Sustainability in action: Making a difference through emergency response

During a recent large-scale spill response project in Kansas, our team drew inspiration from the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), using these goals as a blueprint to drive impactful changes within our daily business operations. The application of these goals in Kansas exemplified our ability to effect meaningful change within our work environment. Here's a summary of our efforts during the Kansas response, highlighting our commitment to the SDGs:

Our commitment to fostering inclusivity within our ER workforce, particularly in an industry historically dominated by male representation, was evident in the balanced gender representation across both leadership and field roles during the Kansas response.

The nature of spill response work often leads to significant waste generation, with recyclable items frequently ending up in landfills due to the lack of recycling resources at these sites. To address this issue, we established a recycling station at our site trailer. With contributions from on-site contractors, we collected over 2,000 water bottles and cans and delivered them to a nearby recycling center for proper processing and reuse. Additionally, the introduction of a water bottle refill station at our site trailer significantly reduced our reliance on single-use plastic bottles, saving approximately 2,000 additional bottles from being used and marking a substantial step towards responsible consumption. 

At GHD our employees in the Americas organized an internal ‘Ice Out Intolerance’ ice bucket challenge for Pride Month. Employees pledged their donations to a GHD leader, who then underwent the ice bucket challenge. Inspired by the GHD internal initiative for Pride Month, our ER team organized a similar ice bucket challenge at the Kansas site, bringing together team members, client representatives and on-site contractors to express solidarity with LGBTQIA+ equality and visibility. 

Through a collaborative effort with the client, we ensured that surplus office supplies from the on-site trailers would be donated to the local school district upon the completion of the response. This thoughtful initiative not only had a positive impact on the community but also set an important precedent for sustainable response practices.

Our journey in implementing sustainable practices during the Kansas response has reinforced our commitment to integrating sustainability into all our projects. We continue to explore innovative ways to support our clients in achieving their sustainability objectives, furthering our mission to make a lasting difference through small but significant changes on crucial global issues.