FPS’ new Sustainability Charter

Header image credit: ecolife.zone (ecolife.zone)

The Charter is designed to establish what sustainability means for piling specialists, including social, environmental, and economic practices. Critically, it also sets minimum standards for FPS members, to ensure that the FPS is leading the way in sustainability within the piling and foundations sector, through collective knowledge share, innovation, and real-world insight. It is an accompaniment to Aarsleff’s own sustainability efforts and will work alongside our sustainability plan.

Speaking about the launch of the Charter, FPS Chair, John Chick, said: “The launch of the Sustainability Charter marks a milestone for the FPS acting as a true differentiator for its members and more importantly for clients serious about sustainability. It hosts some 30 plus specific commitments spanning both site practices and corporate, designed to accelerate FPS members to net carbon zero and beyond!”

The new Charter brings up to date the FPS’s sustainability commitments and ensures they are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals – global standards used by all working within this space. It also encompasses more than just commitments to carbon reduction, also including wider environmental, social, and economic practices.

The FPS’s commitment to carbon reporting and benchmarking forms a large part of the Charter and looks towards the challenges of Scope 3; Scope 3 covers all indirect emissions from piling companies, mostly arising from the use of carbon-intensive materials like cement and steel. Covering around 90% of FPS’s members site emissions, the Charter will establish a benchmark and then seek to reduce carbon in the pursuit of net zero by 2050. Supporting the Charter is also the European Federation of Foundation Contractors (EFFC) / Deep Foundations Institute (DFI) Carbon Calculator, which ultimately will be used to capture scope 3 for all projects.

John Added: “Supporting the Charter, the FPS will be delivering ‘Concrete Forum 2024: Today’s Challenges, Tomorrow’s Solutions’, in February 2024, which will look at decarbonisation and other site challenges surrounding sustainability.”

Speaking on the Charter, Aarsleff Managing Director, Kevin Hague, said, “Aarsleff Ground Engineering are pleased to support and adopt this development from the FPS. As we push ahead with our own sustainability plans and tactics, we know how integral collaboration and knowledge sharing is to addressing sustainability and wider practice within our industry. The FPS has always pushed for innovation and partnership within the piling industry and Aarsleff is proud to support the next phase of this on a topic as vital as sustainability”.

To view the FPS Sustainability Charter, visit: https://www.fps.org.uk/position-papers/sustainability-charter