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APEM Group ESG Impact Report 2022
APEM Group 
ESG Impact Report
1 January 2022 - 31 December 2022
Photo of seal by Edward Rickard

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APEM Group ESG Impact Report 2022
Contents
About this report	 	
3
2022 in focus	
	
4
An exciting future for the Group	
5
About ESG	
	
6
Contributing to the United Nations 
Sustainable Development Goals	
	
7
Goal 3: Good health and well-being		
8
Case study: The Crinan Canal 	
	
9
Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation	 	
10
Goal 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure            11
Case study: Innovating the Biodiversity Net Gain
delivery process	 	
	
	
13 
Goal 11: Sustainable cities and communities	
14
Goal 13: Climate action	
16
Our route to Net Zero 	
17
Goal 14: Life below water	
19
2
Case Study: Lagoon designation	
20
Goal 15: Life on land	
21
Case Study: Biodiversity audit	
22
Engaging our stakeholders		
24
Leadership and governance structure 2022	
25
Integrating ESG into our operations	
26
Embedding ESG into our supply chain	
28
Plastic free July	
	
30
Nurturing our talent	
	
31
Health & wellbeing of APEM staff 	
	
  33
Community development	 	
34
ESG objectives for 2023	
	
35
APEM Group photo competition	
36
Who we are	
	
37
Appendices	
	
40
Photo: iStock

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APEM Group ESG Impact Report 2022
About this report
Environmental considerations have always been at 
APEM’s core, from our inception in 1987 to becoming 
a global environmental consultancy group today. As 
well as addressing the climate emergency, we are 
front and centre when it comes to dealing with the 
biodiversity crisis. Much of the work we do is pivotal to 
understanding society’s impacts on species and habitats.
In 2021, we made the commitment to report annually on 
our Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) progress, 
reflecting our dedication to growing our business sustainably. 
After scoring ‘ESG Excellent’ in 2021, this report sets out our 
2022 achievements and 2023 ambitions.
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Highlights of 2022:
• We set up a dedicated committee to lead 
ESG strategy and to embed ESG principles 
across the Group
• We collated our Scope 1, 2 and 3 carbon 
emissions across the APEM Group. We 
have had this data verified by a third party 
consultancy, and required emissions have been 
offset to achieve carbon neutral status
• We appointed a Sustainability and 
Communities Lead, responsible for identifying 
outreach projects, funding and providing 
community engagement and training 
opportunities on environmental issues
Our ESG approach supports national and international 
sustainability agendas including the United Nation’s 2030 
Agenda for Sustainability Development and the UK’s Climate 
Change Act (2008). All of the APEM Group’s emissions data 
have been calculated in line with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol 
– the world’s most widely used standard for accounting 
greenhouse gases.
Photo of view from Redpoint across to Isle of Skye by Fiona Stephen

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APEM Group ESG Impact Report 2022
I am delighted to welcome you to the APEM Group’s 
2022 ESG Impact Report. 2022 was a busy year, with 
AQUAFACT and GoBe, two exceptional environmental 
consultancies, joining APEM Ltd, APEM Inc and 
Woodrow under the Group umbrella. As we continue 
to align and unify, we have worked collectively to 
integrate, promote and develop strategies with ESG at 
the forefront of our thinking. 
We continue to work hard to meet the needs of our diverse 
stakeholders. For our clients, whom we support with 
environmental projects and minimising the impact on the 
planet, to our staff who are passionate about preserving and 
improving the world around them and who are eager to see 
how we are delivering on ESG as a business. 
We are supported by our shareholders, WestBridge, and 
they share our vision for growth and commitment to our 
sustainability programme for the future. The scope of our 
responsibility is extended towards our suppliers and out to 
the communities we engage with, looking to work together 
to understand social and environmental challenges, especially 
regarding climate change. 
With climate change an ever-present risk, we have extended 
our carbon emissions calculation to include that of the 
whole of the APEM Group in 2022. For the next stage in this 
process, we are eager to build on our understanding of Group 
emissions. Supported by our growing data collection efforts, 
we want to set a target date to reach Net Zero. 
2022 in focus 
To further support this, we also feel it is important to be 
a Carbon Neutral Business, with our residual emissions 
continuing to be offset in addition to our ongoing emission 
reduction activities. 
We remain optimistic about the opportunities that lie ahead. 
We have maintained a number of our long term ESG goals, and 
as we continue to progress, we have set new targets with clear 
objectives for the future. As part of our inclusive and supportive 
way of working, we will continue to invest in our people and 
services. 
I believe it is important to build on the culture we have 
developed over the years as we continue to grow. We live our 
values as individuals and as a business. Each team member can 
ensure we deliver our high standards for quality and maintain 
our reputation built on ethics and integrity. The importance 
of positivity has been demonstrated throughout recent years, 
as has treating people equally, and showing support for each 
other and the communities we work with. Our day-to-day work 
demonstrates our forward-thinking approach, and we proudly 
support projects that deliver positive environmental change. 
We look forward to building on our sustainability journey as we 
achieve sustainable growth together.
Dr Adrian Williams
Executive Director, APEM Group
Dr Adrian Williams

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APEM Group ESG Impact Report 2022
An exciting future for the Group
As we build on the many accomplishments in our 
history and the impact we have had on the shared 
environment, I’m even more excited at what the future 
holds for our Group.   
With our recent acquisitions of Macro Works and NASH 
Maritime, it’s an exciting time for us at APEM and gives us an 
even bigger opportunity to provide progressive ecological and 
technological solutions to decision makers around the globe, 
partnering with them to achieve environmental and social 
outcomes that matter. 
As we continue on our own growth journey, some things 
stay the same - our own north star if you like. That’s our 
commitment to the environment. Both in what we do as a 
Group and our own impact - but also in how we partner with 
our clients to minimise their impact too.  We have grown up in 
the environmental consultancy sector, so ESG is in our DNA. 
It’s who we are as people. And as a Group.  
So, as we face into the future, I’m confident that this year and 
the years in front of APEM, we will see the positive impact we 
as a combined collective of scientists, technical specialists, 
and consultants, can have on our shared environment. And my 
pledge as CEO is to ensure that stays at the forefront of who 
we are.  
Leah McGimpsey
Chief Executive Officer, APEM Group
Photo of North Stack by Jack Whittle
Leah McGimpsey

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APEM Group ESG Impact Report 2022
About ESG
Environmental, Social and Governance standards measure 
the impact a business has on society and the environment, its 
transparency and accountability.
The benefits of an ESG programme are tangible and 
rewarding: reduced emissions, carbon neutrality, engaged 
employees, confidence in the supply chain and compliance 
with governing bodies.
Our work naturally focuses on the E: helping clients reduce 
and mitigate their effect on the environment. But that 
doesn’t mean we are neglecting the S and the G. Here’s how 
our work impacts each of the Environmental, Social and 
Governance standards:
ENVIRONMENTAL 
This metric quantifies a company’s environmental impact 
allowing reduction targets to be set. Ways to tackle this 
include looking at the delivery of work, not just our core 
staff but also considering our supply chain including:
1    Energy, water, waste consumption reporting and 
reduction programme
2    Ways to reduce our work-related carbon emissions
3    Enhancing biodiversity and ecosystems
4    The effect on air and water quality
5    Managing waste responsibly
6    Energy management and responsibly using natural 
resources
SOCIAL
This part of ESG deals with how the company 
interacts with society and improves lives, considering:
1    Staff training and development
2    Community outreach and engagement
3    Customer engagement
4    Health and wellbeing 
5    Fairness in pay
6    Employee and stakeholder engagement
7    Data protection and privacy policies
8    Human rights and slavery statements
GOVERNANCE 
This differs from business to business and takes in 
industry legislation. A robust ESG policy will have 
specific details regarding:
1    Industry best practices
2    Training on policies and policy violation tracking
3    Board composition and engagement
4    Business continuity planning
5    Business ethics and anti-bribery
6    Risk management
7    Cyber security

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APEM Group ESG Impact Report 2022
Contributing to the United Nations 
Sustainable Development Goals
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), or global 
‘goals’, are a collection of 17 goals designed to be a 
“blueprint for achieving a better and more sustainable 
future for all.” 
The United Nations General Assembly established the SDGs 
in 2015 with an achievement deadline of 2030. We have 
prioritised seven SDGs where we believe APEM Group 
are positioned to have the most significant impact and 
will incorporate measurable targets into how our actions 
contribute toward fulfilling the Goals.
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GOAL 3  
Good Health  
and Well-Being
GOAL 6  
Clean Water  
and Sanitation
GOAL 9 
Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
GOAL 11 
Sustainable Cities and 
Communities
GOAL 13 
Climate Action
GOAL 14 
Life Below Water
GOAL 15 
Life on Land
No 
Poverty
Zero 
Hunger
Quality
Education
Gender
Equality
Economic
Growth
Climate
Action
Life
Below
Water
Partnership
for the
Goal
Life
on Land
Peace,
Justice,
& strong
Institution
Reduced
Inequalities
Sustainable
Cities
Responsible
Consumption
Clean
Energy
Industry,
Innovation,
 Infrastructure
Clean
Water
& Sanitation
Good Health
& Well Being
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
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APEM Group ESG Impact Report 2022
GOAL 3: Good health 
and well-being
Ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing 
for all at all ages 
Our client work involves safeguarding and 
restoring the natural environment for the 
enjoyment of generations to come. We have 
provided ecological services for the creation of 
greenways, allowing safe access to the outdoors. 
We are helping to protect and enhance bathing 
waters and river quality with water testing, 
desktop studies, catchment walkover surveys and 
aerial surveys for leak detection. Our work on 
Biodiversity Net Gain plans can include enhancing 
habitats for wildlife and humans alike.
As one of the leading providers of algal bloom 
assessment and management, APEM have extensive 
experience of the monitoring and management of water 
bodies for recreational purposes and have provided 
expert advice to a range of clients on the safe pursuit 
of water contact sports. For example, APEM are the 
specialist water management consultants at Salford 
Quays. We have provided this service every year, for 18 
years to date, we monitor the water quality to ensure it 
was safe for all water sports activity at this busy location.  
This includes kayaking, rafting, triathlons, camps, and 
open-water swimming activities. We have provided such 
water-monitoring services at Olympic, Commonwealth, 
European and other international events from triathlons, 
iron man, and many other swim events. 
SOCIAL
Photo of silver studded blue butterfly by Ben Jones

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APEM Group ESG Impact Report 2022
In 2022 APEM Ltd were commissioned by 
Mackenzie Construction to deploy a team 
of fisheries scientists to the Scottish Crinan 
Canal, to undertake a fish rescue.
Major engineering works can require canals to be 
drained and therefore demand planning to make 
sure that potential impacts are controlled. As part 
of Scottish Canals’ ongoing Crinan Canal winter 
works programme, local children got to witness 
APEM’s specialist team conduct a fish rescue 
from dewatered sections of the canal between 
Locks 5 and 15.
APEM’s Matthew Heeps, Fiona Stephen, and 
Alexandria McAlpine were well prepared for 
the week-long fish rescue to help preserve fish 
populations within the canal. It was essential 
to relocate the fish as soon as possible, as 
dewatering left the fish more vulnerable to 
predators and there were notable populations of 
heron, otter and other predators in the area.
The team also took part in an event at Oakfield 
Bridge, showcasing their work to local residents 
and allowing them a rare opportunity to have 
an up-close encounter with the fish they had 
rescued, and to watch them be released to safety.
The Crinan Canal – Scotland
In total, the team managed to successfully 
rescue and relocate over 1,000 individual fish, 
comprising six species: brown trout, European 
eel, roach, flounder, stickleback and minnow.
APEM’s Matthew 
Heeps holding some 
brown trout
APEM’s team completing the fish rescue
Case study: APEM Ltd
“It was really great to see 
so many youngsters getting 
excited about their local 
environment, and different 
fish species” Matthew Heeps
Photo: Unsplash

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APEM Group ESG Impact Report 2022
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The water industry faces many challenges – pollution, 
leaks, drought, increasing demand and scarcity, to name 
a few. Our freshwater ecosystems are in increasing 
danger from urbanisation, agriculture and climate 
change, which is further amplifying these challenges. 
Clean water and sanitation comprise a large part of our 
work, helping water bodies and companies implement 
the Water Framework Directive (WFD).
We conduct freshwater and marine ecological projects to 
deliver improved water quality standards. Our work involves a 
commitment to pollution response and monitoring services, 
including wastewater treatment works spills, combined sewer 
overflow impacts, sediment runoff and chemical spills. We 
support our clients with innovative tools to support long-term 
strategy for drought, invasive species management, water 
abstraction and reservoir management.
We also have a strong history of working on aquatic 
restoration projects to raise the conservation status of 
habitats and species within water catchments, assisting with 
EU funding for habitat restoration projects that will benefit 
stakeholders and communities.
Our UKAS accredited methodologies and laboratories place 
APEM at the forefront of algal analysis and are trusted by 
water companies, government regulators, water sports 
centres and local authorities. We investigate the causes of 
and management of algal blooms in numerous drinking water 
reservoirs throughout the UK and Ireland, to make sure the 
water is safe for all.
We also ensure all our field workers adhere to strict biosecurity 
measures to prevent contamination between water bodies in 
which we work.
ENVIRONMENTAL
GOAL 6: Clean water and sanitation
Ensure access to water and sanitation for all 
Our water use
Water usage data is derived from our Stockport 
HQ and Stockport stores. For our remaining 
sites we have provided estimates based on 
the number of full-time equivalent employees 
using the offices as we do not have access to 
water usage data within serviced offices. We 
will be working to engage with our landlords 
to obtain water use measurements to allow us 
to monitor our usage and set reduction targets. 
Due to the nature of our work, we are aware of 
the importance of water resource management 
and work hard to communicate responsible 
water use to our teams working within our office 
network. At some of our sites, we have water 
saving devices in place and communicate with 
employees across the group to promote water 
saving behaviours and responsible use of our 
sewerage systems. See Appendix C for details of 
our water usage across the Group.
Photo: Unsplash

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APEM Group ESG Impact Report 2022
ENVIRONMENTAL
GOAL 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure
Build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation 
The unprecedented growth of the renewable energy 
market has driven a drastic evolution of the power and 
utilities market around the world. Ageing infrastructure 
and networks need innovative approaches to ensure that 
customers receive the demand response from the grid.
The APEM Group assists the development of sustainable 
infrastructure. Our high resolution digital aerial surveys for 
linear asset and route mapping generate topographic 2D 
and 3D outputs that can be used for route optimisation and 
cable route surveys as well as accurately mapping buildings, 
pylons and transmission lines. Data can be used for earthworks 
calculations for new infrastructure projects to manage volumes 
such as stockpiles, embankments and cuttings on construction 
projects. In the UK and Ireland our specialist field teams of 
aquatic and terrestrial surveyors are trained Ecological Clerk 
of Works (ECoW) and work on site to observe, support and 
maintain developers’ environmental and planning obligations.
Despite a skills shortage, the construction industry is thriving 
and is becoming more sustainable and conscious of its impact 
on the environment. The complex balance of the needs 
of society, more stringent and evolving legislation and the 
environment requires a sensitive and responsible equilibrium. 
The demands on the land-based transport network are also 
increasing, and the APEM Group are ideally placed to support 
with geospatial and environmental planning support.
Aircraft-mounted laser technology, LiDAR, is used to 
generate a point cloud of the landscape for vegetation risk 
assessment for overhead transmission lines: mapping the 
proximity of vegetation to overhead transmission lines and 
identifying trees posing a strike risk to the network. Clients 
across many industries use our LiDAR services for projects 
such as topographic mapping, power line mapping, studies of 
woodland, archaeology, flood plain modelling, city planning, 
line of sight analysis and construction phase monitoring.
APEM have recently pioneered other applications of 
LiDAR to accurately map bird flight heights for the offshore 
wind industry. This innovative use of technology has been 
recognised as best practice by Natural England1 in their 
guidelines for offshore wind farms1.
GoBe, who joined the APEM Group in 2022, are one of the 
leading offshore wind consultancies and offer support with the 
guiding regulation and planning requirements for developers 
in the UK, Ireland and North America. Since 2009, GoBe have 
been involved in 46 offshore wind projects and have provided 
significant consultancy services to over 50% of the UK’s and 
Ireland’s offshore wind projects. 
1 https://www.apemltd.com/natural-england-apems-use-of-lidar-is-best-practice-for-offshore-wind/
Photo of offshore wind farm in the sea by Paul Littlefair

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APEM Group ESG Impact Report 2022
GoBe Experience
Other OWF Areas
GoBe are currently the lead offshore 
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) 
consultant for 3 of the 6 Irish Phase 1 
projects, and their team are at the forefront 
of innovation in delivering robust EIAs in an 
increasingly busy market.
GoBe involvement in offshore wind projects in the UK and Ireland

Habitat mapping of the LLDC area using aerial imagery.
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APEM Group ESG Impact Report 2022
Innovating the Biodiversity Net Gain delivery process 
Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) aims to 
leave the natural environment in a 
measurably better state than it was 
beforehand. The Environment Act 
2021 requires BNG to be considered 
in England on most Town and Country 
Planning Act developments and 
Nationally Significant Infrastructure 
Projects (NSIPs) granted from 
November 2023. This will require at 
least a BNG of 10% for a 30-year period. 
Project:
In December 2022 APEM Ltd were 
commissioned by The London Legacy 
Development Corporation (LLDC), to 
provide an understanding of the habitats 
and biodiversity within their area and to 
identify potential locations and methods for 
biodiversity enhancement.
Our approach:
For this project APEM Ltd utilised 
commercially available digital aerial 
imagery. By using aerial data, APEM Ltd 
were able to provide a comprehensive 
assessment of a large area including 
rooftop habitats, a key location in the 
urban environment, without delay.
A UK Habitats Classification survey 
was carried out, mapping an area of 
4.9km2. Combining the UK habs survey 
with further existing information (e.g. 
Biodiversity Action Plan and monitoring 
reports) a BNG assessment was carried 
out for the entire local authority area. This 
provided a useful baseline, especially 
in the context of the ecology reports 
required by the Environment Act 2021 and 
for the Local Authority when assessing 
new planning applications.
The outcome:
The success of this project shows that 
aerial imagery can allow a large area to be 
covered that would be unfeasible on foot, 
with inaccessible locations and numerous 
landowners. It shows that by adopting 
aerial imagery APEM Ltd were also able 
to confidently apply a good classification 
of habitats to the “broad habitat” level and 
for some habitat types determination of 
specific habitats. The BNG assessment 
provided the Local Authority with a 
baseline and starting point from which to 
guide future further assessment.
Case study: APEM Ltd

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APEM Group ESG Impact Report 2022
ENVIRONMENTAL
GOAL 11: Sustainable cities and communities 
Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
Waste
At the APEM Group we recognise the importance of 
minimising waste by following the steps of the waste hierarchy 
- prioritising prevention, reduction, reusing and recycling our 
waste. On sites where waste management is within our control 
we have complete data sets. These sites are our Stockport HQ, 
our Stockport Stores, Letchworth Office, South Wales Office, 
and South Stores. For these sites we have been working with 
waste management service providers to get more detailed 
information on how our waste is processed. Across the Group 
we have also been engaging with our landlords to gain more 
accurate waste data and to understand the outcomes of our 
waste management and disposal procedures. Our plan is 
to use this data to inform our waste reduction and recycling 
targets in the coming years. Many of our sites currently have 
a zero waste to landfill policy arranged by waste management 
providers and we want to investigate how this can be rolled 
out across all of the APEM Group’s sites. In the absence of 
complete data, we have made estimates of waste for each of 
our remaining sites using assumptions per full-time employee 
and typical site processing percentages. 
It is difficult to collate data from serviced offices and our 
efforts within these offices will be to maximise recycling and 
do our best to ensure that most of the waste that leaves our 
offices is destined for recycling. This is actioned with active 
waste segregation at sites. The waste hierarchy is implemented 
across our Group sites, with efforts to reduce resource use, 
reuse office materials and repurpose items where possible. 
We continue to ensure that our IT equipment is recycled and 
repurposed by our specialist computer recycling company 
and to ensure that we dispose of all chemicals legally and 
responsibly. Waste is a consideration for the environmental 
committee and a focus for the environmental champion. 
Internal communications to staff have promoted and 
supported positive behavioural change in consideration to 
waste management at sites. Please see Appendix B for our 
waste generated data for 2022.
Prevention
Re-use
Recycling
Recovery
Disposal
Most preferred
Least preferred
Maximising opportunities for 
environmental improvement and 
nature recovery 
We are committed to sustainable business practices 
which focus on protecting and restoring the 
economy, community and environment. APEM have 
extensive experience of optioneering restoration or 
improvement options to maximise geomorphological 
diversity, floodplain connectivity and associated 
habitats and doing so in a way that works with natural 
processes rather than relying upon hard engineering. 
This could also include identifying potential 
alternative options to hard structures for the purpose 
of trapping sediment, such as large woody material 
to create dams. We are also well-versed in using 
restoration and improvement options for the purpose 
of Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG).
Waste Hierarchy Pyramid2
2 Adapted from DEFRA 2011

Sustainable transport 
APEM supports the ‘Cycle to Work’ schemes in the UK 
and Ireland where our staff can avail of tax incentives 
for the purchase of bicycles and accessories for 
commuting to work.
Carbon dioxide emissions are the leading cause of global 
warming and climate change. Greenhouse gas (GHG) 
emissions from road transport make up around a fifth 
of emissions. Reducing emissions from road transport 
remains a significant challenge as the UK looks to reach 
Net Zero emissions by 2050. To deliver on this goal, the UK 
government’s Road to Zero transport strategy includes the 
ambition that by 2050 almost every car and van will be zero-
emission. In Ireland, the Climate Action Bill will ban the sale of 
new petrol and diesel cars from 2030. As we come to terms 
with our collective obligation to reduce emissions urgently, we 
must also take responsibility for our contributions at the APEM 
Group, with fleet being a significant component of this.
ENVIRONMENTAL
 APEM Group vehicles 2022
APEM Group vehicles
Leased vehicles
Owned
Diesel / Petrol
9
7
EV
2
Vehicles in our company fleet are relatively new, and support efficient 
driving with gear-shift, eco-driving indicators and tyre-pressure 
monitoring systems in place. Driver awareness forms part of the 
APEM Group suite of training for staff who drive as part of their role.
Regular servicing also ensures our emissions from work travel 
are regulated. We are monitoring the engine size of fleet 
vehicles and offering smaller cars where possible and are 
pleased that two of our Group vehicles are electric vehicles 
(EVs). We have been in discussions with EV providers to see 
what can be provided in the future across the Group. However, 
there are still numerous challenges involved in this transition 
to EV, mostly centred around the logistics of charging points. 
In 2022, our employee commute across the APEM Group in 
personal vehicles was 252,470 miles which provided a carbon 
footprint of 69 tonnes. An employee commuting survey has 
been rolled out across the Group this year to better understand 
driving practices and ways to support staff that commute into 
our offices. 
Purchased fuel from our subcontracted aircraft has made the 
most significant contribution to our Scope 3 carbon emissions, 
coming in at 672.60 tCO2e. Collating such robust data means 
we now have a baseline against which we can compare future 
emissions and measure our reduction efforts. 
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APEM Group ESG Impact Report 2022
Photo: iStock
Photo of offshore wildlife aerial survey data collection, APEM

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APEM Group ESG Impact Report 2022
The reliance on fossil fuels is a key cause of 
global warming and climate change. The way 
energy is generated has to change, not only 
to meet global demand but also to limit the 
reliance on fossil fuels and embrace existing 
and emerging renewable technology such 
as wind, solar, hydro as well as biofuels and 
biomethane. The APEM Group collaborates 
with clients worldwide, delivering robust 
data and guidance to support environmental 
government policies and renewable energy 
developers.
The APEM Group are helping to deliver a 
renewable future globally, throughout all stages 
of the wind power life cycle, from work on site 
selection and consents provided by GoBe, 
specialist field and bat surveys by Woodrow, 
marine and estuarine benthic studies and Sediment 
Profile Imagery from AQUAFACT and global best 
practice surveys at APEM Inc. 
The APEM Group will be working to reduce our 
operational greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 
(Scope 1 & 2) from a 2022 baseline. While we work 
to achieve this, we will purchase offset carbon 
credits to secure carbon neutrality.
ENVIRONMENTAL
GOAL 13: Climate 
action  
Take urgent action to combat climate 
change and its impacts
Our energy use  
The APEM Group remain committed to 
addressing climate change and supporting the 
shift to a cleaner, low-carbon economy. Within 
energy, that means limiting how much energy 
we consume and procuring our energy from 
renewable sources. Across the APEM Group 
we have been engaging with our landlords 
in 2022 to understand the sources of energy 
procured across our sites and operations. This 
will allow us to request renewable energy 
procurement at our sites. Where we are 
responsible for electricity procurement for 
the Group, we have procured electricity from 
renewable sources. Please see Appendix A for 
our energy consumption data for 2022.
In some cases we do not have specific details 
of our energy usage. This is where smart meters 
are not yet installed or where we share offices 
and discrete usage is not recordable. However, 
we are trying to resolve this to allow us to better 
estimate energy usage across our sites and 
identify locations where we can target our  
 
energy reduction initiatives. In some locations, 
we have been able to install smart meters 
which are able to record energy usage data at a 
greater level of detail. Not only can this energy 
data be used as part of energy reduction 
plan, but also incorporated into future carbon 
calculations. We are also liaising with landlords 
of energy improvement initiatives where 
possible such as installation of LED lighting, 
motion sensors and installation of insulation.
We are working closely with our environmental 
committee representatives to reduce energy 
consumption per capita at each site. They 
are promoting ways that employees can 
minimise energy use through energy reduction 
campaigns. This includes minimising energy 
use in the office such as monitoring lighting and 
shutting doors along with energy saving tips for 
staff working from home especially during the 
winter months.
Photo: iStock

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APEM Group ESG Impact Report 2022
Climate risk
Not only have we considered our direct impact 
towards climate change through calculating and 
reporting our carbon emissions, but we have also 
considered the impact of climate change on our 
business, looking at potential challenges and changes 
in the future.
Carbon emissions are the leading cause of global 
warming resulting in climate change. Individuals, 
businesses, and organisations have a role in supporting 
the urgent need to transition to a Net Zero carbon 
and more resilient world. Calculating our annual 
carbon emissions is a critical step in understanding our 
contribution to global warming.
Carbon emissions APEM Group 2022
tCO2e
Scope 1 – Direct emissions
222
Scope 2 – Indirect electricity emissions
55
Scope 3 – Other indirect emissions 
2,884
Total
3,161
To identify key emission focus areas for the 
business going forward, we calculated Scope 1, 
2 and 3 emissions for our company operations 
by gathering primary data from our sites across 
the UK & Ireland and the US. 
• Scope 1 
Mainly carbon emitted from company vehicles
• Scope 2  
Carbon emitted from building electricity usage 
• Scope 3  
Carbon emitted from our subcontracted aircraft3, 
waste disposed, water, personal and hire car vehicle 
mileage claims, business travel including emissions 
from hotel accommodation, capital goods, employee 
commuting as well as homeworking.
We have set ourselves an interim target to reduce our 
operational greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (Scope 1 
& 2) by 45% by 2030 from a 2022 baseline. 
Our emission categories overleaf highlight how we 
have completed this for 2022.
Our route to Net Zero
3 Calculated emissions relating to aviation have been uplifted by a factor of 
1.4 to account for the equivalent radiative forcing effects of air travel.
The APEM Group will identify carbon emissions 
reduction opportunities as part of our Net Zero Plan 
which will be launched in 2023. It is of the utmost 
importance for APEM Group to work towards reducing 
the emissions we produce. In addition to this, we will 
be offsetting the Scope 1 and 2 emissions as part of a 
carbon neutral programme.
ENVIRONMENTAL
Photo of humpback whale by Abigail Goulding

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APEM Group ESG Impact Report 2022
Table 1: APEM Group carbon emissions for 2022
Scope / Category
Item
Total tCO2e
%
Scope 1
Stationary combustion 
Fuel / Gas consumed
0.05
0.0%
Transport
Owned and leased vehicles
221.9
6.9%
Refrigerants
HVAC’s
-
0.0%
Scope 2
Electricity (Location based)4
Purchased electricity, steam, heating & cooling for own use
96.9
3.0%
Electricity (Market based)5
Purchased electricity, for own use (specific contract)
55.2
1.7%
Scope 3
Cat 1: Purchased goods and services
Goods and services
1,571.8
49.1%
Cat 2: Capital Goods
CapEx expenditure
750.45
23.4%
Cat 3: Fuel & energy related activities 
WTT (Well-To-Tank) & T&D (Transmission & Distribution losses) from electricity, gas, transport, 
business travel and employees commuting
215.5
6.7%
Cat 4: Upstream transportation
Paid transport for goods (upstream & downstream) (well to wheel (WTW)
17.3
0.5%
Cat 5: Waste
Waste
7.1
0.2%
Cat 6: Business travel
Land and air travel for business purposes
86.3
2.7%
Cat 7: Employee commuting
Employees commuting to and back from work
88.4
2.8%
Cat 7: Employee working from home
Carbon emissions associated with home working utility use
147.1
4.6%
Total (Market based)
3,161
4 Location based represents emissions from electricity consumption based on grid average emissions. 
5 Market based represents emissions from electricity consumption based on specific energy contracts.

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APEM Group ESG Impact Report 2022
ENVIRONMENTAL
GOAL 14: Life below water
Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources
Nearly three quarters of the earth’s surface is classed 
as a marine environment and the complex ecosystems 
that rely on it are extensive. The APEM Group support 
clients across the world with their environmental and 
sustainability challenges and issues.
APEM offer the full range of marine ecology services to clients 
working in coastal, estuarine and offshore environments, 
supported by dedicated field teams and accredited laboratories.
Our diverse client base includes aquaculture companies, marine 
renewable developers and aggregate extraction companies, 
alongside nature conservation bodies and regulators. We 
are experienced in providing advice on protected areas to 
developers, regulators and nature conservation bodies, assessing 
the effects of development on these areas, as well as conducting 
condition assessments.
APEM also have excellent relationships with regulatory bodies, 
statutory nature conservation bodies and stakeholders working in 
the marine environment.
These relationships have been developed over a large number 
of projects across many industries, with our consultants working 
to agree appropriate and proportionate mitigation strategies and 
bespoke monitoring plans for projects.
Photo: iStock

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APEM Group ESG Impact Report 2022
Case Study: AQUAFACT
Lagoon designation 
AQUAFACT were contracted by the National Parks and 
Wildlife Service, part of the Department of Culture, 
Heritage and the Gaeltacht, to determine if Tawin can 
be defined as a lagoon within the Habitats Directive. 
Tawin is located at the eastern end of Galway Bay on 
the west coast of Ireland. 
Coastal lagoons are a priority habitat in the Habitats Directive. As a 
result they are under increased site protection measures to ensure 
their continued survival, as so much of the habitat in Europe 
has disappeared or been degraded for a variety of reasons.
Lagoons typically contain brackish water (seawater that has 
been diluted to varying degrees), so they can be a habitat for 
marine and freshwater flora and fauna. In these environments 
there will also be the presence of lagoonal “specialists”, 
plants and animals that thrive in these conditions. Without 
protection measures these would be threatened with 
extinction.
Surveys were carried out to characterise the hydrological 
regime within Tawin and compare it to the open water. 
This assessed character and quality of the barriers and 
described typical animal and plant species including lagoonal 
“specialists”. 
AQUAFACT gathered data on currents and tidal elevation. 
Bathymetric surveys using an echo sounder provided 
accurate information about the depth of the lagoon. There 
were terrestrial coastal habitats to survey, including extensive 
areas of salt marsh on stony soils and mid-upper marsh, as 
well as vegetated shingle. Intertidal and subtidal species of 
flora and fauna were recorded using methodologies including 
water and sediment sampling, granulometry and photos from 
land, boat and SCUBA dives. This work led to a previously 
unrecorded bed of eel grass being recorded in one part of 
the lagoon. Also noted were a rarely recorded bivalve and an 
eyeless species of marine worm that had not previously been 
recorded. 
AQUAFACT concluded that Tawin fits the definition of a 
coastal lagoon as defined by the Habitats Directive: it is an 
expanse of “shallow coastal salt water, of varying salinity and 
water volume, wholly or partially separated from the sea by 
sand banks or shingle”. Its physical oceanography was the 
most convincing reason for its classification. As a result of 
this work, Tawin will now be included on the national list of 
lagoons and offered additional protected status.
Photo of Tawin taken by 
AQUAFACT’s Shay Fennelly
Photo of Zostera marina bed  
(lagoonal specialist) and sandy ground
ENVIRONMENTAL

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APEM Group ESG Impact Report 2022
ENVIRONMENTAL
GOAL 15: Life on land
Sustainably manage forests, combat 
desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, 
halt biodiversity loss
Our team of experienced ecologists and technical 
specialists work across the UK and Ireland to support 
clients through every stage of the development and 
planning process. We collect and evaluate data, assess 
impacts, design ecological mitigation, and provide 
reports and plans to inform our clients’ projects. Our 
work takes in complex projects such as those with 
multiple (often conflicting) ecological sensitivities 
where bespoke or innovative solutions are required.
We regularly work with, and under, regulatory frameworks 
including Natural Resources Wales, Natural England, and 
Nature Scotland to deliver development licence applications. 
We also consult with the regulators on behalf of our clients, to 
secure positive outcomes for projects and nature conservation.
Our habitat restoration work advances nature-based solutions 
for global issues such as climate change, including peatland 
restoration projects both for landowners and state agencies 
in Ireland. Peatlands provide ecosystem services including 
climate regulation, water quality services, flood alleviation as 
well as carbon sequestration in restored sites.
Protected species surveys are part of many licensing 
applications, and our support includes evaluating data, 
assessing impacts, identifying mitigation actions and preparing 
reports and plans to support an application to the planning 
authority and the statutory nature conservation body.
Photo of female stonechat by Jack Blackburn

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APEM Group ESG Impact Report 2022
Project:
Woodrow were commissioned by The HSE Climate Action and 
Sustainability Office to complete biodiversity audits of two Irish 
hospitals and their campus, and surrounding grounds. These 
were the Sligo University Hospital a site of 12.6 ha, with 30% of 
this green space and the larger Letterkenny University hospital 
campus and St Conal’s hospital grounds at 21 ha, with 40% of 
this green space. The remainder of land is occupied by hospital 
buildings, car parks, roads and other paved areas.
The work was completed to provide a Biodiversity Audit for 
each hospital in support of the An Taisce Green-Campus 
Programme and the HSE Climate Action Strategy. The initiative 
forms part of the Green Campus Programme which aims to 
contribute to the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan and Climate Action 
Plan, as well as inform the placement of biodiversity signage 
within the campus.
Our approach:
A desk study was undertaken to identify species previously 
recorded at the site, and any rare or protected species. This 
was followed by Phase 1 ecological surveys across each 
site. This involved walking the entire site and assessing each 
parcel of land and boundary feature within the site, assigning 
a standard habitat classification to each area, and producing a 
habitat map as shown overleaf for Sligo Campus. 
Several biodiverse and valuable habitats were identified within 
the grounds of both Letterkenny and St Conal’s Hospitals. 
These included; semi-natural, floral-rich dry meadows and 
grassy verges, wet grassland, species-rich hedgerows, dry 
sandy banks and deadwood. These habitats provided valuable 
cover, foraging and breeding habitat for a wide range of 
mammals, invertebrates and bird species. Evidence of red fox 
was observed within the tussocky grassland and a wide range 
of bird species including wren, goldcrest, wood pigeon and 
starling were observed using the hospital grounds. 
The outcome: 
Across both sites, recommendations for biodiversity 
enhancement were made in addition to measures already in 
place. Some of these measures included: reducing/changing 
the existing grass mowing regimes in certain areas in order 
to maximise the benefits for wildlife, planting of bulbs and 
wildflower seeds where appropriate to provide colour and food 
for birds and pollinating insects, erection of biodiversity signage 
to encourage both public and staff engagement as well as 
the installation of both bat and bird boxes, where suitable, 
throughout the grounds. These recommendations aimed to 
increase visitor, patient and staff access to nature and support 
mental health wellness throughout both hospitals. 
These projects not only contribute to the environmental and 
biodiversity maintenance and enhancement of the area but 
also provide long term value to the communities, staff and 
patients of these hospitals.
Photo of scrub habitat to the north 
west of the Letterkenny site by 
Rick Crowley
Biodiversity audit
Case study: Woodrow

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APEM Group ESG Impact Report 2022
A habitat map for the Sligo Hospital Campus

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APEM Group ESG Impact Report 2022
Engaging our stakeholders
GOVERNANCE
Our stakeholders are key to the success of our corporate 
objectives. Here’s what we have learned in 2022:
Clients: 
Giving our clients the confidence to deliver impactful projects 
that reflect evolving regulatory requirements and environmental 
considerations. We offer a range of high-quality aquatic, terrestrial 
and geospatial services with a responsible, scientific mindset. 
Staff: 
Everyone in the APEM Group proudly delivers innovative, efficient 
and high-quality work, and we are proud to help them pursue 
their careers and develop their knowledge. The newly established 
ESG group, and the existing Environmental Committee  ensures 
we liaise with and understand which aspects of ESG are most 
important to everyone within the Group.
Communities: 
We are intrinsically connected to the places in which we work, 
where we live and where our clients and suppliers are located. By 
engaging with communities, we can look at which aspects of ESG 
are important to them and how we can help them achieve their 
goals. 
Investors: 
Our partners provide capital as we expand our reach and 
capabilities. As experienced business owners and firm believers in 
ESG, they offer sound advice and guidance to the APEM Group.
Photo: iStock

25
APEM Group ESG Impact Report 2022
Audit Committee
•	Reviews Audit Findings Report
Remuneration Committee
•	Approves employee reward packages 
ESG Committee
HSEQ and Sustainability Director
| Sustainability & Communities Lead  | People 
Representative | QE Manager | 
•	Manages ESG strategy
•	Delivers annual ESG objectives
Environment Committee
•	Representatives from across the Group to champion 
environmental best practice.
Leadership and governance structure 2022 
Topic Specific Health and Safety Groups
•	Monitors H&S performance
•	Identifies and progresses opportunities for Improvement
Group board 
Chairman (non-exec) 
| CEO | Finance Director | Sales Director | Investors | People Director | CSO |
Responsible for setting overarching strategy and direction, ensuring viability, long term success and managing 
sustainable growth.
•	Delivers annual strategic plan
•	Reviews risk
•	Integrates ESG 
•	Governance assurance
APEM board
Responsible for delivering strategic objectives and day to day operations.
•	Manages legislative and regulatory obligations
•	Oversight of compliance (internal systems and external standards)
•	Directs resource to manage risk
•	Monitors health, safety and environmental performance
Staff Engagement Group
•	Representatives across the Group
•	Provides employee engagement and operational 
response
GOVERNANCE

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APEM Group ESG Impact Report 2022
Our policies and compliance
To ensure effective governance across the Group, our policies 
encompass the breath of our activities and meet the needs 
of our operations. We are transparent with our employees 
about the availability of policies and they are published on 
our intranet. To make sure policies remain relevant to our 
operations they are updated regularly and as part of this 
process are formally reviewed at least every two years. 
When changes are made to policies it is important for us to 
communicate these to our employees, so they can stay up to 
date with compliance and our latest sustainability initiatives. 
To ensure effective uptake on policies, we provide training 
as required, delivered through our online training portal, 
which allows revisions to be well communicated across 
the Group. We encourage employees to report deviations 
and opportunities for improvement as part of our continual 
improvement programme.
Integrating ESG into our operations
GOVERNANCE
Anti-bribery and corruption
Integrity sits at the core of our Group values. 
Alongside our ongoing growth and addition of new members 
to the group, we have renewed our commitment to ensuring 
that there are effective systems and processes in place to 
counter, bribery, corruption, and corporate criminal offenses 
across the Group. As part of this commitment, we have been 
constructing and implementing Anti-Bribery & Corruption and 
Corporate Criminal Offence policies for the group, developed 
ready for use in 2023.
Grievances and whistleblowing
It is important to us that staff feel that they are able to raise 
any grievances or concerns about our business. At the APEM 
Group, grievance and whistleblowing policies encourage 
staff to register issues they deem a risk to our operations and 
for matters that require the attention of the senior team, or if 
necessary, the Board.  
Our risk management process 
At the APEM Group, we manage risk through the use of a 
detailed and comprehensive Risk Register to highlight, manage 
and mitigate potential risks across our business. This register 
considers risks for the business covering financial, operational 
and reputational aspects. The register is updated monthly and 
reviewed through the board structure on a quarterly basis In 
addition to this, we also have a HSEQ Risk Register. This is 
used for health and safety, environmental, project related and 
data protection risks. It is also used to account for specific 
operational risks such as risks related to aerial surveys.
To ensure we are able to continue to operate in light of 
unforeseen circumstances we have a Business Continuity and 
Disaster Recovery Plan in place. This is kept relevant to our 
operations through  an annual review and update process. As 
new subsidiaries join the APEM Group, a priority is to ensure 
IT systems are upgraded where necessary to make sure these 
remain relevant and applicable across the Group.  
We reacted to the uncertainty of the Covid-19 Pandemic and 
updated this plan to enable better support and guidance for 
our employees. As part of this process we also conduct internal 
audits to ensure that we are aligned to ISO 9001, ISO 14001, 
ISO 45001 and ISO/IEC 17025 certification standards and 
recommendations.

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APEM Group ESG Impact Report 2022
Digital
Collecting and processing personal data in a fair and 
transparent manner ensures we are aligned with the General 
Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and their application 
in the UK and Ireland. This process is managed by our data 
protection team, who oversee that our Group policy and 
strategy is correctly implemented. Data considerations 
also form part of our APEM Group risk register. This risk is 
managed as part of an ongoing improvement cycle and is 
scrutinised at Board level. On occasion, clients may request 
data access permissions to be granted to specific personnel. 
In this instance strict data handling processes are put in 
place to maintain data protection and security is maintained.
To govern how all data is handled we have a Data 
Breach Procedure in place. This is to ensure that we take 
responsibility for the actions of our employees in how they 
handle data that is received. This procedure is available on 
our intranet, and we have a documented, staged approach 
to any incident response. End users are able to log data 
breaches or concerns via our intranet, leading to a quick 
escalation.
Integrating ESG into our operations continued
Cyber security
APEM’s data, systems and network are well protected 
with robust internal security measures with proven, tested, 
market-leading anti-virus software solutions. We regularly 
assess and research additional security solutions for the 
business in partnership with our external specialist support 
provider to ensure that we have appropriate policies, 
oversight, training, software, and processes to remain 
cyber safe. We are currently upgrading and migrating 
these systems and processes to ensure consistency 
across the APEM Group. 
APEM Ltd is Cyber Essentials certified: a validation of 
the high standards at which we operate. This certification 
is being expanded to the APEM Group in 2023 once 
our systems have been integrated. We regularly send 
communications out across the Group relating to security 
awareness and reinforce the importance of cyber security 
during cascade meetings. In addition, security testing 
takes place annually with penetration testing and phishing 
attack scenarios to ensure employees remain vigilant.
GOVERNANCE
Photo: iStock

28
Embedding ESG into our supply chain
APEM Group ESG Impact Report 2022
GOVERNANCE
We seek to do business with organisations and 
suppliers who understand and share our aims and 
values. Everyone involved in the procurement of goods, 
services or works from the external supply chain 
understands the commitment to providing the highest 
quality of service, to add value, minimise costs and 
have limited negative impact on the environment.
The way we manage our procurement and supply chain makes 
a huge difference to our profitability, our reputation and our 
success in meeting our sustainability objectives. Using vendors, 
business partners and third parties gives us flexibility and is 
integral to the sustainable delivery of client commitments. We 
strive to:
•	 Make sure that suppliers comply with our policies and other 
legal requirements (including health and safety, human 
rights and labour standards, and employment laws)
•	 Identify the risks associated with using suppliers and 
manage these risks to an acceptable level
•	 Ensure that the roles and responsibilities of suppliers are 
clearly defined and adhered to
•	 Ensure that the way we supply and develop our services 
reflects our sustainability objectives and those of our clients
Requirements
Supplier selection: APEM will appoint suppliers for their ability 
to perform as defined, as well as taking into consideration 
social values, ethical practices and environmental impacts. 
APEM will encourage suppliers to monitor the sustainable 
credentials of their own suppliers.
Manage contracts: APEM will ensure that all contracts 
address the key issues. These include defining vendor 
expectations, performance, scope of work, and deliverables. 
In particular, APEM will seek confirmation regarding 
understanding of and adherence to APEM policies and make 
sure that all contracts protect our physical and intellectual 
property and data.
Extend opportunities: Provide equal opportunities for 
SMEs, minority owned businesses, social enterprises and the 
voluntary and community sector.
Manage subcontracting: Ensure that any right to subcontract 
included in the contract is expressly agreed and approved by 
APEM’s legal staff prior to commencement.
Monitor suppliers: Monitor suppliers to ensure that the supply 
chain risk is managed.
Our approach to procurement is based on four 
principles:
1.	
We uphold ethical business practices and comply 
with legislation
2.	
We are an intelligent customer. We understand the 
risks and complexities of the services we procure 
and are able to respond to performance issues 
appropriately
3.	
We influence the priorities of our key suppliers so 
that they align with ours and those of our clients, to 
ensure a sustainable service to our clients
4.	
We ensure diversity is embedded within our supply 
chain
Photo of Installation of a replacement water supply pipeline at 
Llanishen Reservoir, crossing the Nant Fawr stream, South Wales. 
APEM provided Ecological Clerk of Work services for this project 
to minimise ecological impacts and restore and enhance the area.

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APEM Group ESG Impact Report 2022
Supplier vetting process 
•	 Company information
•	 Financial standing and insurance
•	 Certifications and management 
systems
•	 H&S statistics
•	 GDPR compliance
•	 Policies and procedures beyond 
core business function
•	 ESG and ethical compliance 
eg human rights, community 
impact, fair employment and 
climate
•	 Local supply chain preference
Embedding ESG into our supply chain continued
GOVERNANCE
Supplier review process
•	 Suppliers reviewed annually
•	 Announced audits take place
•	 Critical suppliers undergo field 
audit
•	 Compliance with anti-bribery 
and corruption, HSEQ, Modern 
Slavery and GDPR
APEM suppliers 
•	 299 approved suppliers in the 
APEM Group database
•	 50% of our suppliers have been 
working with us for over 10 
years
•	 ESG materiality survey to be 
rolled out to suppliers in 2023  
Photo: iStock

30
APEM Group ESG Impact Report 2022
Plastic pollution is a sight that our technical teams 
see all too often when they carry out surveys whether 
on land, water or from the air. Therefore in 2022, the 
APEM Group took part in the global movement Plastic 
Free July. Our Environment Committee launched an 
awareness campaign during Plastic Free July, focused 
on the message that small changes can make a big 
difference.
 
During the month, we carried out a waste audit to identify 
better methods for dealing with waste, which provided better 
monitoring data in terms of how much waste is recycled and 
ensured that no single-use plastic such as cutlery, plates, 
cups and bowls were used in any of our offices. The team 
also shared helpful tips to encourage employees to shop in a 
more environmentally conscious way. Overall, the campaign 
was received positively and represents a step forward in our 
journey to continuous improvement.
But our attitude to waste runs deeper: our resourceful field 
teams collect rubbish during the course of their work and 
re-use it as much as possible, for instance, making fish 
measuring boards from plastic sheets discovered in the River 
Mersey and preventing plastic from reaching the ocean. Our 
award-winning litter boat: The Irwell Pride - pictured above, 
can be found around the upper Manchester Ship Canal 
and River Irwell corridor, scooping up litter with the help of 
corporate sponsors and the Mersey Rivers Trust. Each trip 
nets around 1,000 litres of litter and harmful plastics, making 
the city centre and Salford Quays much more pleasant for 
people and wildlife.
ENVIRONMENTAL
Photo: iStock

31
APEM Group ESG Impact Report 2022
Our people
At 31 December 2022, the APEM Group workforce totalled 
488 employees, representing multiple nationalities worldwide. 
There were 249 female employees (51%) and 239 male 
employees (49%), representing a balanced workforce on the 
basis of gender. Gender diversity is also seen within our senior 
management team, our APEM board has a gender ratio of 
50:50 male to female and our group board has a 50:50 split. 
We enthusiastically published our first Gender Pay Gap report 
in early 2023 (based on our 2022 salaries), which set out 
clearly our current position and philosophy as well as areas of 
focus and activity.
In addition we are continuously developing our wider pay 
fairness with annual salary benchmarking and adoption of the 
Living Wage. 
Nurturing our talent
Connecting and listening
Facilitating a strong engagement culture across the APEM 
Group is crucial to ensure both individual and collective 
understanding and growth across our teams. This is particularly 
important in a geographically spread organisation, where many 
people work from home or on a hybrid basis.  A couple of key 
pillars have been designed and curated to drive connection:
Our employee intranet, The Source, has been developed 
into a highly collaborative central platform for teams to 
discover and share content, tools, guidance and stories. This 
is supplemented by ‘The Pulse’ quarterly whole of company 
meetings and open Leadership Q&As.
We are continuing to grow our Internal, Technical and 
Social Communities where people can connect and form 
relationships across the group beyond task-related interactions 
– everything from GIS tagging to Gardening, Wellbeing to 
Walking, Invasive Species to Inclusion.
Male 49%
Workforce 
gender split
Female 51%
Male 50%
APEM board 
gender split
Female 50%
We are incredibly proud of the APEM team and we work hard 
to foster a culture that supports our people and connects their 
efforts to outstanding services and outcomes for our clients. 
From consistent and meaningful engagement through to 
wellbeing initiatives, we are focused on ensuring our people 
thrive whilst building long-term careers with us. 
Our Investors in People accreditation is testament to our 
performance excellence in leading, supporting and improving 
our people.
Male 50%
Group board 
gender split
Female 50%
SOCIAL
Our Wednesday Webinar is one of the stars in our 
Organisational Knowledge learning platform. Our scientific 
minds love to share with and learn from each other and this 
inter-specialist understanding better enables our teams to 
come together around our clients’ complex and layered 
challenges.
Through the year we run a schedule of listening surveys, 
including a six-monthly broad engagement survey and shorter 
topic-specific surveys in-between. With high completion 
rates for these surveys, we gain valuable insight that benefits 
our organisational planning and priorities and ensures our 
approaches stay in tune with the collective view. We are 
also able to benchmark the component engagement scores 
externally and set ourselves targets to match the highest 
performing businesses in our sector.
31

32
APEM Group ESG Impact Report 2022
Meet an APEM Star:
Hannah Austin – Divisional Director
APEM’s (hydroponic) roots are in its 
services to support the water industry, 
and whilst our range of services 
have expanded significantly 
over the past 35 years, it is still 
one of the cornerstones of our 
organisation. And alongside the 
growth of the division has been the 
development of Hannah Austin, who 
was promoted to Divisional Director in 
2022.
Beginning with a focus on hydrology and water quality 
management, Hannah quickly progressed to work 
on a key project for Severn Trent Water, investigating 
the impacts of abstraction on low flows in freshwater 
streams. Hannah’s experience went from strength 
to strength with environmental assessments for 
water companies investigating the impacts of water 
abstraction, drought permits and managing the risk of 
deterioration in water framework directive (WFD) status.
More recently Hannah has managed 
a growing team of specialists who 
cover areas including: Hydro 
ecology modelling and analysis, 
the design, management and 
delivery of freshwater modelling 
for infrastructure, Hydrology 
and water management, Water 
abstraction and river regulations, 
Water quality, invasive and non-native 
species (INNS) and much more. 
Hannah will be the figurehead for the freshwater biology 
division which is currently made up of 44 technical 
specialists with expertise in hydro ecology, water quality 
and invasive and non-native species.
Hannah said: “I am looking forward to encouraging the 
existing talent within the team, enabling them to do what 
they do best. It’s a thriving and well-established team, 
delivering great work so it’s a big responsibility.”
Always learning
We know that employee learning and development are a 
critical part of our ability to provide a high-quality service 
that is at the forefront of environmental consulting 
capabilities.
We have recently relaunched our vision and mission for the 
organisation and underpinned this with a clear strategic 
plan for organisational development. Our people’s personal 
goals are connected to this mission and plan and career 
development is a constant topic of discussion that sits 
inside an annual framework and is supported by regular 
workshops focused on people leadership skills. Our 
combination of technical diversity and growth creates an 
exciting range of opportunities for our people beyond the 
traditional linear career path.
We feed the curious minds that we employ with funded 
professional memberships, external training, and 
attendance at events and conferences. We have had an 
e-learning portal for several years, ensuring a consistent 
bar across the group for essential skills and knowledge as 
well as core development tools. In 2022 we have invested 
significantly in upgrading our platform and content library 
and, through it, developing a true repository for on-
demand organisational knowledge that sits alongside live 
training and on-the-job development activities such as 
secondments, shadowing and stretch projects.
SOCIAL

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APEM Group ESG Impact Report 2022
Health & wellbeing
This is an area we have invested in significantly over the 
past 2 years. As we emerge from the pandemic, employee 
health, safety and wellbeing remain at the forefront of our 
considerations and are fundamental to our people feeling 
secure and valued.
We have health and safety statements and policies across the 
group, as well as training which is mandatory and role-specific. 
We collect safety event data that includes accidents, incidents, 
near miss data and observations to ensure working practices 
are robustly and consistently understood and high standards 
maintained. We use this data to conduct meaningful lessons 
learned and report to the board on a monthly basis including 
topics raised pro-actively through ‘safety moments’ embedded 
into the board agenda.
When home became work for many of our teams, we learned 
that flexibility, understanding and balance opened up new 
opportunities. We understand that the rigidity of 9-5 in an 
office does not suit everyone or enable them to live a fully 
balanced life. So wherever possible we adopt our Ways of 
Working (WOW) to enable people to work and live in a way 
that balances delivering as a team for our clients with their 
family and other community and wellbeing activities. We also 
recognise that blending work and home can bring challenges, 
particularly in relation to feeling supportive connection and 
maintaining boundaries, so we have also invested in our mental 
wellbeing framework. As well as trained first responders 
for medical incidents, we also have staff trained as Mental 
Health First Aiders across the APEM Group.  On top of 
this our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) offers free 
and confidential support helping our staff navigate through 
challenging times.  
We also offer a series of benefits to support physical and 
mental health, including private medical services, permanent 
health insurance and a health cash plan, as well as benefits to 
support financial security such as pension, income protection 
and life cover.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
We recognise that everyone’s story is different. The 
opportunities, experiences and challenges faced in 
life and across a lifetime shape each of us and the 
perspective and insight we bring to any team. We believe 
that embracing our differences and empower our people 
to be their best means we’re able to approach what we 
do from different angles drawing inspiration and insight 
together.
Our Equal Opportunities Policy sets out our position on 
non-discrimination in the attraction and the selection of 
candidates for both external and internal vacancies. To 
support this, we are introducing a recruitment training 
course including content on unconscious bias and 
reasonable adjustments.
In 2023 we will establish our first Belonging groups 
across Gender, Working Families and Carers, Ethnic 
Identity, LGBTQ+ and Neurodiversity. These employee-
led groups will partner with leadership to set clear 
priorities and objectives in making the group an ever-
more inclusive environment.
Looking forward, we will continue to build on these 
components, in partnership with our Belonging groups, 
through a strategic action plan with defined deliverables. 
This plan will be deployed across the group over a period 
from 2022-2025. 
SOCIAL
Health & wellbeing of APEM staff

34
APEM Group ESG Impact Report 2022
For over 30 years I have been inspired 
and amazed by the social capital 
of volunteers with whom I have 
worked to advance biodiversity 
projects. Taking on the new 
role of Associate Director of 
Sustainability and Communities 
allows me to widen my reach 
across our APEM community 
supporting our sustainability 
journey. The establishment of the 
role also demonstrates the company’s 
commitment to the ‘social’ aspect of our ESG 
strategy.
Starting in Autumn 2022, my first focus was internal, 
collating and sharing details through existing structures 
about Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) initiatives 
across the Group. We were delighted that the Staff 
Engagement Group’s idea for APEM staff to have paid 
volunteer leave was approved by the Board just before 
Christmas 2022: a lovely present valued at circa £80,000 
per annum. 
2023 saw the launch of APEM’s new Mission 
Statement: TO BRING THE APEM WAY 
TO THE WORLD: Providing progressive 
ecological and technological solutions 
to decision makers around the globe, 
partnering to achieve environmental and 
social outcomes that matter. 
I see my role as integral in advancing this. In 
2023 we are issuing ESG materiality surveys 
to clients, suppliers and sub-contractors, to 
determine what are the most important ESG aspects 
to inform our approaches in this area. 
Other exciting opportunities are arising. For example, we 
are now offering add-ons to our standard consultancy role 
such as workshops for communities with our scientists to 
increase environmental understanding of our projects. We 
can also provide a calculation of the carbon we emit on 
specific projects.
I am proud to be working in the area and helping in our 
collective journey to advance sustainability in line with the 
UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Community development
The work we do supports environmental improvement 
with a positive impact on local communities and 
people’s wellbeing. In addition to our day-to-day work, 
we are involved in a number of community outreach 
programmes across APEM to support local charities 
and organisations linked to our business objectives. 
We have provided funding for employees to arrange 
community and charity events, with matched funding 
within limits for charitable activities. To improve our 
community outreach programme, we have appointed 
a sustainability and community officer with the 
responsibility of identifying outreach projects, funding 
and provision of community engagement and training 
opportunities on environmental issues. 
We have delivered biodiversity workshops, teaching 
the community to identify tree species, propagate 
seeds, and create new habitats for birds and bats. 
We inspired the next generation of ecologists with 
sand dune walks, pollinator spotting and night-time 
bat adventure walks. Our team visits schools and 
universities to try to inspire an interest in our field of 
work. 
SOCIAL
Sharon Eastwood – Associate Director, 
Sustainability and Communities

35
APEM Group ESG Impact Report 2022
The APEM Group 
ESG objectives for 2023
GOVERNANCE 
•	 Roll out of APEM policies and processes across 
all companies as part of the APEM Group 
•	 Maintain compliance in regulatory requirements 
for Health Safety and Environmental event 
reporting 
SOCIAL
•	 Roll out staff ESG materiality survey in 2023 and 
incorporate suggestions into action plan
•	 Launch inclusion-focussed committee with 
membership from across the Group
•	 Issue Client and Supplier ESG materiality surveys 
•	 Commence paid volunteering hours for staff
•	 Embed Diversity, Equity and Inclusion strategy 
across the Group
ENVIRONMENTAL 
•	 Reduce our operational greenhouse gas (GHG) 
emissions (Scope 1 & 2) from a 2022 baseline 
for the APEM Group
•	 Achieve carbon neutrality across our Group 
operations (Scope 1 and 2)
•	 Achieve independently verified Scope 3 
emissions to allow us to have a baseline 
against which to advance our carbon reduction 
programme
•	 Engage with APEM Group sites to collect 
accurate energy, waste and water data where 
possible to allow us to measure reduction efforts

36
APEM Group ESG Impact Report 2022
Our annual Picture of the Year competition for APEM 
Group staff always yields some stunning shots. 
In 2022, we received over 140 entries in total, ranging from 
photos of the UK’s beautiful shores to those of New Zealand’s 
most elusive species. To choose the ultimate winner of the 
competition, staff across the APEM Group voted for their 
favourite photos for each month of 2022, leaving 12 monthly 
winners, with a final decision made by an external judge.
More of our entries from 2022 and previous years appear 
throughout this report. The 12 monthly winners are featured on 
the back cover.
APEM Group photo competition
The winner was ‘Seal’ by Edward Rickard,  
Senior Marine Fisheries Consultant featured here 
and on the front of this report. 
Other monthly winners are shown below  
from left to right: 
Photo of Brecon Beacons waterfall  
by Lorna Rowe, Principal Terrestrial Ecologist
Photo of Gannet  
by Billy Gardener, Ornithology Consultant
Photo of Green hairstreak  
by Ben Jones, GoBe Marine Consultant
SOCIAL
By Edward Rickard
By Billy Gardener
By Lorna Rowe
By Ben Jones

37
APEM Group ESG Impact Report 2022
Who we are
APEM Inc
With offshore wind in its infancy in the US, the needs of our 
clients and the regulatory requirements are ever-changing. 
APEM Inc offer bespoke solutions to our clients to deal with 
the evolution of technology, providing robust, accurate data, 
and making the best use of it long-term. With a shift in focus to 
sustainable and conscientious development, our clients need 
to balance the needs of society with rigorous and evolving 
regulations.
The APEM Group
The APEM Group are a world-class environmental 
consultancy whose passionate scientists and 
technical experts engage with clients to provide 
high quality solutions that have a positive 
environmental and societal impact. Through the 
experience and commitment of our people we will 
realise our sustainable growth ambitions. 
The Group comprise a growing collection of environmental 
consultancies providing independent advice and guidance 
to help governments and organisations around the 
world monitor and mitigate environmental impacts. As 
innovators, problem solvers and learners, our expert, 
technical and support teams lead the way across multiple 
industries using the latest technology combined with 
years of experience and a commitment to core scientific 
principles. Established in 1987, APEM has evolved with 
the formation of APEM Inc and the 2021 acquisition of 
Woodrow, followed by AQUAFACT and GoBe in 2022 and 
Macro Works and NASH Maritime in 2023. Collectively, 
the APEM Group have offices throughout the UK and 
Ireland, providing a range of integrated specialist services 
for clients across the world. 
APEM Ltd
For over three decades, APEM Ltd have offered independent 
advice and guidance to support government and 
environmental regulatory guidelines. Our team can be found all 
around the UK: behind a microscope in our world-renowned 
laboratories, undertaking innovative desk studies and 
scoping protected species, grabbing freshwater samples and 
emergency fish rescue, flying our innovative high-resolution 
digital aerial surveys, or on the ground with eDNA and 
terrestrial ecology services. Our work has been cited as the 
benchmark for aerial survey design in the UK for offshore wind, 
and our labs provide external quality assurance for the analysis 
of marine biological samples, delivering audit and training 
services to the highest standard. 
Photo of Dungloe, Co. Donegal, Ireland

Photo of green hairstreak by Ben Jones
38
APEM Group ESG Impact Report 2022
GoBe
The future of the renewables industry is bright. And GoBe 
are meeting the demand for strategic solutions and project-
specific experts to support planning and environmental plans, 
for projects in offshore wind, marine renewables, marine 
aggregates, coastal infrastructure and subsea cabling. Working 
closely with developers in the UK, Europe and the US, we 
provide informed and accurate advice and technical expertise, 
sharing our in-depth knowledge and understanding of the 
consenting process for nationally significant infrastructure 
projects (NSIPs) and offshore wind developments. 
AQUAFACT
AQUAFACT are an established marine environmental 
consultancy based in Galway, which joined the APEM 
Group in February 2022. AQUAFACT is firmly rooted in 
the scientific community in Ireland with close associations 
with the National University of Ireland, Galway (NUIG), 
Galway Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT), University 
College Dublin and Trinity College. We deliver professional 
and clear advice and guidance to clients from the state, 
semi-state and private sectors with the highest levels 
of accuracy, specialising in monitoring and managing 
resources and offering a multi-disciplinary approach to 
the investigation of problems in marine and freshwater 
environments. 
Who we are continued

39
APEM Group ESG Impact Report 2022
Woodrow
Woodrow are a long-standing and well-respected terrestrial 
ecology consultancy in Ireland. An expert team of ecologists 
work across a variety of specialist areas including habitats, 
birds, bats, terrestrial mammals and invertebrates, notably 
providing services to the renewables industry and recreation/
greenways, quarries, roads and other development areas as 
well as providing specialist input in national species and habitat 
surveys. Woodrow joined the APEM Group in 2021, and by the 
end of 2022 had over 30 staff members working with clients 
and communities across Ireland. With a long and successful 
history of providing environmental training and education, 
Woodrow see inclusion and knowledge as the key to positive 
environmental change.
Who we are continued
NASH Maritime 
NASH Maritime offers innovative solutions that empower 
clients to manage shipping and navigation risk, optimise design 
and enable safe co-existence with other marine users.
NASH Maritime have worked in the maritime environment, 
understand the commercial value of risk-based decision-
making and take an active role in driving new approaches to 
safety and cost reduction.
Macro Works
Macro Works provide a full suite of Landscape & Visual Impact 
Assessment (LVIA) related tools and skills for a broad spectrum 
of energy, infrastructure and commercial developments. 
Macro Works’ clients emanate from both the public and 
private sectors, in Ireland and abroad. Macro Works’ expertise 
primarily covers the stages of development, from initial 
feasibility studies through to the completion of the planning 
process.
Macro Works constantly endeavour to establish it through 
constant R&D and innovation that takes advantage of the latest 
technologies. This push for constant advancement has ensured 
that Macro Works have remained at the forefront of LVIA 
services in Ireland for the past 20 years and will continue to do 
so into the future. 
Photo of puffins and guillemots by Jessica George

40
APEM Group ESG Impact Report 2022
APEM Group sites
Total Energy Consumption (kwh)
Energy (kwh / Office FTE)
APEM Ltd - Cambridge
0
0
APEM Ltd - Chester
61,924
2,064.133333
APEM Ltd - Edinburgh
24,860
2,486
APEM Ltd - Letchworth
42,036
1,449.517241
APEM Ltd - Oxford
0
0
APEM Ltd - South Wales
33,593
4,798.948571
APEM Ltd - Southampton
4,407
881.4
APEM Ltd - Stockport HQ
86,031
5,376.925
APEM Ireland - Cork
16,186
1,348.843333
Woodrow - Sligo
9,666
276.1714286
Aquafact - Galway
79,552
4,972
GoBe - Glasgow
23,278
2,327.8
Gobe - Buckfastleigh, Devon
62,936
1,656.223158
APEM Ltd - Stockport Stores
24,498
24,498.3
APEM Ltd - Scottish Stores (Livingston)
20,995
NA
APEM Ltd - South Stores
11,187
NA
Total
285,217
APPENDICES
Electricity consumption APEM Group 2022
APPENDIX A
Primary data based on accurate readings is shown in green and extrapolated data is shown in orange.

41
APEM Group ESG Impact Report 2022
APEM Group sites
Waste Generated  (kg)
APEM Ltd - Cambridge
0
APEM Ltd - Chester
3,900
APEM Ltd - Edinburgh
1,300
APEM Ltd - Letchworth
2,940
APEM Ltd - Oxford
0
APEM Ltd - South Wales
618
APEM Ltd - Southampton
650
APEM Ltd - Stockport HQ
5,080
APEM Ireland - Cork
1,560
Woodrow - Sligo
4,550
Aquafact - Galway
2,080
GoBe - Glasgow
1,300
Gobe - Buckfastleigh, Devon
4,940
APEM Ltd - Stockport Stores
1,120
APEM Ltd - Scottish Stores (Livingston)
0
APEM Ltd - South Stores
392
Total
30,430
APPENDIX B
Waste generated APEM Group 2022
Primary data based on accurate readings is shown in green, extrapolated data is shown in 
orange and a combination of both primary and extrapolated data is shown in yellow
APEM Group sites
Total Water Consumption (m3)
APEM Ltd - Cambridge
0
APEM Ltd - Chester
324
APEM Ltd - Edinburgh
108
APEM Ltd - Letchworth
313.2
APEM Ltd - Oxford
0
APEM Ltd - South Wales
75.6
APEM Ltd - Southampton
54
APEM Ltd - Stockport HQ
227
APEM Ireland - Cork
129.6
Woodrow - Sligo
378
AQUAFACT - Galway
172.8
GoBe - Glasgow
108
Gobe - Buckfastleigh, Devon
410.4
APEM Ltd - Stockport Stores
91.64
APEM Ltd - Scottish Stores (Livingston)
0
APEM Ltd - South Stores
0
Total
2,392.24
APPENDIX C
Water consumption APEM Group 2022
Primary data based on accurate readings is shown in green and extrapolated data is shown in 
orange

APEM Group, Riverview, A17 Embankment Business Park, Stockport, SK4 3GN, United Kingdom
www.apem-group.com 
January
Photo of Cape petrels with views of South Orkney 
Islands, by Casey de Geir
Febuary 
Photo of humpback whale with views of Coronation 
Island, Antarctica by Casey De Geir
March 
Photo of waterfall, Brecon Beacons by Lorna Rowe
April 
Photo of Cape starling by Miriam Carless
May 
Photo of sperm whale by Ben Jones
June 
Photo of gannet by Billy Gardener
July
Photo of green hairstreak by Ben Jones 
August
Photo of Emperor moth caterpillar, County 
Roscommon by Philip Doddy
September 
Photo of fur seal, New Zealand by Ben Jones
October 
Photo of Cadover Bridge, Dartmoor by Ben Jones
November 
Photo of Salvin’s albatross by Ben Jones
December 
Photo of seal by Edward Rickard