The Story

Robertson is one of the largest family-owned construction, infrastructure, and support services businesses in the UK. For over 50 years its sustainable growth has enabled Robertson to invest in its business, the future of people and communities, and to deliver on major projects, housing schemes and facilities management for customers nationally. Its purpose is to ensure a sustainable future. Robertson is a climate positive company and has ambitious environmental and social targets for the benefit of its people, partners, and planet.

Becoming one of the first UK businesses in the built environment to achieve carbon neutrality in 2018, Robertson has demonstrated strong carbon reduction leadership within its sector, reducing emissions intensity by 63% before achieving ‘climate positive’ status through offsetting, well ahead of its 2030 target of achieving Net Zero.

A key obstacle faced was managing waste data across the supply chain. With the recording of bulk waste information being done on paper, there was a lack of transparency for Robertson The company needed to consolidate and digitise waste data tracking to provide a more effective overview and help reduce waste.

To address these challenges, Robertson adopted SmartWaste to improve collection and handling of its environmental performance data. In 2020, Robertson rolled out a mandate for all preferred waste contractors to integrate SmartWaste API connections. This automated the transfer of waste data from contractor systems directly into SmartWaste, alleviating significant administrative work while providing complete oversight.

Benefits By providing enhanced waste data visibility and analytics, SmartWaste has supported Robertson to build on its ambitious existing sustainability initiatives, including:

• Expanding internal landfill diversion programs to achieve 99% average diversion rates (and 100% construction waste)
• Driving 50% reductions in carbon emissions intensity through proactive insights
• Intensifying construction waste minimisation efforts to reduce intensity 42%
• Reduced compliance risk with digitised waste audit trails
• Unlocking the power of waste data to further sustainability initiatives already in motion

With SmartWaste providing centralised and automated insights into waste activities, Robertson has continued to improve its sustainability data management to match its ambition towards net zero carbon. With streamlined waste data processes in place, Robertson has the visibility required to keep enhancing its environmental performance.