Seddon’s Louis Saunderson on why construction should prepare now for the UK Sustainability Reporting Standards

Writing in New Civil Engineer (22 January 2026), our sustainability analyst Louis Saunderson says the new UK Sustainability Reporting Standards (UK SRS) give construction a real chance to sort out its patchy, inconsistent sustainability reporting. The standards became available for voluntary use in January 2026. They are designed to sit alongside the IFRS, and they are expected to replace Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR).

Louis argues that the UK SRS moves reporting away from ticking compliance boxes and towards decision-useful information. That gives investors, clients, suppliers and communities a clearer view of a company’s risks and performance. He also sets out the barriers to adoption. The standards are voluntary for now, many firms lack the systems and governance needed, and supply-chain data is inconsistent, especially beyond carbon, in areas such as climate-hazard exposure, nature-related impacts and social value.

His advice is to start early. Firms should work out which topics are material, close the gaps in their data, and build climate and nature risks into core planning. They should also use the two-year Scope 3 transition period to set up reliable data flows with suppliers and subcontractors. As the standards look set to become mandatory, transparency will increasingly decide who wins investment, work and long-term trust. Firms that act now will set the benchmark for the sector.

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