Engineering a sustainable future
At Jan De Nul, we tackle some of the world's biggest challenges. For instance, we mitigate the impact of rising sea levels, remediate contaminated areas, and enable a sustainable energy system. As a leader on water, land and energy, our projects tend to have a global impact. Our goal is to make sure this impact is a positive one. With every project, we improve the quality of life of all people involved.
We minimise emissions
We drive the transition to renewable energy and commit to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in our own operations with 40% by 2035.
The key to reach our Science-Based Targets lies in rethinking our vessels, something we have been doing for years with our Ultra-Low Emission vessel (ULEv) technology. This highly efficient filter system filters out 99% of nanoparticles, resulting in emissions that comply with the European Stage V regulations for inland waterway vessels.
On top of that, we use alternative fuels. For example, our new cable-laying vessels Fleeming Jenkin and William Thomson will be equipped with dual-fuel engines that can run on biofuel and green methanol. Since 2019, we have been using sustainable biofuels on our vessels, reducing greehouse gas emissions up to 90%. In combination with the ULEv technology, these vessels emit nearly no greenhouse gases or polluting emissions.
We boost biodiversity
We protect biodiversity in our activities and look for opportunities to create new ecosystems or enrich existing ones.
One of our projects to achieve net gain takes place in Ecuador. We maintain the access channel to the port of Guayaquil, a service we perform in all corners of the world. What is remarkable here, however, is the way we reuse the dredged material. To be more specific: we created a 50-hectare mangrove island with locally dredged material.
Why a mangrove island? Besides coastal protection, mangroves have many ecological benefits. For instance, they retain organic carbon, protect coasts, serve as water filters, and are hotspots for biodiversity. With our project in Ecuador, we created a blueprint for mangrove restoration worldwide.
We think circular
We remediate contaminated soil, give new purpose to polluted sites and increase the use of recycled and renewable materials in our projects.
The construction industry is one of the largest consumers of energy and raw materials globally. Within the EU, it contributes to nearly 40% of emissions and accounts for almost a third of all waste generated. That is why we want to set an example as a major international constructor. We build as efficiently as possible, generating only a minimum of waste, and maximally replace virgin materials by recycled and renewable materials.
Moreover, we are a supplier to other constructors. In 2023, our valorisation centres managed to increase the percentage of usable sand and gravel after remediation to 86%. Constructors use the clean sand and gravel in a variety of building and infrastructure works. This shows the vast potential of circularity to revolutionise the way we envision our built environment.
We connect people
We engage in mutually beneficial relationships with the communities around our projects. We recruit and source locally, respect heritage, improve local facilities and invest in training and development.
The expertise and know-how we’ve built up over the years is second to none. But instead of cautiously holding on to our in-house savviness, we gladly share our insights with business partners, local communities, students, etc. For example, in collaboration with the Regional Technical Centers in Belgium, we organised 7 training days for students in secondary education, preparing them for a technical career.
Sustainability report to track progress
Every year, we transparently report on the progress we make with regards to the 4 focus areas above as well as other sustainability areas. In the report, we also share:
- our sustainability strategy
- our sustainability governance
- our targets and KPIs
- our sustainability-related policies
- our milestone projects
Gold Ecovadis Medal
Ecovadis, a global provider of sustainability ratings, awarded Jan De Nul with a gold medal in 2023. This places us in the top 5% of all companies evaluated by EcoVadis in 4 areas: environment, labour and human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement.
As a team of world builders, we realise the things we dream of as individuals.
