4.1. Environmental impact management, 4.1.1. Policies and accountability, Environmental responsibility
4.1. Environmental impact management
4.1.1. Policies and accountability
[GRI 3-3] [GRI 306-1] [ESRS E1-2] [ESRS E2-1] [ESRS E3-1] [ESRS E4-2] [ESRS E5-1]
BUDIMEX SA
The overarching document at Budimex SA governing environmental and climate impact management is the Integrated Management System Policy. It contains commitments and principles for reducing environmental interference, such as efficient use of natural resources and promoting environmental responsibility.
The company is aware of the impact that its operations may have on the environment and climate, in the:
– local dimension – by interfering with the functioning of ecosystems as a result of construction work,
– global dimension – through (positive or negative) impacts on the climate.
In order to improve environmental performance, Budimex SA has implemented an environmental management system based on the requirements of the PN-EN ISO 14001:2015 standard. The company has undergone certification by an external, independent and accredited certification body. As part of the management system, the company has developed goals, as well as indicators by which it monitors its environmental impact. Responsibility for the management of the environmental area stems from established internal procedures.
MOSTOSTAL KRAKÓW SA
The overarching document at Mostostal Kraków SA governing environmental management is the Integrated Management System Policy. It includes the company’s commitments to minimize emissions and the amount of waste generated, as well as to systematically raise environmental awareness. In addition, the company pledges to conserve natural resources by, among other things, reducing water, fuel and electricity consumption.
Mostostal Kraków SA has implemented an environmental impact management system based on the requirements of PN-EN ISO 14001:2015. The company has undergone certification by an external, independent and accredited certification body. Responsibility for the management of the environmental area stems directly from established internal procedures.
In 2023, Mostostal Kraków SA has pledged to reduce fuel consumption by replacing its vehicle fleet.
FBSERWIS GROUP
The FBSerwis Group’s environmental impact management policy is based on the requirements of The FBSerwis Group’s environmental impact management policy is based on the requirements of Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/1147 of 10 August 2018 establishing best available techniques (BAT) conclusions for waste treatment. The conclusions were implemented in the company in 2022 and address dust, gas, odor, wastewater, waste and noise emissions, as well as energy consumption and emergency management. Adequate prevention procedures have been developed and implemented for the occurrence of such emissions. In situations where prevention is not possible, procedures are in place to reduce emissions, minimize their impact and monitor the actions taken. Responsibility for environmental impact management stems from internal procedures adopted by the company.
The FBSerwis Group has implemented PO (FBS-Z)-06-02 procedures for the environmental impact management system in individual companies (FBSerwis Dolny Śląsk, FBSerwis Karpatia, FBSerwis Kamieńsk, FBSerwis Wrocław).
The following attachments are an integral part of these procedures:
- List of wastewater and waste gas streams,
- Waste stream management,
- Emergency management plan,
- Odor management plan,
- Noise and vibration management plan,
- Energy efficiency plan and energy balance register.
FBSerwis Wrocław has implemented the PN-EN ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 management systems.
Principles of the Integrated Management System Policy related to environmental impact
Budimex Group companies have implemented a customized approach to environmental and climate impact management, tailored to their business models This area is managed by the Director of the ESG, Quality and Environmental Protection Department [1].
BUDIMEX SA
In the system in force at Budimex SA, the axis of which is the Principles of the Integrated Management System policy, the basic assumptions are:
- minimizing the negative impact of the company’s operations on the environment,
- efficient use of natural resources, energy and materials through energy-efficient solutions and recycled materials,
- reducing the amount of waste generated, water and energy consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions.
Budimex SA operates according to accepted procedures, instructions and environmental standards. Operational activities, i.e. the performance of construction contracts, comply with environmental management procedures and internal operating standards, among other environmental issues.
Budimex SA’s environmental standards regulate the principles of proper protection of water, soil, air and biodiversity during construction work and ancillary processes.
These standards apply to:
- storage of hazardous waste in an environmentally safe manner,
- safe handling of liquid fuels during storage and refueling of equipment and vehicles,
- safe handling of hazardous substances during their storage and use,
- equipping construction sites with the so-called environmental first-aid kit for the efficient elimination of small spills and leaks,
- organization of works that cause dust emissions into the air,
- organization of works that cause noise emissions,
- organization of works that cause vibration,
- organization of works performed in the riverbed or in the basin of a lake, pond or sea, as well as in the proximity of watercourses and reservoirs and on the shoreline of watercourses and reservoirs in a manner that is safe for the aquatic environment,
- organization of drainage works in such a way as to protect water from suspended solids emissions,
- cleaning vehicle wheels from mud and equipment contaminated with concrete, cement-lime or gypsum mixtures in a way that is safe for the water and soil environment,
- ensuring effective protection of trees and shrubs from damage or destruction during construction work,
- ensuring effective protection and minimizing losses to amphibian populations during construction activities,
- legible and understandable labeling of waste collection sites, environmental protection infrastructure and environmental monitoring sites.
Prior to the start of construction work, the identification of environmental aspects that are subject to supervision is carried out. They are identified according to an internal procedure that defines a uniform method of evaluation by determining:
- the nature of the environmental impact (positive/neutral/negative),
- the scale of the environmental impact,
- the duration of the influence exerted,
- the intensity of the impact by determining the scale of the impact,
- legal requirements for the given impact,
- probability of occurrence.
Based on the identified potential environmental risks and impacts of the planned construction work, a health and safety plan (hereinafter: BIOZ plan) is agreed internally, which, as of 1 January 2024, has been transformed into an environmental protection plan (hereinafter: OŚ plan). This document include a waste management plan that specifies ways to selectively collect waste, labeling and acceptable ways to manage waste generated at construction sites, as well as an environmental task plan that, based on identified activities, identifies types of emissions and indicates hazards and measures to protect and minimize environmental impacts during construction activities.
The environmental task plan specifies:
- the interaction of the construction with the environment and ways of reducing the nuisance caused by the execution of construction work, as well as an analysis of the construction environment and facilities in terms of proximity to sensitive infrastructure (e.g., schools, hospitals, residential areas), an industrial plant with an increased or high risk of industrial accidents or a plant with an increased sanitary regime – in such cases, the plan also indicates how to proceed,
- the operation of social, technical and production facilities of construction sites in a way that ensures the economical use of land, the study of the possibility of the foundation of construction facilities at a given site, the appropriate protection of the site and also the restoration of the site to its original state after the completion of construction,
- rules for the use of water and disposal of wastewater, taking into account the safest for the given conditions of the construction supply of water and disposal of wastewater,
- rules for protection of the soil and water environment in construction works,
- earthworks related to the excavation of earth masses (including contaminated ones) and indicates safeguards for the soil and water environment,
- sources of waste emissions with an indication of the ways of proceeding to reduce these emissions – including ways to protect the land and water environment from the effects of waste,
- sources of air emissions with identification of ways to minimize emissions,
- sources of noise and vibration emissions with an indication of safeguards and ways to minimize them,
- consumption of natural resources and materials, taking into account their economical use and the use of recycled materials,
- rules for handling hazardous substances with an indication of safeguards,
- impact on biodiversity with an indication of measures to reduce and minimize this impact,
- impact on cultural heritage with an indication of measures to reduce and minimize this impact,
- potential emergency situations with an indication of rescue equipment.
In addition, the consumption of fuels and energy used to drive machinery, vehicles and installations in the construction process is monitored – their operation should be carried out economically and minimize emissions to the environment.
Each organizational unit of Budimex SA, for which aspects with an environmental and climate impact have been identified, is responsible for the implementation of the operational activities specified in the BIOZ plan and the OŚ plan. They are then subject to assessment, as a result of which significant risks and opportunities generated by the company’s activities are identified. With regard to significant environmental aspects, the activities that undergo environmental impact analysis are identified. This serves as the basis for establishing Budimex SA’s environmental goals.
The significant aspects identified by the organization in 2023 are closely related to the type of conducted operations and pertain to:
- the emission of significant amounts of construction waste in the form of unusable earth masses and demolition materials, the generation of hazardous waste and the risks associated with the generation of such waste,
- waste recovery carried out on construction sites and the associated environmental opportunities in the form of a significant reduction in the amount of construction waste generated and the saving of natural resources,
- air emissions from the use of combustion-powered equipment and vehicles and the operation of their own heat sources,
- the activities of the production facilities of construction sites – including asphalt plants, concrete batching plants and the associated risks to the earth’s surface,
- conducting work in riverbeds or reservoir basins, as well as on the shorelines of watercourses and reservoirs that result in a change in water flow and carry the risk of water pollution,
- impacts on biodiversity by cutting down trees and shrubs that are in conflict with the infrastructure under construction (e.g., road or rail),
- consumption of large quantities of raw materials, materials, fuels and energy.
For these aspects, a number of minimization measures have been taken to reduce their negative impact and maximize environmental gains through:
- optimization of designs and balancing of earth masses (excavation/embankment),
- implementing the principles of a circular economy,
- application of rules pertaining to qualification and management of materials obtained in the course of works, facilitating the identification of materials, the possibility of their use and also indicating the legal aspects of such activities,
- implementing documentation for the safe transfer of natural material for use by non-business entities,
- determining, for each contract, prior to the start of the project, a waste management plan specifying the types of waste to be generated, the method of safe and company-approved waste collection, the method of marking collection sites and waste containers, and the method of waste management,
- efficient operation of diesel-powered equipment and vehicles,
- replacement of old equipment units with Stage IV and Euro 6 compliant ones,
- implementing electrically powered equipment and vehicles,
- allowing only operable equipment units and vehicles on construction sites,
- organization of construction facilities at existing sites,
- reducing losses in the tree population thanks to supervision of the works related to removal of trees and shrubs in conflict with the ongoing project, in terms of compliance with the investor’s documentation to avoid cutting down plants not intended for removal,
- conducting works taking into account their specifics and the specifics of the areas in question, and ensuring appropriate environmental measures (e.g., nature supervision, checking trees and shrubs for bird and bat nests),
- additional voluntary planting of vegetation, including a tree planting campaign (as part of the “Green April” campaign – more in subsection 4.1.6.).
The applicable performance standards for Budimex SA pertain to:
- safe storage of hazardous waste,
- safe handling of liquid fuels during storage and refueling of equipment and vehicles,
- safe handling of hazardous substances during their storage and use,
- equipping construction sites with an environmental emergency kit for efficient elimination of with small spills and leaks to prevent environmental pollution,
- environmental labeling system, introducing clear and understandable labeling of waste collection sites, environmental protection infrastructure and environmental monitoring sites,
- reducing noise and dust nuisance, among other things, when conducting waste recovery.
The company’s impact on the environment is generated in large part by suppliers of services and products, so it is important for Budimex SA to agree and cooperate with business partners also on the issue of environmental protection. Business partners undergo pre-qualification – their activities are verified for compliance with environmental regulations. Suppliers, when deciding to cooperate with the company, undertake to act in accordance with its policies (procedures, instructions, standards and other internal regulations). Subcontractors operating on the company’s project sites receive training on waste management and dealing with environmental incidents. The company evaluates, among other things, supplier’s experience and responsibility in the area of environmental impact. For more information on building a responsible supply chain, see Section 7.5.
MOSTOSTAL KRAKÓW SA
The basic principles of the Integrated Management System Policy in the area of environmental impact at Mostostal Kraków SA are:
- continuously reducing the environmental impact of the company’s operations,
- meeting the requirements and obligations under applicable laws and standards,
- minimizing waste generation and emissions of hazardous substances,
- systematically raising the environmental awareness of employees and suppliers,
- conservation of natural resources by reducing waste generation and consumption of water, electricity and fuels.
The company responded to the above challenges by developing and implementing procedures, such as:
- Organization and environmental management during contract performance,
- Identification and qualification of environmental aspects,
- Emission reporting and environmental effect monitoring,
- Instruction for qualification and management of materials acquired in the course of works,
- Detailed rules for recording fixed assets and low-value items – containing controlled substances,
- Environmental monitoring and measurement,
- Environmental emergencies and incidents.
Mostostal Kraków SA’s impact on the environment is largely related to the operation of the Steel Structures Plant in Kraków and Kleszczów. In this area, the work is carried out by both the company’s own services and business partners. Service providers receive training on the company’s environmental procedures, including rules for dealing with environmental emergencies.
FBSERWIS GROUP
The basic aspects of the company’s Environmental Policy are:
- commitment to environmental protection, including prevention of emergencies and pollution, and fulfillment of compliance obligations,
- continuous improvement of the quality and environmental management system to improve environmental performance,
- continuous improvement of the environmental performance of the installations.
The environmental impact management system policies, which follow from the requirements of Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2018/1147 of 10 August 2018 establishing best available techniques (BAT) conclusions for waste treatment pertain to:
- control, mitigation and protection measures in connection with the generation of dust and gas emissions, odors, wastewater and noise,
- monitoring and management of waste streams from receipt, through the treatment process, to final management of the treatment residue,
- measures to prevent and mitigate the consequences of potential accidents that have a negative impact on the environment,
- measures to monitor and reduce energy consumption.
The company responded to these challenges by developing and implementing procedures:
- procedure for controlling and methods to reduce pollutants discharged into the environment in the form of gas, dust and wastewater emissions,
- waste handling procedure,
- emergency management plan,
- odor management plan,
- noise management plan,
- energy efficiency plan.
Changes in the management of the environmental area
BUDIMEX SA
In 2023, the company conducted continuous monitoring of its environmental impact and m to avoid embedded wasteonitored environmd monitored environmental aspects. Accordingly, a thorough analysis of environmental documentation was carried out to help identify environmental threats and opportunities. As of 2024, new/updated environmental documentation has been implemented. Therefore environmental documentation has been excluded from OHS structures and a separate set of documents has been developed to address environmental issues. The Environmental Management operating procedure and the questionnaire identifying environmental aspects and requirements for business units have been modified. The OŚ plan, formerly part of the BIOZ plan, has been implemented and expanded, and the process for assessing environmental aspects has been modified. Budimex SA’s 14 environmental standards facilitating safe construction operations have been updated. A catalog of environmental labeling has been expanded, making it easier for workers on construction sites to properly collect waste. In addition, in 2023 an embankment material acceptance form was implemented, making it easier to identify the material they are accepting to avoid embedded waste.
The company, in the interest of effective environmental management, has decided to implement the European eco-management standard – EMAS. It is a legally sanctioned system of the European Union, supporting the idea of voluntary environmental action. The primary goal of the program is to initiate such processes that will help successively reduce negative environmental impacts, implement clean technologies, move toward a circular economy, and inform local communities about possible impacts on ecosystems. The implementation of the EMAS standard will expand the range of tools to help conduct environmental due diligence throughout Budimex SA’s value chain. The analysis and update of environmental documentation also took into account additional requirements of this scheme.
MOSTOSTAL KRAKÓW SA
There were no changes in environmental impact management in 2023.
FBSERWIS GROUP
There were no changes in environmental impact management in 2023.
[1] Until February 2024 under the name of the Procurement, Quality and Environmental Protection Department.
