Our Annual Environmental Report has been published for the fourth consecutive year and our Head of Sustainability Carolina Karlstrom talks about the report’s highlights including the progress we’re making on our journey towards net zero.
As an environmentally responsible company, this report is an important opportunity for us to communicate openly and transparently about our environmental performance. As well as being a requirement under our Ofgem licence, it’s also a chance to celebrate the progress we’re making towards our sustainability targets, but also to be honest about where improvement is needed.
Biodiversity: a standout success
One of the real highlights this year is our continued work to enhance biodiversity across our network. Last year, we delivered 12 biodiversity improvement projects, ranging from sowing wildflowers to installing bird, bat and dormouse boxes and planting native trees and hedgerows.
I’m especially proud that our work at the liquified natural gas (LNG) storage facility in Oban has been recognised with two awards – the BIG Biodiversity Challenge Award for ‘Habitat Creation: Project of the Year (Medium to Large Scale)’ and an International Green Apple Environmental Award for Environmental Improvement.
These awards recognise the significant ecological enhancements delivered through the project, including the creation of habitats for reptiles and birds, installation of kingfisher boxes, and construction of an artificial otter holt along the riverbank. The hard work of our Property and Estates team made this possible.
Tackling emissions with innovative tools
I’m also excited about the new technology we are able to roll out across the business which will help us reduce emissions to the atmosphere. Leakage and methane emissions are by far our biggest environmental impact which contributes directly to worsening climate change, and tools like the Drawdown Compressor are one of those technologies we can use to be less wasteful with the gas we distribute and at the same time reduce our environmental impact.
It recovers gas that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere during pipeline decommissioning work, capturing up to 95% of this gas. On one project in London, the Drawdown Compressor recovered over 17,000 cubic feet of gas – the equivalent of driving 136,000 miles.
Waste: an area we can all improve
While there’s lots to be proud of, we’re also clear about areas that need improvement and waste management is one of those.
Recycling more and sending less to landfill isn’t just good for the environment – it’s more cost-effective for the company too, as well as being the right thing to do. It’s something everyone at SGN can influence every day, whether we’re on a works site, in a depot, at the office or at home. An empty bottle from lunch or a leftover bit of plastic pipe – where it ends up really does matter.
There’s a famous African proverb that says: “If you think you’re too small to make a difference, you haven’t spent a night with a mosquito.” This is an ethos I want everyone to consider.
Progress on our targets
Reading through the case studies in the report shows just how much progress we’re making against our targets. I encourage you to have a read through it and learn more about the environmental commitments that drive us forward.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out.
