For over 60 years, FM Conway has been a leader in infrastructure services in the UK, working with local authorities and strategic partners to develop, maintain, and enhance road networks across London, the Midlands, and the South of England. The company follows a self-delivery model, which promotes material circularity and enables greater control over its operations. As a pioneer in materials innovation, FM Conway has embraced a circular economy approach, using recycled content to create durable construction materials and advancing industry-leading sustainability practices.
Recognizing the construction sector’s significant contribution to global emissions, FM Conway has committed to achieving net zero by 2045. Central to this effort is a rigorous approach to measuring, monitoring, and transparently reporting its carbon footprint. In 2023, the company partnered with Persefoni to enhance its carbon accounting capabilities for Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions.
Embedding Sustainability Across Its Operations
FM Conway is dedicated to integrating sustainable innovations across all aspects of its operations. The company has developed industry-leading facilities for materials innovation, using recycled content to create durable construction products while maximizing energy efficiency at its sites. The adoption of electric tools and vehicles is ongoing, and efforts to reduce reliance on natural resources such as fossil fuels are a top priority. FM Conway’s sustainability division supports these efforts, driving the delivery of the company’s net zero strategy and helping clients achieve their own climate goals.
Meeting Regulatory and Client Expectations
Several factors prompted the need for robust carbon accounting. Regulatory compliance, client expectations for sustainability, and a desire to make informed decisions about decarbonisation all necessitated a comprehensive approach to measuring emissions. FM Conway recognized that accurate carbon accounting would not only fulfill these requirements but also unlock opportunities for business efficiency and long-term cost savings.
Tackling the Scope 3 Data Challenge
While FM Conway had a strong understanding of its Scope 1 and 2 emissions, the company faced challenges in capturing Scope 3 data due to limited publicly available emissions registries and the absence of a centralised data repository. Different parts of the business, as well as suppliers, collected data independently, making it challenging to standardise measuring and reporting across the organisation. Additionally, the sustainability team needed clarity on the specific data requirements for various Scope 3 categories. Persefoni’s platform addressed these challenges by providing a structured approach to identifying, collecting, and sharing data.
Leveraging Persefoni for Comprehensive Carbon Insights
The decision to partner with Persefoni was made following a market review and tender process. Persefoni’s expertise in carbon accounting and its customer-focused approach stood out, providing accurate emissions reporting while supporting quality net zero planning and client engagement, aligning with FM Conway’s own customer-focused values.
Emphasizing Data Quality as a Foundation
A key takeaway from FM Conway’s carbon accounting journey has been the importance of data quality. The sustainability team, working closely with the finance and IT departments, found that ensuring datasets were complete and clean from the outset made the collection, storage, and analysis of data significantly easier. This emphasis on data quality has set a strong foundation for future climate reporting and decision-making.
Transparent Scope 3 Reporting: Going Beyond Regulatory Requirements
With Persefoni’s help, FM Conway has been able to report on the majority of applicable Scope 3 categories, including several that are not mandated by current regulations, such as Purchased Goods and Services, Capital Goods, and Fuel- and Energy-Related Activities. Although excluding these categories could have reduced reported Scope 3 emissions by 80%, the company chose to include them because they represent a substantial portion of its carbon footprint. This decision demonstrates FM Conway’s commitment to thorough and transparent reporting in its pursuit of achieving net zero.
Looking Ahead: Advancing Carbon Reduction Strategies
FM Conway has achieved significant milestones in its carbon accounting efforts, including quantifying over 70% of its supply chain emissions using activity-based data. The partnership with Persefoni has helped the company establish a streamlined, replicable process for carbon data collection and reporting, which will benefit future sustainability efforts. The experience has also reinforced the importance of collaboration between departments to ensure data accuracy and completeness.
The next phase of FM Conway’s net zero strategy involves increasing supply chain engagement to reach 100% quantification of emissions. The company plans to use Persefoni’s Net Zero Navigator tool to set ambitious carbon reduction targets. FM Conway is committed to leading the construction industry’s shift toward a low-carbon future by driving meaningful change through its policies and practices.
Partnership Publications
.svg)
