Multiplex Canada launches its annual 2021 ESG Report

TORONTO, CANADA: Multiplex Construction Canada Ltd. (Multiplex) – a global construction contractor with more than 1,000 completed projects around the world – today launched its fourth annual sustainability report.

The 2021 ESG Report (‘the report’) details the specific, measurable actions that the company has taken to drive environmental, social and governance (ESG) forward in the construction industry.

Multiplex's global network of ESG experts have focused on the high hanging fruit when it comes to ESG — the harder, longer–term actions that will make a real difference, and right now for the industry, that means tackling embodied carbon.

“Multiplex understands the urgent need to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions to help fight the consequences of climate change,” President and Managing Director for Multiplex Canada, Terry Olynyk said.

Multiplex’s clear purpose and ingrained values drive their ESG efforts now and into the future. They support not only their people, but their network of clients and supply chain to thrive in tackling the most complex challenges; making sure to outperform in all they do.

This report provides meaningful ESG disclosures in line with international best-practice reporting frameworks the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), and the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) standards for Engineering and Construction Services.

Highlights of the 2021 report include:

Environmental Impact

• In 2021, Multiplex became the first construction company in Canada to have its science-based greenhouse gas emissions reduction target approved by the respected Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
• Multiplex continued to make great strides across its operations in terms of sustainability performance between January and December 2021 to align with their Science Based Target of scope 1 and scope 2 GHG emissions by 63% by 2035 from a 2020 base year
• Tracked Scope 1,2 and 3 emissions with reduction results in electricity, natural gas and propane use from 2020 base year.
• Multiplex partnered with Building Transparency to actively support the development of the Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator (EC3) tool – which will be used to manage, measure and reduce embodied carbon across the Multiplex building portfolio.
• Became a member of the Affordable Net Zero Housing working group – a collaboration with architects, engineers, and consultants in the region with the goal of creating a design process to test new technologies and systems that encourage interdisciplinary ideation towards building affordable net zero multi-unit residential buildings.
• It delivered more than 65 environmental training sessions to over 500 attendees
• Multiplex’s ISO14001:2015 Environmental Management Systems was recertified

Social Impact

• Multiplex delivered over 550 hours of health, safety and wellbeing training internally, and 800 hours of external training
• It held 763 health, safety and wellbeing toolbox talks with project partners, engaging more than 7,500 attendees
• Multiplex expanded their group of 20 Mental Health First Aid staff to support its focus on mental health and wellbeing at every site and office (14 previous year)
• The company supplied more than 20,000 COVID-19 Antigen tests and 5,500 PCR tests to employees and trades during the pandemic
• Multiplex raised close to $18,000 for charity in 2021.

Governance and Operational Excellence

• In 2021, Multiplex continued to work within their internal control framework – principle-based guidance across five interrelated components of internal control which allowed the business to continue to uphold good governance and business ethics
• Multiplex continued to uphold a zero-tolerance approach to bribery and corruption through its Anti-bribery and Corruption Policy, which includes enforcing and maintaining a gift registry tracking the giving and receiving of gifts, and ensuring gifts are not exchanged when parties are negotiating agreements
• The company continued to require anyone who experiences or witnesses behaviour that violates its Positive Working Environment Policy to take action through management and human resources.

Read the full 2021 ESG Report ­here