significantlyto a more sustainable society. For example, it potentiallyhas the most to offer in terms of reducing and managingthe effects that climate change will have on the planet. Alarge proportion of the world’s man-made greenhousegas emissions originate in the built environment.Through careful planning, the use of green constructiontechniques and thoughtful building management,the cradle-to-grave footprint of all structures can bereduced significantly. There is a big challenge that will befaced by Skanska and its customers during the next fewyears. That challenge is: does one continue to innovateand lead in terms of sustainable construction and greenbuilding techniques, during a time when many businesseswill be focusing purely on riding the economicroller-coaster? The answer is a resounding “yes”. There isa growing body of evidence, both from within Skanskaand externally among environmental and social thoughtleaders, that companies that take sustainability seriouslyare actually in better shape during the difficult dips ineconomic cycles. This is a view shared by many sociallyresponsible investors, as well as customers in the privateand public sectors.During 2008, Skanska’s Sustainability Agenda wasrefined and improved. The challenges and opportunitiesfor the business, in terms of sustainability, are nowwell defined; and have been addressed by a series ofSocialAgendaHumanresourcesenhanced polices and strategies, all of which are now inplace. These high level aspirations cover every aspect ofthe operation, from health and safety to human rights,energy efficiency to diversity. From an operational perspective,systems, procedures and processes are nowbeing defined and implemented that will help to deliverSkanska’s vision of contributing to a more sustainableworld. The year represented a period of tremendousprogress, particularly in terms of being able to deliver evidenceof this commitment.For example, the environmental policy and strategypublished in 2008 set out new Key Performance Indicators(KPIs) that are now being measured. Skanskabelieves that these KPIs provide more relevant, robust andreliable reporting information, as well as more meaningfulyear-on-year comparisons. Since this is the first yearof the company’s long-term strategy, the KPI results willform the basis of future Sustainability Reviews. Old statisticsthat were previously reported have therefore notbeen included for comparison in this review, unless theycontinue to carry meaning and relevance. Meanwhile, thedelivery of information internally and externally, particularlyvia the web, is generating interest and acknowledgementfrom expert bodies. In a recent Global ReportingInitiative publication on reporting practices, Skanska wasone of only four European companies selected for review.Among the selection criteria were quality and the availabilityof a sustainability report.Skanska is proud of its position in the constructionsector. Sustainability is at the very heart of the organization,with transparency and leadership evident in manyaspects of the projects that were delivered during 2008.Good examples of this commitment are illustratedthroughout this review.Healthand SafetyCorporatecommunityinvolvementBusinessethicsOne Kingdom Street in PaddingtonCentral,London, U.K.incorporates many examplesof Skanska’s green constructiontechniques for minimizingenergy and water consumption.SkanskaSustainabilityAgendaEnvironmentalAgendaEconomicAgendaEnergyandClimateProjectselectionMaterialsSupplychainEcosystemsValueaddedLocalimpactsDrawing on the framework ofthe Global Reporting Initiative,Skanska’s own SustainabilityAgenda has been developedinto 11 high priority areas.Skanska Review of 2008 – EUR version Sustainable development 51
Sustainable developmentSocial AgendaSafetyAn estimated 40 percent of all workplace fatalities takeplace in the construction sector. Accident reduction isa key priority for Skanska. The company takes its responsibilitiesvery seriously and continues to make strenuousefforts to achieve zero accidents. Progress in safetycontinued in 2008, with an overall reduction in employeeLost Time Accidents of 24 percent compared to 2005,when statistics began to be collected in their currentformat. Skanska continues to focus efforts on improvedtraining and safety awareness for its workforce, whetheremployees or subcontractors. Recently completed projectshave been recognized by independent bodies for thecontributions made in this respect. One example is theKings Mill Hospital in Nottinghamshire, U.K., which washonored with a Gold Award from the Royal Society forthe Prevention of Accidents.All accidents are avoidable. Whenever one occurs,lessons should be learned in order that similar incidentscan be avoided in the future. Work undertaken during2008 has identified the importance of site visits by seniormanagers in order to encourage safe practices and leadershipat all levels in the organization. Planning PreventsAccidents was the theme for this year’s Safety Week atSkanska, which saw more than 500 Executive SafetySite Visits (ESSV). All business units had prepared theirown safety briefings and local intranet sites, designedto inform and educate staff. The ESSV will be used as aglobal indicator of safety activity in future years.In spite of the significant progress made in reducingaccidents, Skanska regretfully has to report that twelveworkplace fatalities occurred on projects during 2008, ofwhom seven were subcontractors and one was a memberof the public. The dominant cause was falling fromheight, which accounted for eight of these fatalities. Thisfigure is completely unacceptable. Skanska is determinedto achieve its Zero Accidents objective and has decidedto take extreme measures – never before seen in the constructionsector – to ensure that this happens. From 2009,the entire organization will observe a “stand down” eachtime a fatality occurs. As well as marking respect for acolleague, this will involve a number of actions, designedto bring safety to the forefront of every employee, supplierand subcontractor. Within 15 days of a fatal accidentoccurring, information on the cause of the incident andlessons learned will be made available to every businessEmployee involvement plays a big part in safety training and awareness.Employees at Skanska USA Civil’s Cortez, Colorado office, whichhas not had a lost-time accident since 2002, were recognized for theirefforts. Hands-on safety training on the Hazardous Waste Landfillproject at Rocky Mountain Arsenal was acknowledged with an awardfrom the program management contractor.unit. During the global stand down, local managers willbrief all personnel on the incident, emphasizing the question:“Could it happen to you and what actions can youtake to avoid it?” It is expected that by applying Skanska’stransparency and leadership to such a serious issue asworkplace fatalities, the company will ultimately be ableto achieve its goal of Zero Accidents.Intensive training and awareness-raising initiativesdo make a difference to safety. At the recently completedBadedammen residential development in Stavanger,Norway, a total of four minor accidents resulted in aLost Time Accident Rate of six per million hours. Theproject ran over four phases. A zero accident initiativewas implemented in the fourth and final constructionstage, which involved developing greater safety awarenessamong the workforce, and appointing safety ambassadorsto monitor and assess working practices. No accidentswere reported following the introduction of the zeroaccident initiative.Looking Out for SafetyThe booklet Looking Out for Safety, produced to support over 500 visits by senior Skanska managers during 2008 Safety Week.52 Sustainable development Skanska Review of 2008 – EUR version
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Proof of progress - Skanska

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