Sustainability Needs Fewer Words And More Action

What will the COP26 forum achieve? Only time will tell. One thing’s for sure; it will generate plenty of words. These must be backed by meaningful actions if we are to have any chance of limiting global temperature rises to 1.5⁰C.

As businesses, we can’t detach ourselves from reality or our responsibility. Even the most hard-nosed corporation is ultimately a collection of people with families. Those individuals live in communities that depend on the actions we choose to take to protect wellbeing and security. If we break the planet no business has a viable future.

Leaving it up to governments to tell us what we should be doing isn’t an option. This is a nettle we need to grasp ourselves.

Sustainability Touches Every Part of The Business

That’s why one of the first senior appointments to the board of the newly-independent Osborne Infrastructure Limited was Catriona Cliffe, our new Sustainability Director.

This is a board level appointment because sustainability is a huge issue that touches every part of our business and every infrastructure project. The scope of the role reflects this. Catriona will take the lead on all aspects of sustainability including:

• Carbon reduction methods
• Biodiversity enhancement
• Energy efficiency
• Climate resilience options
• Social value outcomes

That’s a huge portfolio that can only be delivered by having everyone in the organisation fully aligned with our sustainability goals.

Sustainability is core business and sustainable practices must be at the heart of everything we do so that, ultimately, everyone wins. As a business we can turn words into action. We don’t need anyone’s permission and we don’t need to wait for external directives.

By preparing now for a net zero carbon future we are creating a sustainable future and building a business culture that people will want to work in. We’re delighted to have Catriona on board to spearhead our efforts.

To learn more about Osborne Infrastructure Limited’s approach to sustainability, contact Mike Todd ([email protected]).