WJ Group expands its sustainability credentials by achieving PAS 2080

WJ Group has demonstrated its continued commitment to reducing carbon emissions in infrastructure by achieving PAS 2080 certification with the British Standards Institute (BSI).

With more than 30% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions attributed to the construction, operation and maintenance of infrastructure facilities, PAS 2080 certification recognizes companies that need to work together to deliver low-carbon infrastructure projects and reduce their impact on the environment.

To achieve PAS 2080 status, WJ Group demonstrated to the auditors that it had made significant progress in reducing carbon emissions and was taking a systems-based approach to being a greener link in the supply chain. This included promoting industry collaboration and reviewing product and service methodology. During the accreditation process, the company demonstrated its ability to operate within a PAS 2080 community that delivers low-carbon infrastructure.

Paul Aldridge, Sustainability Director at WJ Group said: “Receiving PAS 2080 certification is independent recognition of our significant and ongoing efforts to reduce our impact on the environment as we work together on the vital projects across the motorway network. We have worked for years to reduce our environmental footprint through our products and delivery methods to become part of the solution. We believe we have achieved some success in this area, but our sustainability efforts will not end here – this is just the beginning.”

The announcement follows WJ Group’s recent success at the Green World Awards, where it was awarded a gold award for the carbon-reducing impact of its driver behavior programme. In the first year of the initiative, the company saw a 7.75% reduction in emissions and a 12% increase in Miles Per Gallon.

WJ Group has been actively reducing its carbon footprint since the early 2000s, when it began recording and monitoring its energy consumption and achieved Carbon Trust accreditation in 2015. Since then, the company has made significant progress, including eliminating 20,000 tons of embedded carbon per year by assessing the materials, waste and transportation of its thermoplastic road marking products.

In addition, WJ Group has made significant efforts to upskill employees across all levels of the business, helping them understand their individual impact on the Group’s decarbonization efforts. These steps will ensure WJ Group can achieve its Net Zero goals.

With sustainability being a key priority for customers, designers, contractors and suppliers alike, achieving certifications such as PAS 2080 demonstrates WJ’s ability to play a positive role in the delivery of low-carbon infrastructure projects.

Paul continues: “Currently more than 80% of our commercial vehicles and vans are hybrid or electric and our aim is ultimately to have a completely zero-emission fleet of vans. By doing this, all our projects in the future will be completed without the impact of fossil fuels. We are also signatories to the Science Based Target Initiative, which is helping to achieve net zero by taking an integrated, systems-based approach. This is done using internationally recognized and independently audited standards including ISO 14064, SBTI, PAS 2080, ISO 14067, PAS 2050 and ISO 14040 to give our stakeholders confidence that we are serious partners in change and the just transition to net zero.”

For more information about WJ Group’s sustainability work, visit: https://www.wj.uk/sustainability/

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