We are aligned with our clients’ in prioritizing environmental stewardship across energy, water and waste, as well as climate change and biodiversity and being committed stewards of our natural resources.
Each project we engineer and construct intersects with and impacts our environment— directly or indirectly—with much of our work devoted to protecting and preserving our resources and solving environmental challenges. Together, working with our clients and communities, we serve a critical role and have an opportunity to minimize environmental impacts from infrastructure.
2025 Net Zero Goal
Our Carbon Emissions Report summarizes greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from our global operations. Black & Veatch has set an emissions reduction target based on lessons learned during previous GHG inventory updates and a benchmarking study that compares emissions and targets to peers. By 2023, Black & Veatch will reduce overall emissions by 20 percent and fleet and building emissions by 40 percent and achieve net zero overall emissions by 2025.
Protecting Water
Since 2008, an average of 1,000 Black & Veatch professionals and family members every year across the world volunteer with the Ocean Conservancy as part of the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) to remove thousands of pounds of trash from the world’s waterways. An average of 6,200 lbs of waste are collected each year.
Headquarters Microgrid
Black & Veatch designed, built and operates an award-winning microgrid at our World Headquarters in Overland Park, Kansas. The microgrid provides clean energy for the building as well as a portion of the 45 on-site electric vehicle charging stations.
Our Commitments to Environmental Stewardship
Through an internal materiality assessment and review of client sustainability goals, environmental stewardship emerged as a key element to be integrated into the Black & Veatch 2020-2023 Sustainability Strategy.
Carbon Footprint and Climate Change
Purpose: Manage our carbon footprint, measure the carbon footprint of the work we do, and help clients meet their own objectives.
Commitments:
- By 2023, we will reduce Scope 1 & 2 emissions by 40% and our overall GHG emissions (Scope 1, Scope 2 and Scope 3 business travel and teleworking) by 20% from a 2019 baseline. After 2023, we will continue reducing our GHG emissions and be net zero for our overall GHG emissions by 2025.
- Clients’ GHG emissions reduction and decarbonization objectives are our objectives. Partnering in this transition, we are committed to supporting clients with target setting, alternatives analysis, technology selection, integration and deployment.
- We are committed to delivering resilient and future-proofed infrastructure for our clients and communities.
- During 2021, we will conduct a GHG emissions inventory for the infrastructure we work on and use it to inform future actions related to a reduction in GHG emissions.
Benefit: Address climate change through our operations and the work we do.
Water Stewardship
Purpose: Measure our water footprint, measure the water footprint of the work we do, and help clients meet their own sustainable water use objectives.
Commitments:
- During 2021, we will conduct a water use assessment for our operations and start applying the findings to managing direct and indirect water use in offices, on construction sites, and in our supply chain.
- We are committed to helping clients achieve their objectives for the sustainable use of water—management, sourcing, consumption, reuse and discharge.
- During 2021, we will conduct a water use assessment for the infrastructure projects we work on and use it to inform future actions.
Benefit: Address the complexity and local nature of water as a critical resource through our operations and the work we do.
