Sustainability
We are unified in our commitment to build a better world
At Arcosa, sustainability means strengthening the positive interactions we have with the world around us to drive long-term value and corporate resilience. As a provider of infrastructure-related products and solutions with leading positions in construction, engineered structures, and transportation markets, we believe we can create long-term value for our broad range of stakeholders by fostering a culture that values Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) responsibility.
Our focus areas
Arcosa Sustainability Reports
We are committed to integrating ESG into our daily practices and long-term strategies. In line with that commitment and in support of furthering our environmental disclosures, we have aligned our climate-related disclosures with the recommendations of the Financial Stability Board’s Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) and certain metrics from the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB).
Please read our latest report to see our ESG progress.
Strategy in Focus
Arcosa’s sustainability strategy is to implement business-practical initiatives in high impact areas, with direct benefits for our plants and people and far-reaching benefits for our communities and the environment.
Our strategy centers on three impact areas:
2023 in British Columbia, Canada saw a very dry spring and summer. For Arcosa’s Specialty Materials aggregates mines, which are heavily dependent on the use of collected surface water for production at wash plants, a dry season can negatively impact efficiency, make physical labor harder for employees, and halt the ability to produce material completely. To address depleted water reserves, our mine management team collaborated with Arcosa’s downstream Seattle, WA plant to reimagine the water-intensive crushing process from start to finish. Crushing is essential for forming materials into appropriate grades for infrastructure construction applications. The team spent time evaluating the many implications of water in the crushing process and how to eliminate the wash plant from the primary production line. After significant planning and vetting, the mine teams implemented a new process to crush “dry”, while still maintaining quality, sizing, and production rates.
The new process has numerous benefits, many intended and some unplanned:
- Reduces water requirements for crushing material; expect monthly reduction of nearly 1 million gallons of water.
- Reduces natural gas consumption in downstream production process to dry oversaturated material at sister site; reduces operating costs and scope 2 emissions.
- Creates a cleaner site with less mud; improves cleanliness of conveyors, reduces downtime for blockages, and requires less manual labor for cleaning efforts.
- Improves labor efficiency through reduced materials handling.
- Improves material efficiency through reduced over-crushing, extending mine reserve life. Material loss has been reduced from 30% to nearly 0%.
The collaborative innovation and sustainability lens used by our teams for this project epitomize Arcosa’s commitment to build a better world. Arcosa is proud of the leaders in our organization and their continued efforts to implement business-practical initiatives in high impact areas, with direct benefits for our plants and people and far-reaching benefits for our communities and the environment.
Environmental
At Arcosa, we believe we can play a role in addressing the global climate challenge through our established, environmentally-friendly product lines and strategic management of energy consumption and water conservation. We remain dedicated to developing and implementing initiatives to support reduction efforts, which we anticipate will ultimately lead to direct climate improvement, improved financial returns, and organizational resilience.
A major energy source for Arcosa’s Natural and Recycled Aggregates business is fuel for our heavy haul equipment. We continue to monitor and evaluate electrification options and are hopeful for technological advancements in that space over the long-term. In the meantime, we look for alternative measures to move product, such as conveyor lines that have been installed at some facilities, but in many cases, haul trucks are the practicable solution. To manage and positively impact equipment-related emissions, our teams evaluate and plan for replacements to newer, more fuel-efficient equipment in line with replacement cycles. Our Houston, Texas-based Recycled Aggregates business works with the State of Texas to secure funding to support our equipment replacement plan. Under the program, the state aims to remove outdated vehicles and equipment from roads, job sites, and fields with the goal of cutting emissions and reducing impacts on the environment. Each year Arcosa plants participate in the program and the equipment we replace contributes to improved fuel economy and overall emissions reductions in the business unit.
Social
In a changing world, Arcosa’s guiding light is the hard work and dedication exemplified by our employees. With over 6,000 employees at more than 150 locations across North America, our team continues to grow. Knowing that we win together, our team collaborates to activate the potential of our employees through prioritization of enterprise-wide safety and health initiatives, inclusion and diversity programs, talent development opportunities, and community impact projects.
In 2021, Arcosa’s Meyer Utility Structures business found that while the existing safety orientation training was essential, on-the-job training and follow-up needed improvement. Thus, the Safety Mentorship Program was born. The program pairs new hires with trained volunteer safety mentors who provide job-specific training and tools. Benefits of the program include higher safety acumen for new employees, higher employee retention, reduced injuries for new hires, and higher engagement for mentors. In 2023, this program was expanded to additional locations and other businesses throughout Arcosa.
Governance
Arcosa was built on a foundation of strong ethical governance. From Board competence and composition to annual code of conduct training, we believe our ethical foundation positions us as a leader in the industries where we operate.
Arcosa published key policies and policy statements to ensure transparency in how we conduct business. Key items addressed in Arcosa policies and statements, including the Code of Conduct:
>Adhere to all laws and regulations
>Health and safety paramount
>Treat others with dignity and respect
>No tolerance for harassment or discrimination
>Prohibition of anti-competitive practices
>Anti-corruption: Forbid giving or receiving bribes
>Maintain whistleblowing HelpLine and HelpSite
Periodic training ensures employees understand expected behavior related to policies, laws, and regulations.
Click here to view all ESG statements.