Environment
The built environment sector is responsible for 25% of UK and UAE greenhouse gas emissions.
As a major organisation in our sector, we have a responsibility to be more sustainable, and are committed to being a net zero carbon company by 2045.
We’re working to eliminate carbon and waste from our operations and to improving the natural environment. We’re doing all we can to create a cleaner, greener, and safer world for future generations.
Strategic Themes and Targets
We are committed to achieving net zero and zero waste across all our operations by 2045. Our Environmental Sustainability Plan is built around three strategic themes:
Optimising resources – maximising material use and avoiding waste through efficiency.
Cutting emissions – reducing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions across all products and processes.
Protecting nature – driving positive outcomes for the natural environment.
These themes guide our short- and long-term sustainability targets, fully aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Resource Efficiency
The UK urgently needs new housing stock and infrastructure, and the UAE is rapidly expanding to meet the demands of a growing population. In both regions, the challenge is the same: building for the future while protecting natural resources and limiting environmental harm.
At Claywatt, we are committed to doing more with less. That means reducing consumption, managing materials carefully, and embedding circular economy principles across all projects.
In the UK, we recycle and divert over 99% of the waste we produce and are on track to achieve zero waste by 2045. We encourage retrofit over demolition and employ Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) to optimise material use and cut waste. In the UAE, we align our work with the nation’s Net Zero 2050 vision, applying the same principles of efficiency, sustainability, and innovation to deliver projects that support long-term growth without compromising the environment.
With a pre-manufactured value (PMV) target of 65% where we can influence MMC, we also work hand-in-hand with our supply chain partners in both the UK and UAE to reduce material use and eliminate waste.
Greenhouse Gases
Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions are one of the biggest contributors to climate change, and tackling them is central to our sustainability strategy. Our goal is to be carbon neutral for our direct (Scope 1) and indirect (Scope 2) emissions by 31 December 2025, while also targeting reductions across our wider supply chain (Scope 3) emissions on the journey to net zero.
Through our Zero Carbon Sites programme, we are reducing our dependence on diesel, lowering energy demand, and deploying the most efficient generator set-ups, favouring battery storage systems wherever possible. We are preparing to transition fully to electric or green hydrogen-powered plant and equipment as these technologies become more widely available.
In both the UK and UAE, we are working to eliminate diesel and on-site generation for welfare facilities and site equipment, minimising local pollution and improving air quality for surrounding communities. These efforts support not only our own net zero pathway, but also align with the UK’s 2050 net zero commitments and the UAE’s Net Zero 2050 strategy.
Purchased Goods, Services, and Carbon Reduction
Purchased goods and services account for over 89% of our emissions, making them a key focus in our net zero strategy. To reduce our carbon footprint, we prioritise lowering embodied carbon in critical materials such as concrete and steel and encourage our suppliers to adopt low- and zero-carbon solutions, supported by Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) data.
In addition, we are improving the energy efficiency of our housing stock, which represents around 5% of our emissions. Across both the UK and UAE, these initiatives form part of our broader carbon reduction plans and support our goal of achieving net zero by 2045.
Natural Environment
At Claywatt, we work closely with customers and supply chain partners to protect and enhance the natural environment wherever possible. On projects where gains and losses can be quantified, we aim to deliver an aggregate Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) of 20%, doubling the national minimum of 10%. Where biodiversity outcomes are harder to measure, we track the social value generated and the resources dedicated to enhancing the local environment.
We are committed to adopting and reporting in line with the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) by 2030. This includes assessing and regularly reviewing any potential impacts on high-risk ecosystems, as well as understanding our dependencies on them, ensuring that our operations in both the UK and UAE create long-term positive environmental outcomes.
Our Supply Chain Commitment
With purchased goods and services accounting for over 83% of our emissions, Claywatt’s near-term science-based target focuses on engaging our supply chain to commit to and set their own science-based targets by the end of 2027. This ensures suppliers capture their greenhouse gas (GHG) data to a high standard and implement reduction targets grounded in climate science, helping us reduce our Scope 3 emissions.
A sustainable supply chain is critical to achieving our net zero goals. We engage with our key suppliers through annual events, workshops, and training, sharing our approach to common challenges and collaborating to deliver long-term environmental, social, and economic benefits across both the UK and UAE markets.
