YIT Corporation has chosen EKOenergy as part of fulfilling its Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) approved climate targets.
YIT is a leading construction company and project developer. The company’s story began in 1912, and its business segments include residential construction, commercial premises, and infrastructure construction. YIT’s revenue in 2023 was 2.2 billion euros, and it employs approximately 4,300 professionals in eight countries.
We had the pleasure and honour of sitting down with YIT’s Vice President ESG, Wilhelm Ehrnrooth, on a sunny day in May 2024. Ehrnrooth has worked at the forefront of sustainability for a long time and is a top expert in his field.
The main focus areas of YIT’s strategy are customer, productivity, and sustainability. Sustainability has thus been highlighted as one of the key elements of the strategy, aiming to permeate the entire organisation.
“Construction has significant impacts on the climate, and there is much to be achieved in the construction industry.”
– YIT
Why and how has YIT embarked on promoting climate goals?
In its goal-setting, YIT has utilized the tools of the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), and YIT was the first construction company in Finland to set and receive approval for its targets. In practice, this means reducing Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 90%, and Scope 3 emissions by 30% by 2030 compared to the baseline level of 2019. Climate goals are managed and monitored using a carbon roadmap.
What led YIT to choose renewable energy, specifically EKOenergy-labeled renewable energy?
We explored different options for procuring green electricity and had negotiations with various electricity suppliers. We were very pleased when our current electricity supplier suggested solving the issue by adopting EKOenergy-labelled renewable electricity.
Globally, construction and building use account for approximately 40% of energy consumption and emissions, and they are also significant consumers of water. Large-scale projects naturally have a substantial impact. By participating in major projects, YIT has a good opportunity to influence sustainable construction.
From the planning stage, frameworks are established for environmentally friendly activities in the area. For example, if walking, rail, and cycling are taken into consideration, conditions for environmentally friendly activities in the area are created. YIT wants to contribute to this and preferably even more.
Are there directly measurable impacts from using renewable energy / EKOenergy eco-labeled electricity in your operations that you would like to share?
One directly measurable impact is that Scope 2 emissions are zero when using renewable energy. In addition to climate emissions, other environmental values are also important to us. By choosing EKOenergy, we can be sure that our electricity procurement does not hinder our biodiversity goals, as EKOenergy meets the criteria set by environmental organisations for consumed energy.
Through EKOenergy’s Climate Fund and Environmental Fund, we can further promote the achievement of the UN’s sustainable development goals. The tangible results seen through these funds are a great addition.
We want to highlight the use of EKOenergy in our communications as well. We utilise EKOenergy visually on our fences at selected worksites, so that the neighbourhood and passersby know that we are using green energy.
Do reporting requirements support your concrete sustainability work?
The requirements of the CSR Directive and sustainability go hand in hand in ensuring that reporting is truthful and transparent about what has actually been achieved.
However, reporting should not serve as a substitute for mandatory legislation. YIT encourages cities to demand more through urban planning and is prepared to meet these demands, even the more challenging ones.
Planning defines construction:
Good planning can actively prevent phenomena like urban heat islands, which cause relative warmth in cities. This should be considered already as part of urban planning.
Published: 24 June 2024 / Johannes Pättiniemi EKOenergy ecolabel
