Unlocking the benefits

Sustainability is top of the agenda in the construction sector, with efforts intensifying across the industry to help support national and international targets and mitigate climate change. However, there is more to a merchant’s sustainability strategy than stocking lower carbon construction products. Ben Garner, Senior Manager — Logistics Development at Tarmac, explores how suppliers can drive sustainability throughout the supply chain.

The topic of carbon has developed immensely in recent years. National and international net zero targets remain in place but still more action is needed to prevent the planet from undergoing irreparable damage. COP27 shone the spotlight on global climate action once again, and organisations throughout every stage of the supply chain continue to enhance, develop and prioritise sustainability strategies.

In the merchant sector — as indeed, in others — sustainability is about securing long-term success for the business, its customers and communities. This is much more than a box ticking exercise; it is a means of competitive advantage, a strong message for investors, and an opportunity to increase and maintain sales from increasingly environmentally-conscious customers.

Traditionally, the focus has mostly been on the end product. Customers have a keen interest in how the product is manufactured and how the sustainability initiatives involved contribute to their decarbonisation strategies. This is particularly true of customers such as large contractors, housing providers or developers.

Tarmac has successfully cut CO2, with a current aim to reduce this to our absolute reduction target of 25% by 2030. We are building on many years of successfully using alternative fuels, such as waste biomass fuels in our cement kilns and are part of industry-