Twenty years after the Earth Summit in Rio the world met again in June to review progress and set new ambitions. Skanska was inspired by the commitments made by the global community back in 1992 and set off on its own journey to a more sustainable future later that decade. Our progress is recorded elsewhere in this Sustainability domain.
For Rio+20 we decided to share our experiences via some of the organisations that we have worked with since the Earth Summit. Our relationship with some of these stretches back to the 1990s so we think it is fitting that we communicate our progress with these partners.
United Nations Global Compact (UNGC)
Skanska has participated in the UN Global Compact since 2001. Through the UN Global Compact and the Energy Efficiency in Buildings project from the WBCSD, Skanska has contributed to the UN´s flagship project "Sustainable Energy For All" (SEFA). Skanska contributed to the development of the project´s Construction Industry Report, which identifies specific priority actions construction companies can take to advance the three objectives of the project - energy access, energy efficiency, and renewable energy.
As part of our contribution we submitted six SEFA case studies showing good practice in support of the objectives. Furthermore Skanska submitted details of its Journey to Deep Green™ as a commitment to SEFA with the obligation to report on it annually. Read more on our commitment here.
Skanska also supported a UN report on the top challenges and priorities for the next 30-50 years in the urban sector and illustrates the increasing role of cities achieving sustainability. Read the report – Challenges and ways forward in the urban sector.
World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)
Skanska joined WBCSD in 1995 and continues to play an active part in key programmes such as the Energy Efficiency in Buildings (EEB) initiative. For Rio+20 we have provided case study examples of good practice; El Totoral Wind Farm, Chile and Powerhouse, Norway - can the built environment become the solution to its own problem? More info Powerhouse project >>
Skanska’s commitment to Sustainable Energy for All (SEFA) has been published on the WBCSD Rio+20 pages.
Stakeholder Forum
Skanska supports the work of Stakeholder Forum as part of its commitment to a more sustainable world. In the run up to Rio+20 we provided practical support to allow the Stakeholder Forum team to provide effective communication to stakeholders worldwide via their on-line newsletter Outreach. With Stakeholder Forum, we provided pro bono space to allow leading sustainability practitioners and thinkers in the Built Environment to air their views on-line.
Copies of Outreach and information about Stakeholder Forum can be found here. Read more about specific articles:
- Towards Rio+20, How Can Big Companies Show Leadership?, Kaarin Taipale, Ph.D. (Urban Studies)
- Beyond green buildings: creating different ways of living, interview with Pooran Desai, co-founder of BioRegional
- Green buildings for great cities, Jane Henley, World Green Building Council
- How to trigger action for energy-efficient solutions in the building sector?, Philippe Fonta, EEB World Business Council for Sustainable Development
- The World Needs Sustainable Energy for All, Andris Piebalgs, EU Commissioner for Development and Kandeh Yumkella, Director-General of the UN Industrial Development Organisation and Chair of UN-Energy
- Sustainable construction: Who should take the lead? Dr Richard Westaway, IMS Consulting