Green steel takes shape at Port Talbot
23 Sep 2026Work on the foundations, infrastructure and buildings that will support Tata Steel's new electric arc furnace is now well underway
19th July 2023
Net Zero 2045 target validated by the Science Based Targets initiative
We're excited to announce a further strengthening of our commitment to decarbonisation, with the validation of our science-based Net Zero target by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
We have become one of the first major construction and infrastructure companies in the UK to have our targets approved as net zero by the SBTi.
The announcement follows the completion of a rigorous assessment of our near and long-term emission reduction targets against the SBTi’s Corporate Net-Zero standard. 
The standard provides a clear, consistent and science-based definition of net zero, allowing companies to align their near and long-term emission reduction targets with the Paris Agreement’s goal of keeping planetary warming to 1.5°C.
Crucially, it requires the inclusion of all material sources of emissions, including indirect Scope 3 emissions, and prioritises deep emission reductions of 90-95% by no later than 2050. Residual emissions must be permanently neutralised in line with SBTi criteria before reaching net zero.
We have committed to reducing absolute scope 1, 2 and 3 GHG (Greenhouse Gas) emissions from purchased goods and services 42% by 2030 and 90% by 2045 from a 2020 base year, building towards an overall commitment to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions across the value chain by 2045.
We are proud to have developed a net zero action plan to ensure immediate and sustained action is taken towards our approved targets.
The action plan focuses on 4 key areas:
- Process, systems and data
- Emission reduction initiatives
- Our people
- Collaboration and innovation
It will support our clients and supply chain partners to achieve their own net zero ambitions by leveraging the contractor's expertise and collaborating on innovative low and zero carbon solutions.
Our targets and summary pathway to net zero can be found here.
Read more From Simon Leek, Company Carbon Manager at Sir Robert McAlpineIn the absence of policy and regulation, voluntary standards such as the SBTi’s Net-Zero standard are essential for providing a common, transparent, and science-based approach to net zero, and building credibility within the construction industry.
Simon Leek, Company Carbon Manager at Sir Robert McAlpine
In the absence of policy and regulation, voluntary standards such as the SBTi’s Net-Zero standard are essential for providing a common, transparent, and science-based approach to net zero, and building credibility within the construction industry. The standard has enabled us to set ambitious and credible science-based net zero targets that align to our own carbon principles of: 'Don’t delay', 'Be brave', 'Collaborate', 'Reduce' and 'Transparency'. Delivering our Net Zero plan will not be easy, but it’s increasingly clear that the industry no longer has the luxury of failure
News and comment
-
![]()
Read more about -
![]()
Read more aboutUniversity of Bristol's TQEC completes
07 Sep 2026The £500 million campus creates a new gateway to Bristol at the heart of the wider Bristol Temple Quarter regeneration programme
-
![]()
Read more aboutSustainability Impact Report 2020-25
24 Aug 2026Our five-year strategy records a 33% reduction in carbon emissions, £153m social return on investment and major advances in resource efficiency and responsible sourcing
