Now into the third year of our decisive decade, our Now or Never strategy is helping us to make the leap towards zero-carbon operations by 2030 and supporting both our customers and their communities in tackling the increasing economic and social challenges facing the UK.
In 2020, we signed up to some of the world’s toughest targets to do the right thing for the planet. As one of the first companies globally to commit to science-based targets that aim to keep warming to 1.5°C, we continue to lead from the front on sustainable development, as we have done since 1852. I am pleased to report that this year marks a decade since Willmott Dixon became a carbon neutral business.
In 2022, our reputation for low energy, low carbon buildings and pioneering Passivhaus projects helped us to win work. The innovative Passivhaus homes we have completed for Caerphilly County Borough Council showcase our industry-leading approach to sustainable construction, which extends from the emissions buildings produce to the carbon associated with the materials and supply chain we use. With soaring energy prices and the cost-of-living crisis impacting on everyone, we see more and more customers trust Willmott Dixon to deliver the next generation of brilliant buildings, which have a positive impact on people and the planet.
In addition, our own operations are increasingly sustainable; maintaining our focus on energy efficiency, shifting to renewable and greener energy sources on site, transitioning our transport fleet to electric and hybrid vehicles, and further reducing waste. All in, this has helped us to reduce our absolute carbon emissions by 48%, since 2018, and cut our absolute construction waste by 58%, since 2012.
Working closely with our customers, we design our projects to bring the natural environment closer to those who use our buildings, supporting local flora and fauna, creating habitats that support wildlife and provide green spaces for people. In advance of new legislation, we have been carrying out biodiversity net gain pilot studies on 20 sites, with the aim of delivering increased levels of biodiversity after development, and we planted more than 15,000 trees, putting us well on the way to meet our ambition to plant 100,000 by 2030.
Finally, I am proud of how, in 2022, we continued to work closely with our stakeholders to ensure that the legacy from our projects creates economic and social value. We continue to believe that supporting people into good careers is a key part of this whether we are encouraging school children to make construction their first choice career or giving ex-offenders a fresh start in a new job. As you will read in this review, we are also proud to help where more support is needed, from supporting refugees from Ukraine with English lessons, to providing winter warmer packs to people unable to pay fuel bills.
Our people deserve a huge amount of credit for the progress we have made on our sustainability journey in 2022. We know there is still a lot of work to be done, and we are fully committed to continuing our efforts and delivering projects that create lasting social, economic, and environmental benefits for everyone.