Sustainability Our impact We are playing a key role in supporting the energy transition and making a positive impact across the maritime, energy, and environmental sectors. By working closely with our customers and partners, we’re helping to reduce emissions and improve environmental practices. We are supporting the maritime industry’s transition to zero emissions through our research on hydrogen-powered ships. As part of the Hydrogen Powered Vessels research project with the Blue Economy CRC, we are assessing the feasibility of hydrogen and ammonia propulsion and developing conceptual vessel designs. Our insights are helping shape Australia and New Zealand’s pathway to a sustainable shipping future, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and advancing clean maritime technology (See ‘Green Power’ Page 16). Another important project is our work with Scotland’s fisheries, where we’re addressing the challenges posed by climate change and ocean acidification, in partnership with ClimateXChange (See ‘Supporting Scotland’s fisheries’ page 24). BMT is also contributing to the Western Green Energy Hub in Australia, one of the world’s largest renewable energy projects. Our role involves carrying out surveys of marine life and ensuring the environmental impact of the project is carefully managed (See ‘Green giant’ page 24). Meanwhile, in Canada, we’re helping to assess the environmental impact of new fish farms, using advanced software to understand the potential risks posed by climate change and making sure these developments are environmentally responsible (See Canada project wins, page 25). In addition to these projects, through our work with the Blue Economy initiative in Australia, we’re helping improve how marine data is collected and shared, supporting efforts toward environmental protection (See ‘boosting the blue economy’ page 24). Together, these projects reflect our commitment to creating a lasting, positive impact on both people and the planet. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions Reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) is a priority for BMT, driven by the growing expectations of our customers and society. We recognise the climate emergency and understand the challenges our customers face as they work towards their own sustainability goals. In 2021, we set our 2030 Near-Term targets with a globally recognised standard for validating climate goals, the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). This requires us to achieve a 65% reduction against our Scope 1 and 2 emissions and 65% reduction against our wider Scope 3 emissions, which includes emissions from our supply chain. We have also adopted the Science Based Targets Net Zero standard which has also been approved by the SBTi. Our Net Zero plan has been informed by stakeholders across BMT and has been approved by the BMT Executive Committee and the BMT Board. To support us in reaching our goals, we have set key performance indicators to reduce energy consumption in our offices and reduce GHG emissions from non-customer-funded business travel. Progress against targets Our target represents a 5.63% annual GHG emissions reduction, which we have achieved to date. A detailed breakdown of GHG emissions for our UK operations is available in the SECR report within our Annual Directors’ report. We also continue to maintain ISO14001 accreditation across all our offices. Scope 1 and 2 Energy usage We are on track to reduce office energy emissions by 10% by 2025 compared to 2022. In the UK we’re optimising office space by closing underutilised locations and opening more energy-efficient ones. Additionally, by closing two server rooms and moving storage to the cloud, we aim to further cut GHG emissions. This forms part of our global IT strategy to streamline operations and move to a single cloud service. To help us stay on track with future GHG emission reductions, our office leases include a five-year termination option. This flexibility allows us to move to more energy-efficient offices with Net Zero capabilities as they become available. Scope 3 Business travel Business travel emissions have increased compared to the previous reporting year as activities continue to recover post-pandemic. However, we continue to cap our non-customer travel emissions at 75% of our FY 18/19 greenhouse gas emissions baseline and remain on track to meet our science-based targets. For the upcoming financial year, we have introduced a new KPI to reduce customer-funded travel, acknowledging the importance of minimising business travel and supporting our clients in doing the same. To help drive these reductions, we have implemented an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system in the UK, with plans to expand it to other regions. The ERP system supports us in automating business travel expense reporting, improving accuracy and enabling more detailed data tracking, such as car size and fuel type, which supports our efforts to reduce emissions. Purchased goods and services Looking ahead, tackling Scope 3 emissions will be a primary focus. Our Enterprise Resource Planning system will enhance our ability to track and assess emissions within our supply chain, and our global procurement team will work more closely with suppliers to define clear emissions reduction goals and standards. Putting people first Learning and development We are driving a purpose-led approach to learning and development, ensuring employees are supported at every stage of their careers. The past year focused on upskilling employees and supporting their growth. 120 employees are participating in our global mentoring scheme, which provides a structured framework for knowledge sharing and career development across the business. Our graduate scheme has been redesigned to offer a more immersive and structured experience, equipping early-career talent with the skills and support needed to succeed across our industries. 40 employees are enrolled on this programme. Looking ahead, Learning and Development will continue to evolve, with a focus on innovation and long-term impact. Wellbeing and diversity, equity and inclusion This year saw significant progress made in wellbeing and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Initiatives included: • Transitioning diversity forums into formal committees (Global Diversity Committee, Gender Diversity Action Groups, Menopause Support Network) • Relaunching PRISM LGBTQ+ network, • Conducting DEI and wellbeing surveys, achieving a 63% participation rate. • Delivering training to Line Managers and People Teams on gender identity. • Introducing a Transgender Inclusion Policy. • Developing a Recruitment Diversity Dashboard to monitor the diversity of job applicants. We also formed two new partnerships: one with Wellity to offer a global calendar of wellbeing events and another with Inclusive Employers to provide webinars and educational resources for employees. “Each of us brings unique visible and non-visible differences that shape how we experience the world, both at work and beyond. We are committed to building an inclusive culture that reflects our values every day, creating a supportive environment where our people can thrive.” Sara Packwood DEI Health and Wellbeing Lead BMT Group Ltd | Review of performance 23-24 40 41
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