Celebrating Sustainability in Arizona
KBR discusses ways to create a better, safer world during company-sponsored event in Phoenix
It’s been said if you want something done right, sometimes you need to do it yourself – or at least take part in leading the way.
At KBR, global sustainability efforts are at the forefront of the company’s science, technology, engineering, logistics and mission operations. So much so, that KBR’s more than 28,000 employees all follow a bold sustainability agenda to provide comprehensive solutions to government and industry clients with an emphasis on efficiency and safety.
In late 2020, KBR sponsored Arizona Sustainability Alliance (AZSA)’s second annual celebration recognizing the organization’s sustainability efforts. Similar to KBR, AZSA is committed to protecting the environment and promoting sustainable living through action and advocacy, as well as civic engagement, collaboration and education.
KBR aligns with AZSA’s values and is dedicated to sustainability through its “Zero Harm” commitments, a safety initiative with the goal to protect its employees and the environment. The dynamic and multifaceted plan includes environmental, social and governance strategies, policies, and management approaches, all focused on creating a better, safer and more sustainable world.
KBR is proud to have employee Bill Zint on AZSA’s Advisory Board to keep the company connected to sustainability activities in the Phoenix area, where KBR is growing. KBR Senior Vice President Ella Studer served as one of the keynote speakers at the virtual 2020 event. Studer leads a portion of the KBR business that provides base life operations, asset management, prepositioned stocks and operations maintenance support at customer locations around the world.
At the event, Studer spoke highly of how KBR truly practices what it preaches and is literally counting the ways it can make a difference through calculated decisions regarding energy usage, supply partners and climate impact.
“I’m excited to share the environmental objectives KBR has achieved so far, from increasing energy and water efficiency to extending asset life and developing technologies to capture carbon,” states Studer, noting logistics play a large role in these efforts. “COVID-19 has reminded us all it’s important to take a key interest in maximizing and preserving global resources.”
For some time now, KBR has been collecting data to discover what the company is doing well and to set measurable, actionable benchmarks to help accomplish sustainability objectives. Review of this data has allowed KBR to:
- Manage and reduce energy consumption at its facilities to create more efficient workplaces;
- Cut wastewater operations;
- Work years without recordable safety incidents in various locations;
- Lower the company’s physical footprint; and
- Maintain green energy certifications, such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, at offices around the globe.
KBR’s passion for sustainability and Zero Harm extends to the way business is done with suppliers as well.
“Our commitment to doing what’s right guides the actions of our teams and employees to ensure sustainable supply chains throughout our business,” Studer said. “Supporting environmentally friendly suppliers and local businesses sets a positive example and benefits our planet.”
Additionally, KBR is taking steps to develop and deploy clean and efficient technologies to help its customers reduce their environmental impact. A portion of KBR’s philanthropic activities, including charitable giving and volunteering, is directed to organizations and projects focusing on global climate change and sustainability education. KBR also encourages employees to identify individual changes they can make at home and at work to help mitigate their impact on the environment, like recycling and utilizing reusable versus disposable items.
Moving into the next decade and beyond, one of the major milestones on KBR’s radar is reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2030, using KBR’s 2019 carbon footprint as a baseline. All of this and more can be viewed in KBR’s most recent sustainability report, which highlights efforts throughout 2019.
While 2020 may have come with many unexpected caveats, one thing is for sure at KBR: sustainability is no longer a “nice to have,” but rather an expected and crucial part of being a responsible global company.
