Management Approach Overview

Energy-neutral construction

Heijmans' core business is the design and construction of objects in the built environment (homes, non-residential works, infrastructure works, etc.). Heijmans can contribute to the energy transition by deploying knowledge and skills to make these objects energy-neutral. Heijmans is taking measures to reduce the CO₂ footprint of its own operations as much as possible.

Because Heijmans does not always have design responsibility, it often depends on a client's requirements and ambitions. In addition, not all objects are comparable in terms of energy use (a house consumes most energy once it is finished, a road while it is being built).

For the various objects, methods have been developed in legal and regulatory frameworks to measure energy performance. Heijmans has a certified system to control and improve its own emissions (SKAO and ISO14001).

Process evaluation is an integral part of the aforementioned SKAO and ISO14001 management systems. In addition, performance evaluation is also often incorporated in delivery documents in the context of legal and regulatory requirements.

Nature-inclusive and climate adaptive construction

Building structures are not only functional (living/working/connecting), but can also make a positive contribution to biodiversity and climate issues.

Many design requirements stem from legal and regulatory requirements. In addition, an extra effort is often made to enable incorporation into the natural environment.

Design requirements are included in Programmes of Requirements and are then managed within the organisation's quality system. There are various metrics, depending on the type of construction work, to measure sustainability performance.

Evaluation is carried out in the context of the ISO9001/14001-certified management system, but also in response to specific KPIs in the field of sustainable construction.

Circular construction

Heijmans is reducing the environmental impact of material flows by building with reusable materials and minimising or optimising the recycling of waste.

Materials are subject to innovation. Functional requirements (strength, load-bearing capacity) are often limiting factors. Waste disposal options can also be restrictive.

Agreements have been made on the separation of materials at building sites and with processors on how waste is processed. Monitoring takes place on a monthly basis. Circularity is also taken into account in material selection and designs. .

Evaluation is carried out in the context of the ISO9001/14001-certified management system, but also in response to reports to the shop floor.

Healthy living environment

Heijmans takes continued urbanisation into account by designing safe and healthy traffic and neighbourhoods during construction. This theme also plays a role in the company's own working environment.

There are several KPIs linked to this material topic. From safety figures to absenteeism figures, to more externally focused KPIs, such as carbon emissions and area-based sustainability labels.

Ambitions are often part of the regular process of developing the Programme of Requirements and are therefore managed via the processes in the management system.

If the ambitions stem from the Programme of Requirements, principals usually carry out an external assessment once a project has been completed. The evaluation of more internally focused KPIs has already been described for the other more specific themes, such as safe working.

Safe working

Having a safe working environment is one of the key policy priorities at Heijmans. From the stakeholder perspective, employees are of primary importance. Moreover, many construction activities are by their nature potentially hazardous due to the large masses and numerous working machines.

Heijmans works exclusively in the Netherlands, so Dutch occupational health and safety legislation is leading in terms of creating a safe and healthy working environment. In addition, the subcontractors with their own responsibility on the safety front play an essential role on building sites.

At Heijmans, employees are trained in accordance with the SCC (Dutch: VCA) methodology. Subcontractors are also expected to have SCC or equivalent certification. Heijmans also has all kinds of physical measures in place on building sites to promote safety. Finally, Heijmans has a semi-internal occupational health and safety service (Dutch: ASC).

Evaluation is part of the SCC system. Various indicators are also measured by the dedicated Quality & Safety organisation. KPIs include the number of accidents, subcontractors having an SCC certificate and the IF figure.