Boskalis_CSR_report__2016

Environmental Impact CSR 2016 – Boskalis 32 Climate change and the consequences thereof, such as rising sea levels, are increasingly important topics for our sector and for society. With much of the country below sea level, the Netherlands has had to battle to fend off the ravages of the sea for centuries. The Dutch expertise and skills in the field of delta technology and hydraulic engineering are highly rated throughout the world. Boskalis’ core business enables it to provide innovative adaptive and mitigating solutions to combat the impact of climate change. Through our coastal defense and riverbank protection activities we are able to help countries to adapt to the consequences of climate change. Boskalis specializes in designing, realizing and maintaining sea defenses and beach replenishments. We widen rivers and channels and create floodplains to contain the water or facilitate drainage. Our Building with Nature approach plays an important part in the realization of these projects. In doing so, we also apply the basic principles of the circular economy by substituting materials such as concrete, basalt and rock with natural, renewable materials such as sand and mangroves. Our offshore wind farm activities contribute towards greater availability of renewable energy. We have made our mark with successful projects and, as one of the top players in this market, we keep expanding our role by providing a broader range of services for increasingly complex projects. We provide our services for the transportation, installation and scour protection of substations, turbines and turbine foundations as well as handling the supply and installation of cables. In addition, we offer a growing number of construction, procurement and engineering services, in which logistics and risk management play an increasingly important role. Climate change Construction of the Wikinger offshore wind farm.

We take our responsibility in relation to climate change by looking into innovative and established ways of saving energy and reducing the emissions produced by our equipment. Our Taskforce Energy Management keeps a close eye on developments in national and international legislation and regulations on emissions. Chaired by a member of the Board of Management, the Taskforce includes specialists and professionals from the key divisions. The Taskforce has a steering role, pools knowledge and best practices, and promotes awareness within the organization. For more information on CO 2 emissions and energy-saving measures we refer to pages 36-39. In 2016 we executed and were awarded the following projects to protect large parts of the Netherlands from flooding: ‚ ‚ Reinforcement of the Wadden Sea dike on the island of Texel over a distance of fourteen kilometers as well as raising and widening the Wadden Sea dike between Eemshaven and Delfzijl over a distance of twelve kilometers. ‚ ‚ Execution of various Room for the River projects including landscaping and improving nature. ‚ ‚ Reinforcement of the 33-kilometer long Markermeer dike in the Dutch province of North Holland. ‚ ‚ At the end of 2016 the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment announced the contract award for the reinforcement of the 25-kilometer long Houtrib dike to Boskalis. Execution will start in 2017. The Houtrib dike is located between Enkhuizen and Lelystad. Flood protection