Sustainability
Sustainability at Rigby
As a family-owned company, we are mindful of our responsibility to ensure our business practices not only drive growth and long-term value for our shareholders and stakeholders, but also enrich the environment, society, and the lives of future generations. With more than 8,500 employees and operations in eight countries across various sectors, we recognise that achieving true sustainability is neither simple, nor straightforward. But we are making good progress and remain committed to this critical work.
Download our first group-wide sustainability report 2024 here.
Our Commitment
Guided by our longstanding family values and a deep respect for people and the planet, we aim to do business the right way and to leave the world in a better place than we found it. We recognise that economic success is intertwined with environmental and social progress. We are therefore committed to investing our resources and collaborating with others to find innovative solutions to the complex issues faced within our sectors and beyond, knowing this may require us to sacrifice profits. As our company and our approach to sustainability evolve, we will be open about our successes and our challenges, learning from our experiences and partners along the way.
Project Sequoia is our plan to cultivate longevity, growth, and prosperity while enriching the environment, society, and the lives of future generations — across all our divisions, through four pillars: Planet, People, Prosperity, and Principles. The strategy promotes a harmonious balance between business success and societal and environmental wellbeing. It is named for the largest trees on Earth, which support a diversity of life due to the root connections they build.
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Principles targets:
- 2023: Establish groupwide ethics and anti-bribery and corruption training.
- 2023: Ensure all divisions have a whistleblowing policy and process.
- 2024: Align our governance policies across the Group.
As one the UK’s largest wholly family-owned businesses, we aim to be a beacon of good governance for others, by combining the flexibility and principles of a private company with the standards and procedures expected of a listed company. Our principles and governance processes are foundational to our other three sustainability pillars.
Spotlight initiative:
EcoVadis, the world’s largest provider of business sustainability ratings, awarded SCC France its highest recognition — Platinum Status — achieved by just 1% of businesses. The status recognises SCC France’s environmental, social and ethical performance standards and reflects our efforts to maintain the highest level of corporate governance across our divisions.
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Planet targets:
- 2040: Achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions a decade ahead of our previous target, through ongoing work on emission reduction.
- 2024: Set SBTi-validated emissions reduction targets for SCC.
- 2024: Improve CDP climate module Grade C for our Technology Division.
- 2024: Attain Level 2 Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) for our airports.
- 2023: Gain Green Tourism accreditation for our hotels.
We are committed to developing a detailed understanding of the current environmental impacts of our divisions and value chains. We will partner with others to invest in solutions where we can have the greatest impact.
Spotlight initiative:
In March 2023, SCC installed solar panels at its flagship Birmingham data centre. The 749 kWe (kilowatt-electric) roof-mounted solar-photovoltaic panels will avoid 124 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year.
The project is part of our ongoing work to improve data centre efficiency and our wider efforts to reduce emissions and conserve resources.
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People targets:
- 2024: Gather better quality information and data across the Group to deliver a reporting and monitoring structure to track our diversity and inclusion progress.
- 2024: Align our people support processes across all divisions, including access to mental health support and learning and development opportunities.
- 2024: Further develop our successful apprenticeship strategy.
Our ambition is to enable people across our divisions and value chain to thrive, through meaningful work and contribution, growth and development, and a culture that champions diversity and collaboration.
Spotlight initiative:
Our Eden Hotel Collection was recognised in 2023 by hospitality charity Springboard for its commitment to fostering employee wellbeing and development. Judges for the annual Springboard Awards for Excellence awarded Eden the Best Training Program for its comprehensive, accessible, targeted and engaging approach to training. The charity also shortlisted Eden for Best Employer and Employee Health & Wellbeing awards.
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Prosperity targets:
- 2024: Improve the utilisation of employee volunteering days.
- 2024: Facilitate employees who wish to support local charities and good causes.
- 2024: Develop a targeted approach for the Rigby Foundation (registered charity number: 1011259) desire to give back.
- 2024: Increase the number of people in the community trained through the SCC Academy.
We will grow our business in a manner we can be proud of and have a positive impact on the wider community, measuring our accomplishments by the difference we make as much as by our financial success.
Spotlight initiative:
In 2022, SCC opened a digital training hub to support social and digital inclusion in the West Midlands area. Funded by the Rigby Foundation, SCC Academy has delivered free courses to 800 people in financial year 2023 and aims to increase this to over 1,000 people per year in financial year 2024. Courses range from basic digital skills to higher-level training required within the technology sector. The programme builds on our commitment to supporting job creation and enterprise in the region, and our legacy of having created more than 100,000 direct and indirect jobs in the Midlands since 1975.
Related News
Rigby Group publishes first group-wide Sustainability Report 2024
7 Feb 2024
Rigby Group sets out sustainability goals with launch of Project Sequoia
13 Jul 2023