It’s time to rethink how we plan, design and engineer everything, from the places where we live and work to the energy powering our communities. As one of the world’s leading professional services firms, WSP has around 90,000 active projects globally and plays an impactful role in the global movement to transition to a low-carbon future.
To set our course towards net zero, WSP developed a Climate Transition Plan with a clear and bold roadmap, detailing the actions we will take over the next two decades to ensure we reach our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction targets. The plan provides an overview of our targets, our net zero commitment and key strategies that will be implemented to achieve these targets.
“We are more committed than ever before to leading the world’s green transition through proven scientific approaches, innovation and smart engineering, to create impactful solutions for a future where societies can thrive. To achieve this, we must first lead by example,” said Alexandre L’Heureux, President and CEO of WSP.
Last year, we announced ambitious climate actions through a commitment to achieve net zero emissions across our value chain by 2040. To support the achievement of this commitment, we have set science-based GHG emissions reduction targets, which have been approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
Our Targets
- Reduce scope 1 and scope 2 (market-based) GHG emissions 60% by 2030 from a 2018 baseline*
- Reduce upstream scope 3 emissions 30% by 2030 from a 2018 baseline*
- Source 100% renewable electricity by 2030
- Achieve net zero emissions across our value chain by 2040
- Commit to better understand GHG emissions associated with our designs and advice, collaborating with our clients and partners to drive emissions reduction.
The publication of the Climate Transition Plan is a crucial element of WSP’s journey to reducing GHG emissions, as it sets out concrete actions. In total, six areas of action have been targeted, and linked to specific initiatives. Some are directly associated with our operations (scope 1 and 2), and others are linked to our partners and suppliers (scope 3).
- Office Energy. Represents about 2/3 of our scope 1 and 2 emissions. Key initiatives include the consolidation of office space and the implementation of green leasing. We have developed a renewable energy strategy that outlines a hierarchy of procurement options for each region, based on the maturity of the local renewable energy market.
- Fleet. Represents approximately 1/3 of scope 1 and 2 emissions. A key initiative is the replacement of fleet vehicles with electric or hybrid models in half of our global regions.
- Business Travel. Falls under scope 3 emissions. We will continue to encourage lower-carbon options; in addition, some regions, including the UK, have introduced flight levies to business travel.
- Procurement. Represents the largest portion of our total GHG emissions. We are currently developing a supplier engagement plan to galvanize action in this area.
- Employee Commuting. Represents the second largest category of scope 3 emissions. We are launching a global employee commuting survey this fall to better understand office and work-from-home patterns and associated emissions, and will continue to support hybrid working and sustainable commuting.
- Other Sources. While they represent only a small portion of our scope 3 emissions, we will also evaluate opportunities to reduce waste-related GHG emissions.
Beyond the Value Chain
WSP has identified key stakeholder relationships that will be essential to achieving our targets and collectively working towards a low-carbon future. One of our most important stakeholder groups is our clients, and supporting them in reducing their own emissions is one of our principal objectives.
By delivering Future Ready® designs and advice that consider trends such as embodied carbon, circular economy and biodiversity net gain, we can have an outsized impact on reducing, avoiding or mitigating client emissions. We have therefore committed to halve the carbon of advice and designs in several of our regions by 2030: Sweden, Denmark, Australia, New Zealand and the UK.
Transitioning to a net-zero world is one of the greatest challenges we face collectively. As Positive & Bold Change Agents, we are proud of our role in limiting temperature change to 1.5°C, and creating a better and cleaner world.
* Approved by SBTi