Environment

ICON is committed to conducting our business in an environmentally sustainable manner by tracking our activities, managing and improving our environmental performance across all business activities. ICON Green is the programme under which our environmental sustainability initiatives are managed, in accordance with our Global Environmental Management Policy and Environmental Management Plan.

Targets

ICON has started to switch to direct 100% renewable tariffs, where it is possible to do so. Efficiency projects began in 2019 with a retro fit to LED lighting in our Dublin headquarters being completed, contributing towards our 20% kWh reduction target. ICON’s net zero ambitions on scope
1 and scope 2 emissions will be achieved through efficiency projects and voluntary participation in Carbon Credit schemes.

Carbon emissions

We track, calculate and report our carbon footprint for scope 1 and scope 2, using the information available to continue to improve our processes and reduce our impact. We follow the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) protocol corporate standard and we work with Carbon Trust to verify our emissions data.

The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) provides a globally recognised disclosure system that enables companies to measure and manage their environmental impacts. For CDP 2020, (based on 2019 data) ICON disclosed emissions and environmental data which had been verified by Carbon Trust. Based on the data submitted to the CDP, in January 2021 ICON was awarded a C score. Over the last 4 years, we have increased our score banding with CDP from a D- to a C.

Carbon emissions	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020
Scope 1 tCO2e	1,457	2,083	1,474	1,538	1,150
Scope 2 tCO2e	11,779	10,846	10,843	10,485	8,247
Gross GHG emissions tCO2e	13,237	12,929	12,317	12,023	9,397
Emissions Intensity tCO2e per million in revenue	5.60	5.38	4.75	4.28	3.36
Emissions Intensity tCO2e by FTE	1.06	0.98	0.90	0.82	0.60

Avoiding waste

Waste reduction is one of the objectives of our Environmental Management Policy and we are committed to reducing waste through increasing recycling facilities and waste reduction activities including removing single use cups and using technologies such as secure printing, electronic documents and electronic signatures. Aged IT systems such as laptops and desktops, which are not broken, but have exceeded their useful commercial life, are donated to various schools and charity organisations where possible.

Landfill free
ICON's North Wales office has landfill free status
Worldwide recycling
76% ICON offices recycling
E-Waste
Defective hardware is disposed through e-waste agencies

Real estate

The majority of our locations are leased and we continue to work closely with our landlords and leasing agents so that we are operating our offices in an environmentally sustainable manner. The real estate team factor environmental considerations when selecting new locations for ICON offices and building modifications. Real estate office projects currently adopt the following approaches to sustainability:

Ensuring business centres and kitchen/canteens include built in recycling areas
Creating green spaces within the office to naturally contribute to the internal air quality, temperature and humidity
Choosing building material vendors with low environmental impact programs
Installing LED lighting and absence detection
Installing HVAC systems with zonal controls and set temperatures

ICON Green employee engagement

We require our people to act in an environmentally sustainable manner as set out in our Global Code of Ethical Conduct. ICON has three dedicated employee activities to engage employees in environmental sustainability:

Green Champion Network
Annual environmental themed photo contest
Annual sustainability month

These activities seek to engage employees in what is happening internally within ICON, promote best practices for the working day and stimulate conversations on what it means to be environmentally aware. The Green Champion Network, made up of ICON employees across all our locations, help identify improvements at a local level and help coordinate and bring to life our global sustainability month. Their responsbilities include the support of reducing and removing single use items such as coffee cups, increasing food composting and recycling options, to running activities in the support of their local charities and communities. To date our employees have supported over 60 charities and local communities across the world during sustainability month.