Accenture plc
Climate Impact & Sustainability Data (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2024-03-21)
Reporting Period: 2017
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Sustainability
Social Achievements
- Continued focus on safety and accident prevention
Climate Goals & Targets
Environmental Challenges
- Permitting delays in the first half of the year
- Devastating hurricanes impacting 85% of operations in the third quarter
Mitigation Strategies
- Acquisition and integration of a concrete company in the Central Texas market
- Seizing project opportunities arising from hurricane damage
Supply Chain Management
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- Hurricanes
Reporting Period: 2018
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Sustainability
Climate Goals & Targets
Environmental Challenges
- Unfavorable weather patterns in the second half of 2018 causing delays in concrete operations.
- Non-cash charges for impairment of goodwill and write-down of revenues due to losses in the Marine segment from cost overruns.
Mitigation Strategies
- Invest, Scale, Grow Initiative to implement process enhancements.
- Seeking recovery through change orders for cost overruns (but recovery not assured).
Supply Chain Management
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Reporting Period: 2019
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Sustainability
Climate Goals & Targets
Environmental Challenges
- Severe weather and other natural disasters
- Public health epidemics or pandemics
- Terrorist attacks
- Fluctuations in commodity prices
- Inability to obtain sufficient bonding capacity
- Loss of key customer relationships or reputation
- Inability to fully realize the revenue value reported in backlog
- Contract losses due to inaccurate cost estimates
- Penalties for late completion of contracts
- Dependence on third parties
- Higher costs to acquire, manufacture, and maintain equipment
- Unionization, work stoppages, or increased labor costs
- Operating risks and hazards
- Inadequate insurance coverage
- Environmental laws and regulations
- Extensive regulations affecting land development and building construction
- Potential shortfall in anticipated investment in port and marine infrastructure
- Restrictions on foreign ownership of vessels
- Unsuccessful strategic acquisitions
- Bonding requirements limiting ability to incur indebtedness
- Systems and information technology interruption or failure
- Data security breaches
- Significant debt service payments
- Variable rate indebtedness
Mitigation Strategies
- Invest, Scale & Grow (ISG) initiative to improve operating efficiency
- Emphasis on bidding and winning select quality projects
- Strong balance sheet and working capital position to access bonding capacity
- Maintenance of key customer relationships and reputation
- Careful cost estimation and project execution
- Ownership of a large, versatile equipment fleet
- Continuous monitoring and adjustment of fleet size
- Attracting, retaining, and developing employees
- Implementation of safety procedures
- Maintenance of various insurance policies
- Compliance with environmental laws and regulations
- Pursuit of projects in both public and private sectors
- Hedging activities to mitigate interest rate risk
- Implementation of industry-accepted security measures
Supply Chain Management
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Reporting Period: 2020
Environmental Metrics
ESG Focus Areas
- Environmental
- Social
- Governance
Environmental Achievements
- Invested $3.2 million to retrofit the Waymon Boyd dredge for 100% shoreside electricity operation, enabling zero emissions and noise in environmentally sensitive areas.
- Invested $6.1 million converting dredge engines from Tier 0 to Tier 2, reducing emissions.
- Invested millions in replacing Tier 0 engines on vessels, cranes, loaders, and dozers with Tier 2, 3, and 4 engines, increasing efficiency and reducing emissions.
- Invested $2.28 million in a dredge material off-loader, significantly reducing environmental impacts.
- Sent over 15,000 tons of scrap metal to recycling facilities between 2015 and 2019.
- Implemented an oil sample analysis program to extend drain intervals and prolong the life of oils and lubricants, reducing environmental impact.
Social Achievements
- Successive reductions in Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR) and Lost Time Incident Rate (LTIR) in both marine and concrete segments.
- Implemented a new hire onboarding program to reduce new hire injuries.
- Launched hand injury reduction campaign and training programs.
- Implemented a paperless, cloud-based Safety Data Sheet storage system.
- Developed extensive job hazard analysis, pre-task planning, and project-specific safety planning programs.
- Offered employee wellbeing initiatives including health benefits, screenings, paid time off, wellness programs, and tuition reimbursement.
- Actively recruited veterans, women, minorities, and people with disabilities.
- Established employee resource groups (WINDS and VALOR) to foster diversity and inclusion.
- Implemented a military leave policy with continued benefits and health plan coverage for 24 months.
- Offered an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for employee well-being.
- Provided tuition reimbursement program up to $5,250 per year for job-related coursework.
- Supported community organizations through donations and volunteerism (Travis Manion Foundation, Toys for Tots, Salvation Army, American Red Cross, Dress for Success, YMCA Operation Backpack).
Governance Achievements
- Established a management sustainability committee to provide strategic leadership and guidance on internal sustainability.
- Adopted corporate governance practices designed to aid the Board and management in fulfilling their duties and responsibilities to stockholders.
- Maintained a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and a Financial Code of Ethics.
- Implemented enterprise risk management policies based on the COSO framework.
- Actively engaged with investors representing at least 20% of outstanding shares in 2019.
- Improved Board diversity with the addition of female directors.
Climate Goals & Targets
Environmental Challenges
- Governance issues inherent in the complexity of projects, including contingent liabilities and litigation risks.
- Social risks related to labor-intensive nature of the industry, including safety management, skilled labor shortages, and community opposition.
- Environmental risks related to climate change, extreme weather events, and potential for delays and cost overruns.
- COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on employee safety and operations.
Mitigation Strategies
- Prioritized sustainability efforts focusing on social, safety, and governance.
- Implemented comprehensive HSE training and programs.
- Developed a COVID-19 Monitoring and Response Plan to mitigate the spread of the virus.
- Invested in equipment upgrades and retrofits to improve efficiency and reduce environmental impact.
- Implemented spill prevention and recovery plans.
- Engaged in community investment and volunteerism.
Supply Chain Management
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- Extreme weather events
Reporting Period: 2024-03-21
Environmental Metrics
Total Carbon Emissions:Not disclosed
Scope 1 Emissions:Not disclosed
Scope 2 Emissions:Not disclosed
Scope 3 Emissions:Not disclosed
Renewable Energy Share:Not disclosed
Total Energy Consumption:Not disclosed
Water Consumption:Not disclosed
Waste Generated:Not disclosed
Carbon Intensity:Not disclosed
ESG Focus Areas
- Diversity
- Ethical Business Practices
- Employee Well-being
- Sustainability
- Responsible AI
Environmental Achievements
- Assisted Matsumoto Precision in implementing a solution to track and report CO2 emissions per product, enhancing their understanding of environmental impact.
Social Achievements
- Ranked #1 in its industry for the 11th consecutive year and #33 overall on Fortune's list of the World's Most Admired Companies.
- Ranked #1 in its industry and #3 overall on the Just Capital CNBC list of America’s most just companies.
- Recognized by Ethisphere as one of the world's most ethical companies for the 17th consecutive year.
- Provided approximately 10 million training hours in Q2, averaging 14 hours per person.
- Launched a generative AI training program for Merck employees.
Governance Achievements
- Not disclosed
Climate Goals & Targets
Long-term Goals:
- Not disclosed
Medium-term Goals:
- Not disclosed
Short-term Goals:
- Not disclosed
Environmental Challenges
- Clients constraining spending, particularly on smaller projects, leading to delays in decision-making and slower spending pace.
- Clients prioritizing larger transformations that convert to revenue more slowly.
Mitigation Strategies
- Focusing on large-scale transformations to capture growth as spending increases.
- Implementing business optimization actions to reduce structural costs and create greater resilience.
- Investing in acquisitions to scale higher-growth areas and expand into new growth areas.
Supply Chain Management
Supplier Audits: Not disclosed
Responsible Procurement
- Not disclosed
Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities
Physical Risks
- Not disclosed
Transition Risks
- Not disclosed
Opportunities
- Not disclosed
Reporting Standards
Frameworks Used: Null
Certifications: Null
Third-party Assurance: Not disclosed
UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Not disclosed
Not disclosed
Sustainable Products & Innovation
- Not disclosed
Awards & Recognition
- Fortune's World's Most Admired Companies (#1 in industry, #33 overall)
- Just Capital CNBC's America's Most Just Companies (#1 in industry, #3 overall)
- Ethisphere's World's Most Ethical Companies