With over 160 employees and a fleet of 100 vehicles, W M Donald plays an important role in servicing the majority of the recent key infrastructure projects in the North East, including AWPR, Counteswells, Chapelton of Elsick, Grandhome, Kingsford Training Facility, and Nigg Bay Harbour.

The company has already achieved ISO accreditations 9001, 14001, 45001, and operates from a newly constructed “low carbon” office built to the best practice standards for environmental performance through design, specification, construction and operation (BREEAM). The building has many low energy elements including Air Source heat pumps for heating and hot water and 100 kW of Photo Voltaic panels to offset electrical demand.

Achieving carbon neutral status was just one of many objectives that the W M Donald senior management team have set out to demonstrate their commitment to continuous improvement, and to protecting the natural world.

Aberdeen-based consultants Carbon-Zero were responsible for carrying out the review of W M Donald’s practices and highlighting ways of reducing their impact on the environment. Current initiatives being rolled out by W M Donald include installation of 4 nr 21KW electric car charging points, electric pool cars and purchasing of green electricity units, with several more already planned or in the early stages of implementation.

Ewan Riddoch, managing director at W M Donald, said: “Everyone from Directors to Site Teams are extremely proud of our carbon neutral status. It clearly demonstrates our commitment to continuous improvement. Embracing new and improved ways of working is at the heart of everything we do, and it has been brilliant to see our whole team get behind the process of achieving this standard.

“The team from Carbon-Zero have been an incredible support, especially as most of this assessment was carried out during Covid-19 restrictions. With their continued guidance we are now working on additional environmental initiatives that our team and clients will also benefit from.”

Brian Johnstone, business development and assessor at Carbon-Zero, said: “In the efforts they have made in establishing their low carbon operations base, and their ongoing carbon management commitment, WM Donald are an example to all businesses of what can be achieved in reducing their carbon emissions. They should be commended for their foresight and congratulated on becoming a Carbon Neutral business.”