Leader in social responsibility
As the Nordic Community Builder with an extensive local presence, we have a responsibility for our communities. This responsibility begins with our role as employers and business partners and stretches all the way through our production chain and out into the surrounding neighborhood. This responsibility also includes the environment and climate. We impact all these areas and what we do matters.
This is how we govern:
Peab’s Code of Conduct applies to our employees and since 2023 we have a Suppliers Code of Conduct directed to our suppliers, subcontractors and other partners. The codes set clear requirements on compliance and respect in a number of areas like child labor, forced labor and the right to organize, climate responsibility, non-discrimination and anti-corruption. The Suppliers Code of Conduct contains specific requirements of suppliers concerning due diligence in the value chain, particularly regarding respect for human rights and the environment.
The strategic work linked to our material aspects in the target Leader in social responsibility is conducted on both Group and business area levels, together with the relevant expertise on every level of our organization responsible for making strategy into reality. Our priorities are the same in all the four countries we operate in, albeit with consideration to national legal differences. Peab’s managers always have the full responsibility and are, in turn, supported by specialists. In addition, we are certified according to a number of ISO standards.
The Board of Directors and executive management annually review the target for equal opportunity recruitment and the target of reducing carbon dioxide intensity in our own operations – Scope 1 and 2 – by at least 60 percent (baseline 2015) and for input goods and purchased services – Scope 3 – by half (baseline 2015) by 2030.
Equality, diversity and equal treatment
The construction and civil engineering industry, including Peab, plays a major role in taking advantage of all the competence society has to offer. In particular with respect to gender equal workplaces. The major inequality is in professions close to production. Promoting diversity at our workplaces is equally important, that we see and utilize everyone’s competence regardless of their background or identity. We are convinced that equality, diversity and equal treatment are key to success in both our business and in society as a whole. As one of the largest community builders in the Nordic region, we want to lead the way in the industry to increase equality, diversity and inclusion. Two key factors are continuous education and cooperation with society in general.
One of our nine external targets concerns equal opportunity recruitment. We have a Diversity & Inclusion Manager whose mission is to work strategically for increase equality, diversity and inclusion in the Peab Group. The function operates in the COO organization which is responsible for these issues. As these issues are relevant for our entire industry, we work to raise these issues in various industry contexts, and when meeting policy-markers and media.
The Code of Conduct together with the associated Work Environment Policy and our equal treatment plan cover Nordic work environment and anti-discrimination legislation.
Peab’s own disclosures
Equal opportunity recruitment
Target: Percent of women recruited > education market (reported annually)
Quality ensured supply chain
The production chain in the construction and civil engineering industry is complex and consists of many different actors. When it comes to the supply chain specifically, the foundation of a sustainable business is a supply chain where business ethics, human rights and the environment are fostered and respected.
The matter of our suppliers is central to us and is included in several of our prioritized sustainability aspects. At Peab we managed around 40,000 suppliers in 2022. Around 1,500 suppliers make up 80 percent of the Group’s total purchase volume, of which 60 are internal suppliers. In other words, we are major buyers in the Nordic region which means we have a good platform for promoting secure and sustainable procurement along with supplier collaboration.
This requires good governance from the highest level in the organization to individual workplaces as well as clear requirements and monitoring processes in every part of the production chain. This requires procedures for assessing, preventing and managing risks along with collaboration and transparency. Peab’s Code of Conduct forms the basis of this and during the year we developed a code of conduct specifically for suppliers that explicitly defines our expectations of our partners.
How we govern:
Respect for human rights is essential in every aspect of Peab’s operations and throughout the entire value chain. This commitment is explicitly expressed in our Code of Conduct. The risk of violating human rights exists in all our areas of operation, internally as well as externally. These risks are particularly prominent in the various parts of the supply chain, which is why we, as of 2023, have a Suppliers Code of Conduct. We perform risk assessments and rectifying deficiencies in our own operations, and we conduct quality checks of our supply chain to reduce the risk of disrespect for human rights.
Peab’s executive management is responsible for purchasing governance. The central steering document is our Code of Conduct as of 2023 we have a Suppliers Code of Conduct.
The Group’s Head of Procurement has ultimate responsibility for purchasing at Peab. The Group’s regulations and processes are clearly communicated throughout our operations. An important part is the fundamental requirements set out in Peab’s written agreements, such as a signing and complying with the Suppliers Code of Conduct (previously the Code of Conduct). The Group’s purchasing function is responsible for monitoring, quality reveiw and developing Peab’s supplier collaboration. For example, our supplier base is checked on a daily basis, primarily on financial parameters, and regular controls are made related to the Code of Conduct. Peab has identified a number of risk categories with a heightened risk for deficiencies regarding human rights, working conditions, environment and business ethics.
Ethics and anti-corruption
As community builders, we have a significant responsibility to work with ethics and counteract corruption. We have zero tolerance for all forms of corruption. This is a challenge in an industry of generally decentralized operations and complex value chains since these factors may increase the risk for ethical violations and corruption. Our shareholders, customers, employees and other stakeholders must be able to trust that our operations rest on an ethical approach, internal processes and regulations, as well as national legislation, and Peab does not compromise on these.
How we govern:
Peab’s executive management is responsible for governing the work related to ethics and anti-corruption as well as governance related to purchasing. The central steering document is our Code of Conduct. The Group’s Ethical Council is vital to managing and monitoring our work with ethics and anti-corruption, which is also supplemented by our whistleblower function.
The Ethical Council, which consists of the company lawyer, head of security and HR managers from all the business areas, meet once a month for a total of eleven times a year. The action plan against corruption that Peab works with is developed through the risk analyses that the Ethical Council regularly performs and includes a comprehensive, target group-oriented training in ethics and anti-corruption to ensure that all our employees have sufficient knowledge to act properly in any given situation. Group function Corporate governance and regulation compliance, under the leadership of the company lawyer, works with managing various cases of violations, training in ethics and anti-corruption, risk analyses and measures to counteract corruption as well as matters regarding governance and compliance. The compliance matter is not restricted to only laws and ordinances but, it also includes our Code of Conduct, established working methods and other steering documents within the Group.
At Peab, there are several way to whistleblow, complain or express opinions. We encourage employees, suppliers, trade unions and others to report any forms of misconduct or unethical behavior in the Group. General complaints from employees are reported to their closest supervisor. If this is not appropriate the employee is encouraged to report to their supervisor’s boss, the HR function, the Ethical Council or the legal function in Corporate governance and regulation compliance. We also have a whistleblowing function that employees and external parties can use.
Handling complaints and whistleblowing at Peab
Peab’s whistleblower system is used in the event of suspicions concerning corruption, environment breaches, fraud, victimization, mobbing, discrimination and health and safety standard violations. Anyone can make a report. Peab Group companies in Sweden with more than 250 employees have specific whistleblower contacts personnel can report to directly. Personnel in companies with fewer employees are encouraged report directly to Peab’s council for whistleblowing, which is a central function under the Ethics Council in Peab. In 2023 we will appoint whistleblower contacts in every company with over 50 employees.
Employees can also report via Peab’s channel for whistleblowing on the intranet, externally at peab.se and on other Group company websites. The report is handled confidentially by internally independent staff at Peab. The channel for whistleblowing is available in local languages and guarantees the anonymity of the reporter. Reports can also be made orally or via letter or email. A response is given quickly and always within seven days.
External reporting
If someone outside of Peab identifies any wrongdoing in the company we want them to report it at once, if possible to their closest contact at Peab or directly to the site manager of the project the person is at.
Peab also wants our suppliers to proactively communicate to their employees how to sound the alarm if they suspect something that violates our Code of Conduct or the law, via Peab’s channel for whistleblowing.
People outside of Peab’s organization can report in the same channels and have their reports handled in the same way as Peab’s employees.
Fundamental prerequisites concerning reporting:
1. No reprisals
Anyone reporting suspected wrongdoing should feel safe in the knowledge that they will not suffer any negative consequences. Peab does not tolerate any form of reprisals aimed at an employee or anyone else reporting suspected wrongdoing.
2. Ethical Council
The Ethical Council in Peab supports, strengthens and develops how Peab relates to and applies ethical matters relevant to our business, particularly relating to compliance of Peab’s Code of Conduct. The Ethical Council processes, and decides on, the whistleblower matters referred to it. The Ethical Council ensures objective and consequent investigations as well as provides answers to ethical questions posed from operations/employees.
3. Reporting to the Board
The Ethical Council reports the total number of established and significant cases of breaches in compliance with the Code of Conduct/Suppliers Code of Conduct, laws, and regulations to executive management semi-annually and to the Board of Directors in conjuncture with half-year report in the third quarter. The Ethical Council also reports on the consequences meted out.
Peab describes its whistleblower system specifically in its Guidelines for Whistleblowing and how personal data is handled in “How Peab processes personal data”.
Communication and education concerning anti-corruption
GRI 205-2
Board of Directors and executive management
All employees
*Peab’s Anti-corruption Policy is integrated into our Code of Conduct
Education and development for the young
One of the areas our customers emphasize more frequently is the importance of working together in shared social responsibility for the local community. For Peab, with our extensive local presence all over the Nordic region, this is a positive development and key to our business model. Some examples are providing internships and jobs for newly arrived immigrants or for people with disabilities, creating safe residential areas or aiding youths in their development and education. The education and development of youths is a particularly prioritized matter for us. We want as many children and youths as possible to have equal access to leisure activities, education and a first step into the labor market. This is an important part of our strategic target to be a leader in social responsibility.
How we govern:
Peab Life is our concept for how we contribute to youth’s development and education in the local community. By making it possible for young people to participate in local building projects we want to combat inequalities and contribute to greater diversity, community and participation amongst youths in the Nordic region. Our efforts for young people’s education and development lies in the function that works with Peab’s social responsibility and is led by the COO.
Peab Life is also the starting point for the Group’s sponsoring work which is based locally and requires that all sponsored activities positively contribute to the community. Peab’s sponsoring is governed by specific guidelines and the Group Sponsoring Council meets once a month.
Environment
The construction and civil engineering industry has a significant environmental and climate impact. Peab affects the environment and climate through our own operations and through the impact generated by, for example, suppliers and customers. At the same time, our operations are impacted by the effects of a changing environment and climate change. Consequently, we work together with other actors in the value chain to gradually reduce our environmental and climate impact, in line with our targets.
Peab’s environmental work is based on the Group’s prioritized sustainability aspects in the environmental area which have been identified through our environmental aspects evaluation, risk and opportunity analysis as well as stakeholder dialogues and materiality analysis. These are:
- Climate impact
- Resource consumption
- Environmentally and health hazardous products
The environmental targets guide us
Taking responsibility for the environment is key to our strategic target to be the leader in social responsibility. Peab has three long-term environmental targets that identify our focus areas and help us implement practical measures that improve the environment. These both support and strengthen each other. The most long-term target of Peab’s three group-wide environmental targets is to become climate neutral in 2045 at the latest which aligns with the science based 1.5 degree target in the Paris Agreement. Our milestone targets to 2030 are to reduce carbon dioxide intensity in our own operations – Scope 1 and 2 – by at least 60 percent (baseline 2015) and for input goods and purchased services – Scope 3 – by half (baseline 2015). Peab’s second environmental target is to be completely resource efficient by 2040. This target also contributes to our climate target since resource consumption and producing material have a substantial climate impact. Within the framework of resource efficiency we also work actively to promote biodiversity. Peab’s third environmental target is to phase out environmentally and health hazardous products no later than 2030. We want to protect people and the environment from toxic exposure in both production and usage phase.
How we govern:
The Group’s Head of Environment is responsible for strategically driving and coordinating Group environmental matters in close collaboration with business area environmental managers and specialists. The Group’s three overriding environmental targets are adopted by executive management and approved of by the Board, and are encompassed by a framework of defined interfaces, measurements, evaluation methods and strategic improvement areas. The Group targets are broken down into sub-targets and realized in our various operations based on each business area’s unique conditions and challenges.
Most of Peab’s businesses operate within a management system certified according to ISO 14001. The environmental management system is integrated into the business management system, which includes Peab’s Environmental Policy. Peab’s four business areas are responsible for implementation and compliance with management systems and policies in daily operations.
Since 2021, we have been working extensively to systematically and digitally manage the Peab Group’s environmental data. As the first step the project comprises system support and processes to compile and analyze the environmental data linked to input goods and services. The purpose of the project is to increase the accessibility, transparency and quality of data in order to meet the increasing reporting requirements from authorities, customers and financiers.
Environmental certification of buildings
GRI G4 CRE-8
The diagram shows the number of received certificates allocated per certification type. In the case of Miljöbyggnad and BREEAM the preliminary certification could be shown. The data include both our own developed projects where Peab is responsible for the certification and projects Peab has built for customers. As of 2021 certificates are reported per certification level and therefore the comparable year 2020 is not included in the diagrams. In 2020, the number of certificates according to Miljöbyggnad was 17, BREEM was 6, LEED was 1 and the Svan was 6.
The total number of certificates was 35 (22) during 2022.
Energy consumption
GRI 302-1, GRI 302-3
During 2022, Peab has continued to refine the compilation process of energy data. The reported data cover all the major suppliers that together represent more than 90 percent of the purchased volumes of electricity, district heating and district cooling. Cooling and steam were not reported in 2021 since the consumption was negligible. Peab has not used steam in 2022. Data from all fuel suppliers are included. The majority of the data is collected directly from suppliers but some estimates have been made based on, for example, invoices.
In first hand, supplier specific information on the products has been used to calculate the energy from fuel. Standard factors used for making estimates are reviewed annually. Conversion factors for fuel have been updated and adjusted to reflect the reduction obligation level. If supplier-specific data are not available, standard conversion factors based on national statistics are applied.
The use of of liquid fuel and gas decreased by 4 % during 2022 compared to 2021 and the use of of renewable fuel and gas increased by 11 %. The use of of electricity, district heating and district cooling decreased by 3 % during 2022 compared to 2021. The use of renewable electricity, district heating and district cooling increased by 6 %, where the majority was an increase in renewable electricity. The change in total energy consumption between the years is primarily due to changes in the set up of projects.
* Consumption of district cooling was a small portion of total energy consumption. In 2022 it was 8 MWh.
** Some of the fossil gas purchased in Denmark contains biogas and is thereby renewable.
Energy intensity
As of 2021, Peab has an energy intensity target measured as total energy consumption (all types of energy) in relation to the scope of the business, measured as net sales. The target is to reduce energy intensity by 15 % to 2023 compared to 2015. The outcome for 2022 was a reduction of 23 %.
Greenhouse gas emissions
GRI 305-1, GRI 305-2, GRI 305-3, GRI 305-4
During 2022, Peab has continued to refine the compilation process of data. For changes in energy consumption, which is one of the basic parameters for calculating greenhouse gas emissions (CO2e), see the section on “Energy consumption”. In first hand, supplier specific information has been used to calculate CO2e. If supplier-specific data are not available, standard emission factors have been applied.
Scope 1 (fuel consumption):
CO2e from fuel consumption have been calculated with emission factors from Peab’s fuel suppliers, national statistics, data from the energy industrial associations or DEFRA. Calculations of CO2e reflect the actual emissions for the composition of the fuels Peab has purchased, not the average of the reduction obligation fuel volume. Standard emission factors used are reviewed annually. The emissions of greenhouse gases in Scope 1 for 2022 are similar compared to 2021.
Scope 2 (other energy consumption):
CO2e according to the location-based method have been calculated with emission factors from AIB – Production mix (2021), national statistics or data from the energy industrial associations. CO2e according to the location-based method have decreased by 5 % compared to 2021. This is primarily due to a lower consumption of electricity and district heating in 2022 as well as updated emission factors from AIB.
CO2e according to the market-based method have primarily been calculated with emission factors from suppliers. In cases where emission factors from suppliers have not been available, factors from AIB – Residual mix have been used for electricity, and national statistics or data from the energy industrial associations have been used for district heating and district cooling. CO2e according to the market-based method have decreased by 7 % compared to 2021. This is primarily due to an increase in renewable electricity and lower consumption of electricity and district heating in 2022.
Scope 3 (input goods and purchased services):
From 2021, the scope of the data measured and reported in Scope 3 have increased. The delimitation of the Scope 3 reporting is based on an assessment of both the extent of the environmental impact and the pre-conditions for measuring it. Out of the 15 Scope 3 categories defined in the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, the following categories are reported on (with certain limitations specified in more detail in the GRI Index):
1. Purchased goods and services
4. Upstream transportation and distribution
5. Waste management services
6. Business travel
Purchased goods and services refers to material Peab purchased for its operations, and material delivered via sub-contractors, as well as purchased machine services. Upstream transportation and distribution includes transportation services Peab has purchased from a third party. The greenhouse gas emissions generated by purchased goods and services and upstream transportation and distribution have been calculated based on estimated quantities. In 2022, the emission factors for purchased materials were revised in order to better reflect the operations, taking purchased materials with a lower climate impact into account. Some of the emission factors were collected from suppliers. In cases where this information has not been available, emission factors have been based on standards from the Swedish Transport Agency and The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. The CO2e from these Scope 3 categories in 2022 are on the same level as 2021.
Greenhouse gas emissions from generated waste have been calculated with a tool developed by the waste industry including the climate footprint of waste transportation. CO2e from generated waste decreased by 7 % in 2022 compared to 2021. During the the quality review of the data, certain deficiencies in the 2021 reporting were discovered and significant data errors have been corrected in this year’s report. The revision of waste per waste type in tonnes affects emission calculations for 2021 and have therefore been adjusted. The largest adjustment refers to a reduction in generated waste sent to landfill which before the revision was a significant contributor to the emissions. This implies a reduction in CO2e from waste management compared to what was previously reported for 2021.
Greenhouse gas emissions from business travels include travels by train and flights booked through Peab’s travel agents and CO2e data are collected directly from the suppliers. The CO2e from flights were 1,235 tons while CO2e from train were only 0.6 tons. CO2e from business travel have increased compared to 2021. This is because COVID-19 pandemic travel restrictions still affected the number of travels during 2021. Business travel resumed when restrictions eased in 2022.
| Ton CO2e | 2022 | 2021 | |
| Ton CO2e | 2022 | 2021 | |
| Scope 1 | Scope 1 | 216,000 | 215,000 |
| Emissions | Utsläpp | 216,000 | 215,000 |
| Scope 2 (market based) | Scope 2 (marknadsbaserad beräkningsmetod) | 16,000 | 17,000 |
| Location based | Platsbaserad beräkningsmetod | 7,000 | 8,000 |
| Market based | Marknadsbaserad beräkningsmetod | 16,000 | 17,000 |
| Scope 3 | Scope 3 | 1,100,000 | 1,100,000 |
| Business travel (flights & train) | Tjänsteresor (flyg & tåg) | 1,236 | 526 |
| Waste management incl. waste transportation (excl excavated soil) | Avfallshantering inkl. avfallstransport (exkl. schaktmassor) | 68,000 | 74,000 |
| Input goods and purchased services | Insatsvaror och köpta tjänster | 1,000,000 | 1,000,000 |
| Total amount of emissions of greenhouse gases (market based) | Total mängd utsläpp av växthusgaser (marknadsbaserad beräkningsmetod) | 1,330,000 | 1,330,000 |
As of 2021, Peab has a target for carbon dioxide intensity measured as CO2e in relation to the scope of the business, measured as net sales, allocated into Scope 1+2 (fuel and energy consumption in our own production) and Scope 3 (input goods and purchased services).
The target for Scope 1+2 is to reduce carbon dioxide intensity by 60 % to 2030 compared to base year 2015. The outcome for 2022 was a reduction of 43 %.
The target for Scope 3 is to reduce carbon dioxide intensity by 50 % to 2030 compared to 2015. The outcome for 2022 was a reduction of 5 %. The outcome of the target for carbon dioxide intensity for Scope 3 2021 has been revised due to the correction of CO2e in Scope 3 (see the section on input goods and purchased services).
Greenhouse gas intensity
Waste
GRI 306-1, GRI 306-2, GRI 306-3
Material and waste flows as well as waste prevention measures
Environmental impact related to waste is primarily linked to the depletion of natural resources. When material is not reused, greenhouse gas emissions occur and other pollutants are generated by transportation and incineration of waste. The use of land for waste storage and landfills, poses risks for leakage of hazardous substances to land and water. We work to reduce the environmental impact of waste based on waste hierarchy. This means that we, in first hand, strive to minimize the amount of waste generated, and in second hand, steer the waste created to reuse or material recycling. We also strive to reduce hazardous waste and increase the use of recycled material in the products we manufacture and use along with the possibility to recycle the products after use.
We maintain close collaboration with the other actors in the value chain to achieve circular material flows. Environmental impacts linked to waste arise not only within Peab’s own operations, but also within other actors, such as suppliers, customers, waste contractors and other manufacturing companies. Peab has the greatest opportunity to control the extent of the environmental impact in its own production, but we can also influence the environmental impact of other actors through dialogue, setting demands and through our offer of products and services. The figure below provides an overview of Peab’s material and waste flows.
The upstream flows describe material flows into Peab, for example material deliveries from suppliers and surplus material from other actors we received for recycling,, while downstream flows describe material flows out of Peab, for example finalized products to customers, components to reuse by another actor and waste sent to external waste contractors.
1. Virgin material
Peab has considerable operations in supplying raw material providing society with essential construction material such as mineral aggregates and gravel used, for example, in building railroads and manufacturing concrete. We strive to increase the use of circular material but we also use gravel and rock from our own quarries.
In our projects, we try to reduce the need for construction material and soil for filling by, for instance, optimizing designs and in-situ treatment of contaminated soil that render the pollutants harmless onsite.
2. Input goods
We use input goods in our production in the form of chemical products, materials and goods from a large number of suppliers. The input goods usually come with packaging that creates a significant amount of waste.
In order to reduce the environmental impact of input goods, we strive for optimized construction that diminishes the need for materials and streamlined working methods that minimize waste and surplus or damaged material. We look for products and packaging with more recycled material and that are in of themselves recyclable. Examples of products that can contain recycled material are plasterboard, glass wool and stone wool. We also strive for increased use of return packaging such as pallets.
3. Byproducts
We use byproducts from other actorʼs operations as raw material in our own production.
We work continually to increase the amount of byproducts as raw material, thereby contributing to reducing the amount of material that becomes waste. An example of this is the slag from manufacturing steel that we use in our own production. We use it to make Merit, a binder that can replace cement in concrete. We also use it in ECO-Ballast (ECO-Mineral aggregates) that consists of at least 50 percent of recycled material, which reduces the use of virgin material.
4. Surplus material
Peab runs its own recycling operations, where we work to increase recycling and reuse of waste and residue material from construction and civil engineering projects as well as industrial processes, for both internal and external customers. Through efficient recycling of surplus excavated soil, in part through C & D Recycling Wash Plants, the amount of surplus excavated soil from excavation and infrastructure projects that becomes landfill can be reduced by up to 80 percent and we can instead use it as raw material in new products like ECO-Ballast (ECO- Mineral aggregates). We also use reclaimed asphalt pavement as a raw material in our asphalt production which lowers the amount of both bitumen and mineral aggregates needed.
5. Material and products
Peab manufactures number of different materials and products for our customers – everything from mineral aggregates, asphalt and concrete to finished bridges, schools and hospitals. Packaging is minimum for this kind of product.
We strive for all our products to contain more recycled material. An example is our ECO-Ballast (ECO-Mineral aggregates), which is made up of at least 50 percent recycled raw material and we use recycled material in the manufacture of concrete and asphalt such as slag-based binder and recycled mineral aggregates. We also try to use products and material with long lives and to enable reuse and recycling of them at the end of their lives. For example, we are phasing out environmentally and health hazardous products that contain substances we do not want in the circular flow. We also need to work further on dismantling, which will enable future reuse of included components.
6. Retrieval and waste returns
Despite preventative measures, production still generates some material waste and leftover material.
First and foremost, we try to return this material to the supplier by retrieving leftover, undamaged products that can be resold or return material waste that can go back into the supplierʼs production as raw material. Examples of material waste that can be returned to suppliers for recycling are glass wool, stone wool and plasterboard.
7. Reuse
If leftover material and products cannot be returned to the supplier, we strive to reuse it in other ways. This might be leftover material and products, temporary material only needed during the production phase or products that have been dismantled in connection with renovation or demolition.
We can use some of it in our own operations. An example of systematic reuse is our project Varvsstaden, a former shipyard now being transformed into a new city borough in the middle of Malmö. Here we have developed “The Material Bank”, a database that contains information about all the material onsite while displaying the environmental gains of reusing and retrieving it. We want to make leftover material and products we cannot use in our operations available to other actors and have therefore signed partnering contracts with several external reuse actors.
8. Waste
The waste that is generated in our operations, despite all the above efforts, is sorted and handled by professional waste management companies. They can have other options for reuse and recycling of the material. If not, the waste is sent to incineration, usually with energy recovery, or as a last resort to landfill. There are instances where material and products are not fit for reuse and recycling, for example, hazardous waste derived from demolition or soil remediation. This is also handled by professional waste management companies for treatment and/or disposal.
Peab ensures safe and secure waste management by checking that waste management companies have the proper permits for their operations before contracts are signed. A follow-up of managed waste amounts is conducted at least once a year on Group level, through a compilation containing waste type, if the waste is hazardous or not and what kind of recycling or disposal method has been used by waste management companies.
More examples of how we work with resource efficiency, preventing waste generation and increasing the portion of recycled waste can be found in the text section on the environment in the Annual and Sustainability Report.
Generated waste
During 2022, Peab has continued to refine the compilation process for waste data and ensure good compilation of data, including increased standardization of waste type categories and treatment methods. The reported data include all of the major suppliers that together represent over 90 percent of the purchased volumes of waste management services.
During the quality review of the 2022 data, certain deficiencies regarding the tones of waste reported for 2021 were discovered and significant errors have been adjusted in this year’s report. This refers to an error of the tons of waste reported, total of 397,000 tons. The error is due to incorrect information reported by the suppliers in 2021. Variations regarding waste generated per waste type, as well as treatment methods have therefore been corrected in this year’s report.
Compared to the revised data for 2021, the amount of waste in tones decreased by 21 % in 2022. Changes and variations in the amount of waste between the years are largely due to variations in the number of projects and the structure and the set up of the projects during the reporting year.
Waste year 2022, total for the Group was 901,000 (1,130,000) tons.
Waste previously reported as return packaging in 2021 has been reclassified to the waste category wood, and waste previously reported was sludge in 2021 has been reclassified as hazardous waste, minimal material, and other waste. Peab’s ambition is to categorize waste according to the industry standard (ÅVI/BEAst ver. 2022 05 27), with the additional fraction other waste. This is an ongoing process and not all our suppliers follow the industry standard completely. Peab works to successively improve reporting of waste through continuous dialogue with suppliers aiming at improving and refining processes.