April 22, 2024 – Sargent & Lundy released its annual sustainability report today, demonstrating its continuing commitment to the environment in its operations as it leads the energy transition toward reliable, carbon-free power solutions.
In its fourth report since being established in 2020, the firm’s Sustainability Advisory Council (SAC) documented the progress it has made to date and outlined new goals for the next two years. The firm once again took part in the Electric Utility Industry Sustainable Supply Chain Alliance’s (EUISSCA) Consulting/Advisory Services sustainability survey which aims to improve the sustainability of the products and services utilities buy and use as well as the performance of suppliers and supply chain operators. Sargent & Lundy received a survey score of 93% out of 100%.
In 2024, the SAC is planning to take its work in measuring the firm’s environmental impact further by quantifying its Scope 1 and 2 emissions under the greenhouse gas protocols across the value chain. Scope 1 emissions are GHG emissions that a company is directly accountable for through heating, ventilation, transportation, or other factors. Scope 2 are indirect emissions from the electricity or energy that is produced on its behalf for electricity or energy use. The council is looking to track Scope 3 emissions, the emissions created by the firm’s entire value chain, beginning in 2025.
As part of the firm’s overall Sustainability Plan, the SAC has examined business practices across the firm tracking progress and achievements in nine specific focus areas:
- Governance to determine the oversight and implementation of the plan.
- Managing and communicating performance to develop metrics to quantify the plan’s effectiveness.
- Office operations to work with building owners to promote building enhancements for energy efficiency and indoor air quality.
- Transportation and fuel consumption to reduce fuel consumption through promoting public transportation, providing tools for audio and videoconferencing, and offering vehicle charging stations at office buildings.
- Water utilization to reduce the use of water and/or the creation of wastewater at any of the company’s leased spaces.
- Materials and supply chain to reduce the environmental impact of purchased products by selecting energy efficient, recyclable, and locally sourced products where applicable.
- Waste and cleaning to reduce overall waste generated across office operations.
- Stakeholder engagement to encourage employees to adopt sustainability practices.
- Process improvement to identify and evaluate areas for potential sustainability improvements.
Sargent & Lundy does not own or operate any of its leased office spaces but has worked with building owners and managers to make significant improvements in reducing energy utilization and promoting clean energy and best environmental practices. In the firm’s new office in Fort Worth, Texas, the building is powered by 100% renewable energy and the parking garage avoids over three million pounds of carbon dioxide a month.
At the firm’s Chicago headquarters, the building owner installed electric vehicle charging stations, promoting EV use and lowering transportation-related fuel consumption. In its overall efforts to reduce waste, Sargent & Lundy’s offices doubled the amount of coffee packaging recycled in 2023 with over 4,000 pounds of coffee packs diverted from landfills.
Sargent & Lundy’s sustainability commitment mirrors its work serving clients and communities to meet their net-zero goals. The firm is a pioneer in the electric power industry since its founding over 130 years ago and continues to lead in energy innovation, providing the technical expertise behind grid modernization, renewable wind and solar power, energy storage, electric vehicle infrastructure, nuclear power, carbon capture, hydrogen, and environmental compliance.
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Renewable Energy Services at Sargent & Lundy