Steel and cladding specialists set for final of sustainability awards

Aberdeenshire-based construction and engineering firm KR Group has been shortlisted for the 2024 VIBES Scottish Environment Business Awards in recognition of its steadfast commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility.

The family business is the only north east firm to be shortlisted in the ‘Circular Scotland’ category of the prestigious awards scheme, which champions the link between economic success and environmental sustainability. The Circular Scotland category highlights the efforts of businesses to re-purpose resources, extending their lifespan, and diverting materials from landfill.

In 2022, amid growing concerns regarding the volume of cladding waste reaching landfill, and following a project with Zero Waste Scotland, KR Group founded KR Bon Reduction – a programme dedicated to repurposing used cladding panels and other construction materials, in a bid to reduce the amount of construction waste going to landfill, and lessen the reliance on finite raw materials.

By 2026 the KR Bon Reduction Project aims to:

• Prevent 7736 tons of CO₂Eq emissions
• Divert 2653 tons of waste from landfill
• Repurpose 202,500 m2 of waste cladding panel PIR board

In line with the UK Government GHG Conversion Factors for Company Reporting, the carbon-neutral firm also tracks and measures scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions, while implementing measures to mitigate these year-on-year.

Ellen Delph, KR Bon project manager welcomed the industry recognition, saying: “We are delighted to reach the finals of the VIBES Awards. Recognised by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and other leading environmental and business agencies, it’s extremely gratifying to even be short-listed in such great company. At KR Group, it’s important to us that we run the business with integrity, and strive to do what’s best for our community, locally and globally. The team are proud of what we’ve achieved so far with our environmental goals, and we will continue to work towards improvements, year on year.”

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