BLOG: The 10 Tonne Carbon Challenge - Has Morgan Sindall met its 50,000-tonne carbon target?

A blog by Hattie Fisher

Sustainability Analyst, Morgan Sindall Construction

In 2021, Morgan Sindall Construction set an ambitious goal: to remove 50,000 tonnes of carbon from our projects by 2025. This was not just a standalone initiative but a crucial step in our carbon reduction journey to reduce our Scope 3 emissions, as part of our wider commitment to being a fully net zero organisation by 2045. Reducing carbon in construction requires a fundamental shift, not only in how we build but how we behave, and the 10 Tonne Carbon Challenge was designed to drive that change. The challenge is designed to encourage our project teams to work with their consultants and supply chain partners to find and implement carbon savings of at least 10 tonnes per site.

Now, a quarter of the way into 2025, the big question is: are we on track to meet our target? And, just as importantly, what have we learned along the way?

How are we doing?

We’re pleased to share that after completing the first of three 10 Tonne Carbon Challenges this year, our results show that since the initiative began in 2021, we have saved a total of 48,540 tCO2e. That leaves us just 1,460 tonnes away from reaching our target before the end of the year!

Innovations have included anything from recycling materials to changing the frame design. No matter how big or small, the impact is significant in helping us meet our collective carbon reduction goals and creating a more sustainable future for our communities. Take a look at some of this challenge’s innovations.

A cultural shift in sustainability mindset

These results wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication of our teams, who have made the conscious decision to engage with the challenge.

In this challenge alone, 41 projects took part - a significant increase since the first one in 2021, where only 12 projects were involved. This growth in involvement reflects a cultural shift in attitude around carbon reduction and sustainability, as it has now seemingly become embedded in the everyday decision-making of our projects.

We’ve also seen this through our learning and development programmes. More than half of our workforce has attended our Carbon Literacy Training Programme, which has helped equip our teams with the skills to assess and reduce carbon for our customers.

This, alongside the overall commitment we’re seeing across Morgan Sindall, demonstrates that sustainability is no longer just an ambition, rather an integral part of how we operate.

Measuring carbon impact with CarboniCa

Tracking carbon reduction across multiple construction sites requires a precise and reliable system. That’s where CarboniCa, Morgan Sindall’s carbon measurement tool, plays a crucial role. By assessing embodied and operational carbon across projects, CarboniCa provides teams with real-time data to make informed decisions - whether that’s selecting lower-carbon materials, changing the design, or optimising the construction programme.

But data is only half the story. The real impact comes from the choices made on the ground, by teams who embrace innovation and push for greener alternatives.

We believe in CarboniCa’s value not just for us, but for our customers too. That’s why the tool has been backed by funding to develop AI capabilities, making carbon analysis even smarter and more efficient. It’s also being adapted for higher education and being integrated into learning modules at Nottingham Trent University with the aim to speed up growing the skills base within the industry.

Cutting through greenwashing claims

In an era where businesses are under increasing scrutiny for their environmental impact, transparency is non-negotiable. At Morgan Sindall, we recognise that sustainability claims without evidence risk falling into the category of greenwashing.

This year, we’ve taken our transparency a step further by only disclosing carbon savings from projects that have been calculated through CarboniCa. While this may mean we miss out on promoting certain successes, we believe that making credible, verifiable sustainability claims is far more important, as anything less wouldn’t align with our vision and values.

What’s next?

With just under 1,500 tonnes left to go, hitting the target is in sight. But the real success of the 10 Tonne Carbon Challenge isn’t the numbers but the changes our teams have made to the way we work, how we measure impact, the innovations we share, and how we ensure sustainability remains at the core of every project.

It's important to note that the parameters of the challenge evolve each year. What was considered an innovation three years ago may now be standard practice for our business. As a result, we continuously push our project teams to develop newer, more effective solutions that further reduce carbon in our projects.

A big thanks for making a difference

We’d like to thank our project teams and supply chain once again for their proactive efforts in reducing carbon wherever possible with this challenge. We’re already looking forward to seeing the outcomes and innovations of the next challenge in July! Stay tuned to see if we manage to hit – and possibly exceed - our target.