The recently published 2009 Sustainability and Responsibility report from Kingspan Insulation reaches new levels as an exemplar of good practice, reporting on business performance in matters of sustainability. Kingspan Insulation has been breaking new ground in this area for a number of years, often leading the way for other construction product manufacturers. This latest report conforms with the rigorous requirements of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Sustainability Reporting Framework Level B.

Whilst most companies today are addressing their environmental impact, far fewer have looked at how to balance that with their impact on people and their economic performance, and yet these are absolutely fundamental to sustainability. Kingspan Insulation has been using Arup’s SPeAR sustainability assessment tool regularly since 2004 to assess, monitor and report on progress in all areas of sustainable development. Much of the material in the 2009 report is based on the latest SPeAR assessment, but the introduction of the GRI indicators brings even greater transparency to the process and significantly raises the bar.

The GRI Framework is a universally recognised benchmark for sustainability reporting, and was developed using a wide range of stakeholder groups to make sure that it was relevant, comprehensive and credible. Reporting at level B is a clear indication of the level of commitment Kingspan has shown and the progress made.

However, the simple reporting of achievements is not an end in itself; the Sustainability and Responsibility Report is not a static tool but supports Kingspan’s aim to set new targets and continuously improve, challenging other construction product manufacturers to follow suit and make meaningful and measurable progress.